By Stan Caldwell
stanmansportsfan.com
HATTIESBURG – Although it was just three days before Christmas, there was a whiff of February in the air Wednesday night when the Forrest County AHS and Morton boys clashed in the final game of the Presbyterian Christian Christmas Bash.
In an unusually intense contest for a holiday classic, the Aggies and Panthers played through nine lead changes and five ties before Morton prevailed 67-66 in a thriller at Rees Gymnasium.
FCAHS heads into the holiday break at 10-3 overall, while Morton improved to 8-4.
“We definitely want fly around and scramble, and play with maximum effort,” said first-year Aggie coach Scott Landry. “But we couldn’t sustain it. We got some steals early on, but we let up on the gas a little bit.
“Credit to their team. They fought back and they believed. They’ve got a lot of toughness in that locker room.”
Forrest County jumped all over the Panthers at the outset. After spotting Morton a quick 2-0 lead, the Aggies reeled off a 17-0 run before the Panthers knew what hit them.
FCAHS used a smothering full-court press and disrupted the passing lanes for interceptions that resulted in fast-break points or fouls. Particularly disruptive was junior guard Josh McArthur, who was 5 of 6 from the foul line in the first quarter.
“We just stuck to the game plan,” said Morton coach Jerriel Dawson. “(FCAHS) is very athletic, and that’s a team of runs.
“We just told our guys that if we can be the more consistent team, and not be scared of their size, that we’ll come out ahead in the end. And they did every little thing they needed to do to get the win.”
Sure enough, down 15 points, Morton battled back, with nine unanswered points to reel the Aggies back in, helped by 11 points from burly senior John Edmond, and the Panthers whittled Forrest County’s lead to 21-17 by the end of a frantic first period.
In the second quarter, freshman Jayden Bowie started to heat up for Morton. The smallest player on the floor at 5-foot-6, 135 pounds, Bowie swished back-to-back 3-point shots in the period, the second putting the Panthers ahead 27-26.
“I believe he’s the top freshman in the state,” said Dawson. “He plays football, and he plays in the basketball circuit. We’re just working with him with his humility and staying humble. If he can do those things, he’s got a very bright future.”
FCAHS quickly regained the lead with a 7-1 run to take a 33-28 lead, but Morton finished the first half with a 10-3 surge and led at halftime 38-36.
The Panthers increased their margin to eight points, as Edmond’s three-point play after being fouled on a drive to the basket capped a 9-1 run to open the second half.
The Aggies helped them by going stone-cold from the foul line, converting just 3 of 11 free throws in the third period, after making 8 of 9 in the first half.
“That’s basketball,” said Landry. “Ever since the game was invented, the free throw line in tough competition, two even teams, can you come to the free throw line, and knock down two? And we weren’t able to do that tonight.”
Morton carried a 51-45 lead into the game’s final eight minutes, but Forrest County regained the momentum.
McArthur’s three-point play with 5:47 to play pulled the Aggies to within 53-52, and after getting a turnover, Avery Sledge made 1 of 2 free throws to tie it up.
“I knew we were going to fight,” said Landry. “We’re never going to lay down; we’re going to keep competing. So, I knew that was coming, I just didn’t know when. It was just a little late, but I knew we’d come back and compete.”
But Bowie once again came to the front for Morton. With players on both sides leaving the game after fouling out, Bowie converted a three-point play to keep the Aggies at bay, at least for the moment.
In all, there were 48 fouls called, and six players fouled out, three for each team.
After an intense back-and-forth, FCAHS tied it back up 60-60 with 2:40 to play on a strong move down the baseline by Sledge, who finished with 20 points to lead the Aggies.
An exchange of turnovers followed, then the Panthers missed a pair of foul shots. At the other end, Sledge pulled up in transition and nailed a 3-pointer from the right wing to give Forrest County the lead 63-60 with 1:50 left to play.
But the Aggies had no answer for Bowie in the final 90 seconds.
Bowie drove the lane for an arcing jumper from three feet, then completed a three-point play after David Combest converted two foul shots for FCAHS.
The Aggies took their final lead with 31.7 seconds to play when McArthur made 1 of 2 from the line, but Bowie once again drove the lane, drew a foul and connected with both free throws that proved to be the winning margin with 26.5 seconds to go.
For the game, Bowie finished with 22 points to earn game Most Valuable Player honors.
“We had trouble staying in front of him, and he got the ball on a string a little bit,” said Landry. “He’s going to be a really good player in a couple of years.”
Forrest County tried to work the ball for the last shot but turned it over out of bounds with 13.5 seconds to play, and Morton was able to play out the remaining seconds.
McArthur added 19 points for the Aggies and Jason Jefferson scored 12 points. Edmond finished with 18 points for Morton and Demarcus Hollis had 13.
Afterwards, both coaches said this was the kind of game their teams needed as region play heats up after New Year’s.
“All of these games prepare us for our region,” said Dawson, whose team lost to Hartfield on Monday in the tournament but came back to whip Greene County Tuesday. “That’s why it was good to come down here.”
FCAHS will get a major challenge in Region 7-4A right off the bat once they return from the holidays, travelling to Lawrence County on Jan. 5.
“It’s invaluable when you play in close games,” said Landry. “We’ve played a lot of games that weren’t close, so we needed this.
“In those late-game situations, where you need stops. You know, what are they doing, what do you need to be doing; you just can’t mimic that in practice. So, we’re going to be much better for going through this experience.”
Prep Basketball Summary
Wednesday at Rees Gymnasium
BOYS
Morton 67, Forrest County AHS 66
Morton 17 21 13 16 – 67
FCAHS 21 15 9 21 – 66
MORTON (8-4): Joe Laster 3, Demarcus Hollis 13, Zay Burkes 2, Robert Jennings 2, John Edmond 18, Trevion Thompson 7. Jayden Bowie 22.
FORREST COUNTY AHS (10-3): Avery Sledge 20, Josh McArthur 19, Rodrige Payton 4, David Combest 8, Jason Jefferson 12, Richard Frazier 3.
