MHSAA basketball Class 1A and 4A championships: Takeaways from Day 1 of state finals
The first day of the MHSAA boys and girls basketball championships at the Mississippi Coliseum is over and the Class 1A and 4A titles were clinched. Here are four takeaways from Thursday's slate of games.
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In a game headlined by Ingomar's Macie Phifer and Biggersville's Asia Stafford, two of the top players in Class 1A, it was the supporting cast for Ingomar that made the difference.
Phifer – Mississippi Miss Basketball for Class 1A – was a star. She finished with seven points, eight rebounds and a block as the Falcons (36-1) defeated defending champions Biggersville 53-38, however Daylen Grisham was the best player in the game.
The freshman finished with a game-high 20 points along with three rebounds and an assist. Grisham knew she had to step up with the Lions converging most of their attention to Phifer.
"I just knew with Macie and Cadie Jo (Byrd) being face-guarded somebody had to step up," Grisham said. "Coach (Trent) Adair had been on Issie (Riddle) and me. We just had to step up.
“Since Asia was not coming out we knew that I could flash in and I just had to learn how to make those shots. I’ve been practicing them all year.”
Byrd’s corner 3-pointer as time expired in the third quarter gave Ingomar a nine-point lead after the teams were tied at halftime. Phifer sealed the victory with a floater through contact to give Ingomar a 38-27 lead with 7:15 remaining.
Ingomar’s four leading scorers are all underclassmen. That will be a huge boost as the Falcons move to Class 2A in the 2023-24 school year.
1A Boys: McEvans wins first state title since 2015
Trailing by double digits early in the second quarter, McEvans coach Eric Henry made a change that turned the 1A boys championship. McAdams was able to get in its offense early – Henry put an end to that by shifting to a variety of full-court presses in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs couldn't adjust, and the Warriors were relentless in a 67-48 victory. McAdams had 22 turnovers, and 12 came in the second quarter.
"We just knew they couldn't handle the pressure by the film we watched," senior Brandon Hall said. "We got down early but we just kept fighting. It's nothing, just a little adversity. It's just the energy. We feed off the crowd. We wanted it more."
Hall finished with 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting, five steals, four assists and two blocks. He was instrumental in McEvans (17-6) forcing six consecutive turnovers in the second quarter. Hall’s layup with 2:25 left in the first half gave the Warriors a 19-18 lead, their first of the game and they would never trail again. McAdams finished with a 24-3 record.
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4A Girls: Jacylin Houston delivers late for Louisville
Louisville trailed by two points with 2:30 remaining in the fourth quarter of the 4A girls final when Jacylin Houston took over and sent the Wildcats to a 37-36 victory over Pontotoc. Houston – Miss Basketball for Class 4A – finished with 22 points, eight rebounds and six blocks.
"I just knew I had to take over," Houston said. "I knew my teammates needed me. When I was shooting those threes and making layups, I knew my at that point my team needed me."
Houston's three-point play gave the Wildcats (29-2) the lead, followed by two free throws to go up 37-36. Defensively, she was huge as well. Houston rotated defensively after Pontotoc's Channing Lane got free on a backdoor cut. Houston sent her layup attempt into the courtside seats, her final block erasing the last quality look at a game-winner for the Warriors (31-4).
4A Boys: Yazoo City survives third quarter rally
Trailing by 13 points at halftime, Raymond came out inspired in the third quarter of the 4A boys final against Yazoo City. Sparked by six points by EJ Paymon, the Rangers cut six points off the deficit, but Yazoo City always seemed to have an answer and won 53-43.
It's the program's second state title and first since 1996.
Damarion Winston led Yazoo City (30-5) with 16 points, four rebounds and an assists in the victory. Winston, along with Tarion Hoover, controlled the flow of the game. Hoover finished with 10 points and three rebounds. Raymond finished the season at 27-7.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: MHSAA basketball: Louisville's Jacylin Houston leads 1A, 4A finals
