By Stan Caldwell
stanmansportsfan.com
SUMRALL – Dannis Jackson has been better known for his moves on the football field than on the basketball court, but it’s not for lack of trying.
The Sumrall High senior had a vintage night Tuesday, carrying the Bobcats past Poplarville 62-59 in a Region 7-4A thriller at the Sumrall Gym. The win even Sumrall’s record at 5-5 overall and 1-1 in region. Poplarville dropped to 1-5 and 0-1.
Jackson led all scorers with 24 points and had a critical offensive rebound off a missed free throw in the final seconds of the game as the Bobcats were nursing a two-point lead.
“He’s a pleasure to watch,” said Sumrall coach David Bush. “He’s a special athlete, and when he’s on and focused, he’s hard to stop.”
It’s understandable that Jackson might have trouble focusing on hoops as much as he’d like. Jackson is one of the top football recruits in the Southeast, and is scheduled to play in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game Dec. 17 at Montgomery, Ala.
“Football is obviously my main focus,” said Jackson, who has committed to Ole Miss. “When I come out here, I’m just looking to contribute to the team. This is my senior year, so this is the last time I’ll touch a basketball, so I just want to come out and enjoy it.”
Jackson opened the scoring before the game ever started, converting a pair of free throws after Poplarville was assessed a technical foul for having the wrong jersey number for one of its players entered in the official scorebook.
Those points came in handy in a tight, hard-fought affair. Sumrall led by eight points early, 16-8, but Hornet senior Canaan Ray swished a 3-point shot to cap a 7-0 run that got Poplarville going, and neither team led by more than five points the rest of the way.
After losing their region opener by 21 points Friday night against Forrest County AHS – a game in which the Aggies made 13 treys – Bush said he stressed more man-to-man defense against Poplarville, and the strategy paid off handsomely.
“I thought we really played well defensively,” said Bush. “We played a lot of zone early in the year, but with the athletes we have, if we buckle down and really play hard, we can be a pretty good defensive team.
“Defense is all about want-to, and tonight we got stops when we needed to.”
Ray converted three 3-pointers in the first half, scoring 13 points, but the Bobcats kept him scoreless in the second half.
Poplarville grabbed the lead for the first time 24-22 on a baseline drive by Jordan Bolton, but Jackson drove to the rim on back-to-back possessions, sandwiched around a steal, to key an 8-0 run that gave Sumrall renewed momentum and a 35-32 halftime lead.
“We’ve been trying to get Dannis to go to the rim more often, because he’s so athletic,” said Bush. “He likes to shoot the 3, but with his speed and quickness, he’s difficult to stop when he drives to the basket.”
In the second half, the Hornets turned to 6-foot-7 senior Dante Carroll, who scored 12 of his team-high 22 points in the third quarter, and Poplarville led 49-47 after three quarters.
“We really don’t have much size, so we have to come back with an all-guard team, and we’ve all got speed,” said Sumrall senior Tylus Moore, who had 15 points. “Coach Bush told us we had to lock up, and we said, ‘all right, Coach, we’ve got ya.’”
Poplarville built its biggest lead of the game midway through the fourth quarter, leading by five 56-51 and 58-53. But the Bobcats held the Hornets to just three shots and forced four turnovers over the final three minutes of the game.
Moore drove the lane and converted a scoop shot, the Bobcats got a steal and Jackson scored on a putback to make it 58-57.
After a one-and-done on defense, Sumrall took the lead for good on another offensive rebound and putback layup by junior Alek Jimison. The Hornets tied it with a free throw, but Jimison knocked down a jump shot from the foul line to give the Bobcats a 61-59 lead with 1:14 to play.
Poplarville still had a chance, when Jimison missed a pair of free throws with 18.1 seconds to play, but Jackson went up and got the second miss, drew a foul and one of two free throws with 10.5 seconds remaining.
Ray got a decent look at a 3-ball that would have tied it, but the shot was long, and the Bobcats secured the rebound to seal the victory.
“I knew I had a chance to get the ball,” said Jackson. “They didn’t box me out, so I went up and got it.”
In the girls game, the Lady Bobcats lost a heartbreaker 49-48 on a game-winning layup by Poplarville’s Tyharia Buckley with 4.3 seconds to play.
Buckley led Poplarville (6-2, 1-0) with 25 points; Lilli Robertson had 19 points and Tarianna Greenwood added 14 points for Sumrall (2-8, 0-2).
Sumrall will not play again this week, but will host the annual Lamar County Tournament next Monday and Tuesday, before breaking for the holidays.
Prep Basketball Summaries
Tuesday at Sumrall
GIRLS
Poplarville 49, Sumrall 48
Poplarville 10 11 18 10 – 49
Sumrall 14 9 16 9 – 48
POPLARVILLE (6-2, 1-0 in 7-4A): Tyharia Buckley 25, Jasmin Sharpe 5, Angie Angulo 3, Deanna Freeman 14, Zakia Jordan 2.
SUMRALL (2-8, 0-2 in 7-4A): Kristen Johnson 2, Tarianna Greenwood 14, Akele Parkman 6, Courtney Musgrove 2, Lilli Robertson 19, Tyanica Drummond 4, Hollie Williamson 1.
BOYS
Sumrall 62, Poplarville 59
Poplarville 15 17 17 10 – 59
Sumrall 20 15 12 15 – 62
POPLARVILLE (1-5, 0-1 in 7-4A): Jordan Bolton 6, Canaan Ray 13, Kevin Hart 10, Dante Carroll 22, Dante Buckley 3, Quan Huderson 2, Keegon Wash 3.
SUMRALL (5-5, 1-1 in 7-4A): Nijewel Coleman 10, Dannis Jackson 24, Tylus Moore 15, Matthew Cronin 2, Alek Jimison 6, Patrick Williamson 3, Zane Berry 2.
