By Stan Caldwell
stanmansportsfan.com
HATTIESBURG – Basketball can be fairly called a game of streaks; the trick is to maximize your team’s streaks, while minimizing those of your opponent.
Unfortunately for Hattiesburg High, the Tigers did too little of each at critical moments Saturday night in the boys championship game of the HHS Coca-Cola Holiday Classic, coming up just short in a wild 76-72 defeat at the hands of Yazoo County at Watkins Gymnasium.
HHS completed the 2018 portion of its schedule 12-4 overall, while Yazoo County, the state’s top-ranked team in Class 3A, remained undefeated at 16-0.
The Tigers trailed by as many as 16 points in the first half, and early in the second, before rallying, and got as close as two points in the final minute of play but could never get over the hump.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well in the first half – really the whole game,” said HHS coach Ernie Watson. “They’re a great basketball team, so for us to come back like we did is a testament to our team.”
Hattiesburg came into its annual post-Christmas/pre-New Year’s tournament ranked fifth in Class 5A, but the Tigers were no match for the quicker, deeper Panthers in the first half.
HHS actually shot 50 percent from the field in the first half, but that’s a deceptive statistic, because the Tigers only got 18 shots over that period and committed 12 turnovers.
The Panthers were 13 of 33 (39.4 percent) from the field in the first half and also got to the foul line for 12 free throws, making 7. Yazoo County led 17-7 after the first quarter and 35-21 at halftime.
“We just talked about picking up our energy, fighting through it and getting back on defense,” said HHS forward Cameron Brown, who kept the Tigers in the game with 10 of his game-high 26 points in the first half.
“We needed to cut down on our errors to try to cut into their lead. On defense, we tried to pick them up in the backcourt, jumping in on them and forcing errors.”
Hattiesburg turned to a full-court trap in the second half, and that’s when the Tigers started to pick up some momentum.
“We didn’t get aggressive in the first half until they hit us in the mouth, and we didn’t respond at all,” said Watson. “We had to get on the kids a little bit in the locker room, and we played a little better after that.”
Tiger forward Nick Walker slid through the lane for a layup to cap a 10-3 run that pulled the Tigers to within six points, 47-41, with 1:54 to play in the third quarter.
Yazoo County led 54-46 heading into the fourth quarter, and the final eight minutes of the game alone were worth the price of admission.
The second half saw Hattiesburg whistled for 19 fouls and two technicals, while Yazoo County was called for 16 fouls and one technical. In all, the Panthers were 16 of 24 from the line in the fourth quarter and the Tigers were 12 of 17.
After the Panthers converted 3 of 4 foul shots following the second technical foul called against Hattiesburg to take a 70-58 lead with 3:35 to play, the Tigers forced four turnovers and an offensive foul on five straight possessions.
HHS took advantage of the defensive pressure as Brown had a four-point play: two foul shots on Yazoo County’s technical, followed by a 16-foot jump shot in the lane. Then Walker made it 70-65 with 58.2 seconds remaining on another drive through the lane.
After two missed free throws, Ivory Stallings swished a 3-point shot from the left wing to make it a two-point game with 35.3 seconds to play.
However, Yazoo County made 6 of 8 foul shots in the final 32.5 seconds to keep the Tigers at bay.
“I thought our kids showed a lot of character,” said Watson. “Any time you came make a run like that against a good team, I’ll take that. That’s an undefeated team, and we should have got them, but we didn’t, so it’s a learning experience.”
Walker had 15 points, all in the second half for Hattiesburg. Martarious Burrell and Hunter Barron each had 16 points to lead Yazoo County.
The Tigers will have some time off before their next game, when they open Region 7-5A play Jan. 8 at home against Picayune.
“I think we’ll be pretty good,” said Watson. “If we’ll play hard like that every night, and the kids keep their heads on straight, we should be OK.”
Hattiesburg’s Lady Tigers rebounded from a loss in Friday’s semifinals to clobber South Jones 64-24 in the girls third-place game. HHS led all the way and never let up in avenging an earlier defeat to the Lady Braves.
Melyia Grayson had 19 points, 9 rebounds and 8 blocked shots, and Kenedi Walker had 18 points, 7 rebounds and 7 steals to lead Hattiesburg.
Hattiesburg High Coca-Cola Holiday Classic
Saturday at Watkins Gymnasium
GIRLS
Seventh-Place: Natchez 55, Columbia 45
Fifth-Place: Brandon 74, Laurel 40
Third-Place: Hattiesburg 64, South Jones 24
Championship: Greenville 42, Holmes County Central 33
BOYS
Seventh-Place: Columbia 64, South Jones 56
Fifth-Place: Jefferson Davis County 58, West Jones 46
Third-Place: Brandon 75, Natchez 45
Championship: Yazoo County 76, Hattiesburg 72
Prep Basketball Summaries
GIRLS
Third-Place Game
Hattiesburg 64, South Jones 24
SJHS 12 4 6 2 – 24
HHS 19 17 18 10 – 64
SOUTH JONES (14-2): Jordan Clark 4, Ebony Fulford 5, JerNize Gammage 6, Kelsi Jackson 9. TOTALS – FG 6-38 (3FG 2-17), FT 10-21 (24).
HATTIESBURG (12-3): Chelsea Ulmer 7, Jaelah Gray 2, Dekiyah Lewis 4, Kenedi Walker 18 (7 rebounds, 7 steals), Kendyl Terrell 13, Chaise Stinson 1, Melyia Grayson 19 (9 rebounds, 8 blocks). TOTALS – FG 24-60 (3FG 4-13), FT 12-21 (64).
BOYS
Championship Game
Yazoo County 76, Hattiesburg 72
YCHS 17 18 19 22 – 76
HHS 7 14 25 26 – 72
YAZOO COUNTY (16-0): Martarious Burrell 16, Kejuan Frierson 3, Kim Brown 2, John Lewis 11, Lakevion Dixon 10, Emon Washington 14, JhaMario Bassett 4, Hunter Barron 16. TOTALS – FG 22-55 (3FG 3-16), FT 29-45 (76)
HATTIESBURG (12-4): Chris Lewis 12, Nick Walker 15, Cameron Brown 26, Alex Jordan 2, Ivory Stallings 6, Keshawn Prince 6, Malik Moore 3, Jaren Handy 2. TOTALS – FG 22-58 (3FG 6-23), FT 20-26 (72).
Thanks Stan!
Great write-up!