Choctaw Central teams sweep Region 4-4A championships
Both Choctaw Central basketball teams brought home championship trophies from the Region 4-4A tournament which concluded last Friday night at Northeast Lauderdale.
The Choctaw Central girls defeated Louisville 60-49 to bring home their first region championship on the Class 4A level. The Choctaw Central boys did the same in their title game as they knocked off Louisville 62-59.
Winning the region championship gives Choctaw Central two opening round home games on Monday and Friday, provided they win the first game. The Lady Warriors blew out Itawamba AHS 65-29 Monday night while the Warriors were to host Mooreville on Tuesday. The Lady Warriors will host Tishomingo County Friday night which won its first round game over Gentry, 36-24.
Lady Warriors
The Lady Warriors held off a fourth quarter challenge to ease past Louisville in the championship game.
Choctaw Central led 19-11 after the first quarter. Louisville pulled to within five points – 25-20 – with 3:12 left in the second quarter. But the Lady Warriors outscored the Lady Wildcats 7-2 in the time remaining and led 32-22 at the half.
Choctaw Central maintained that lead through the third quarter and carried a 45-34 advantage into the final period. Louisville pulled to within six points – 52-46 – with 1:45 remaining. But the Lady Warriors had an 8-3 scoring advantage the rest of the way and went on to claim the 60-49 win. Meloney Thames was the leading scorer with 32 points.
Choctaw Central opened the tournament Thursday with a 52-41 win over Northeast Lauderdale.
Shantashia John was the region MVP. Tia'Rain Saunders, Kyla Farmer and Lyleonia Johnson were named to the all-tournament team.
`"We tried to hold the ball and made a couple of costly turnovers," said Coach Bill Smith, who was named Region Coach of the Year. "But we were able to overcome it because they didn't go down and take advantage of it. I thought we played well tonight. This is our first Class 4A district championship."
The Lady Warriors are at the start of a long road trip, should they keep winning. After Friday's home, game, the quarter-finals will be at Mississippi Valley State on Monday. The semi-finals will be at the Coliseum in Jackson the following Monday. And the finals will be held at Ole Miss on March 5 at 5 p.m.
"This is what we have been building up for," Smith said. "Now that we are in it, we will be taking them one game at a time. It's win or go home. We want to win four more games."
Warriors
The Choctaw Central boys were plagued with injuries and sickness through most of the regular season. But they were all there Friday night when they knocked of Louisville for the region championship.
The score was tied at 13-13 after the first quarter. The Warriors led 33-29 with 1:50 left in the second quarter. But Louisville score two field goals and a three-point shot in the time remaining to carry a 36-33 lead into halftime.
Louisville led 49-44 heading into the fourth quarter. They went up 52-44. Choctaw Central battled back to make it a one-point game – 54-53 – with 4:17 remaining. Avontae Jones hit a three-point shot with 3:35 left that gave the Warriors a 56-54 lead.
Choctaw Central got two big three-point plays in the time remaining from William McKinney and Gerald Isom, who both hit a field goal and a free throw. Isom's score put them up 62-59 with 1:05 left to play and that was the final score.
Ocavious Jones, who came back from a broken hand, led the Warriors with 22 points while McKinney scored 21. Jones, McKinney and Treundes Willis were all named to the all-region team.
"Without struggles, there could be no progress. We proved that tonight," Coach Brent Farmer said. "The boys struggled but they knew someone was pulling for them. Louisville is a great team. We had a wonderful game plan and we hung in there and fought."
The Warriors defeated West Lauderdale 57-44 Tuesday in the opening round, and then knocked off Leake Central 67-56 in the semifinals.