By Stan Caldwell
stanmansportsfan.com
HATTIESBURG – After losing two straight games while adjusting to the loss of one of their best players, the Hattiesburg High boys were in dire straits Friday night against North Pike.
The Tigers let a big lead slip through their hands in the fourth quarter, but rallied in the final minute to get past the Jaguars and secure a big 61-57 victory in Region 7-5A action at Watkins Gymnasium.
HHS improved to 17-7 overall, but more importantly, improved to 3-1 in region play. North Pike, which will host the region tournament next month, dropped to 9-12 and 1-3.
“This was one of the biggest wins in the (region) this year,” said Hattiesburg coach Ernie Watson. “A loss today, and we’re probably playing them in the first round (of the region tournament) on their floor. And that’s tough.
“Also, seeding is important for State, because you want to get that No. 1 seed and have a week off before you have to play.”
The Tigers are probably going to have to do all of that without 6-foot-3 junior Nick Walker, who was suffered a leg injury last weekend in a non-basketball related accident. Walker was averaging 13.2 points and 11.7 rebounds when he was hurt.
With Walker sidelined, Hattiesburg lost to Meridian 63-62 on Monday in the JDC MLK Classic at Bassfield, then fell to Oak Grove 63-60 Tuesday at home.
Friday night, HHS needed someone to step up at crunch time, after the Jaguars overcame a 15-point deficit to grab the lead with 1:07 remaining in the game, and 6-4 junior Cameron Brown answered the call.
“I needed to step up and be a leader, now that (Nick) is gone,” said Brown, who finished with 20 points for the Tigers. “It takes a lot to get everybody on the same page. I’ve got to be more of a rebounder and play some of his role now.”
Brown had eight points in the final period, including a pair of foul shots with 9.2 seconds remaining that gave Hattiesburg a three-point lead, after junior Ivory Stallings put the Tigers back in front with a pair of free throws with 57.8 seconds to play.
Indeed, free throws were the difference in this one, as Hattiesburg converted 19 of 27 shots from the line – including 10 of 12 in the fourth quarter. North Pike, by contrast, was 5 of 6 from the line.
“We work on foul shooting every day in practice,” said Watson. “Cam is our leader, and if he wants to be the man, he needs to be the man in that situation, and he was tonight.”
The two teams played a tight first half, after the Tigers rebounded from a slow start. North Pike took an early 7-0 lead, but Hattiesburg closed quickly and took a lead late in the first quarter that it would hold on to most of the way.
HHS led 24-21 at halftime.
The Tigers opened the second half with a quick 6-0 run to take a nine-point lead, and slowly built a double-digit lead late in the third period. Brown capped Hattiesburg’s surge with a 3-point shot to give the Tigers a 45-32 lead going into the fourth quarter.
But as they did in the earlier meeting this season at Summit, when the Jaguars cut a 16-point margin to just two before the Tigers held on to win, North Pike rallied behind the play of junior Alijah Martin, who had eight of his team-high 20 points in the fourth quarter.
“Same thing happened at their place,” said Watson. “We had a big lead and were cruising, then (Martin) woke up. They started getting steals and layups. They’ve got a good team and we had to fight through that.”
North Pike converted 10 of 18 shots from the field, including two big treys off the bench by sophomore Thomas May, the second one giving the Jaguars their first lead since the first period.
But Stallings drew a foul and made both foul shots, then Brown grabbed a rebound after a missed layup and was fouled with 9.2 seconds to play.
“I just told myself to get to the line and make the free throws,” said Brown. “Those are guaranteed baskets, no more trey-balls or lay-ups, just get to the line.”
North Pike had one last chance, as Martin got a good look at a 3-point shot to tie, but it was a little long. Hattiesburg senior Vinson Bourn grabbed the rebound, drew a foul and made one of two from the line with 0.1 seconds remaining for the final margin.
Junior Chris Lewis added 10 points for Hattiesburg, while junior K.J. Nobles had 15 points for North Pike.
The girls game was completely different, as the Lady Tigers cruised to a 63-30 win, improving to 18-4 overall and 4-0 in the region.
HHS, the defending state champions in Class 5A, took the drama out of the game early, rolling to a 15-0 lead, as North Pike (10-13, 0-4) turned the ball over on its first nine possessions, getting just two shots during that span.
The Lady Tigers were 12 of 19 from the field (63.2 percent) in the first quarter, leading 25-6, then bettered that by making 8 of 12 from the floor in the second period. Junior Chelsea Ulmer’s shot from half-court at the buzzer gave the Lady Tigers a 46-14 halftime lead.
Senior Kenedi Walker scored 17 points to lead the Lady Tigers, Ulmer added 13 points and junior Melyia Grayson had 11 points, nine coming in the first quarter.
Hattiesburg will be on the road for its next three games, Tuesday at Picayune, Friday at Pearl River Central and at Laurel on Feb. 5, before returning home for the regular-season finale Feb. 7 against Petal.
Prep Basketball Summaries
GIRLS
Hattiesburg 63, North Pike 30
NPHS 6 8 6 10 – 30
HHS 25 21 10 7 – 63
NORTH PIKE (10-13, 0-4 in 7-5A): Gabby Simmons 6, Shaylon Barr 2, Kadasia Wansley 9, Chasity Patterson 6, Jamey McDaniel 5, Lockley Wilchinski 2. TOTALS – FG 11-32 (3FG 2-9), FT 6-9 (30).
HATTIESBURG (18-4, 4-0 in 7-5A): Chelsea Ulmer 13, Ty Vance 4, Ariona Coleman 9, Reagan Kennedy 3, Kenedi Walker 17, Chaise Stinson 6, Melyia Grayson 11. TOTALS – FG 26-50 (3FG 7-16), FT 4-8 (63).
BOYS
Hattiesburg 61, North Pike 57
NPHS 11 10 11 25 – 57
HHS 14 10 21 16 – 61
NORTH PIKE (9-12, 1-3 in 7-5A): K.J. Nobles 15, Alijah Martin 20, Thomas May 6, Tradarius Pittman 4, Jaden Jordan 4, Kevin Evans 2, LeDarrion Felder 4, Marquis McNeil 2. TOTALS – FG 23-60 (3FG 6-19), FT 5-6 (57).
HATTIESBURG (17-7, 3-1 in 7-5A): Chris Lewis 10, Cameron Brown 20, Jayden Harrell 2, Malik Moore 1, Keshawn Prince 6, Ivory Stallings 6, Walton Thompson 2, Vinson Bourn 7. TOTALS – FG 18-47 (3FG 4-17), FT 19-27 (61).
