By By Marty Stamper/The Meridian Star
Dec. 30, 2001
Starkville Academy outscored Leake Academy 55-25 in the second half to win the boys' championship in the fifth-annual MPSA Central Mississippi Classic at East Central Community College 86-69 Saturday night.
Washington School won the boys' third-place game with Winston Academy capturing the fifth-place contest.
Starkville 86
Leake 69
For a half, everything looked good for Leake as the Rebels carried a 13-point lead into halftime over the No. 5 team in the state.
Behind 14 points from Drew Wolverton, 11 from Luke Culpepper, and six each from Justin Chancellor and Jay Gulley, the Rebels took a 44-31 lead into intermission in the battle of 13-1 teams.
The Vols came out hot in the second half despite losing Casey Woods and Jay Cook to fouls with 2:36 still left in the third period. Leake led 50-43 at the time.
Starkville closed to within 55-52 to start the fourth quarter.
The Vols took the lead for good at 65-62 on a 3-pointer from Andrew Pylate with 4:32 remaining. Parker Mullins hit a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play as Starkville took a 75-67 lead with 2:08 left.
Mullins lead the Vols, 14-1, with 25 points. Tournament MVP Ed Phillips and Pylate both had 18 with Joby Garner tossing in 16.
Wolverton finished with 17 points to lead Leake, 13-2. Culpepper scored 13, Allen Byrd had 12, Trey Langston added 11, Chancellor tossed in 10, and Gulley finished with six.
Washington 50
University Christian 41
The Generals outscored the Flames 33-24 in the second half to win the third-place game. The contest was even at 17-17 at halftime.
Washington, 10-3, got 14 points from Garland Burton, 13 from Will Dottley, and 12 from Collin Tackett.
UCS, 11-5, got 10 points from Glenn Ulrich, nine from Sully Clemmer, and eight each from Joel Rule and Jordan Wagner.
Winston 64
Newton 48
Jonathan Stevens hit six 3-pointers and went 7-of-8 at the free-throw line to lead the Patriots to the win in the fifth-place game. Stevens finished with 24 points.
Winston led 14-9 after one quarter and was still up by five (28-23) at halftime. The Patriots used a 17-8 advantage in the third quarter to take a 45-31 lead.
Winston, 12-2, also got 12 points from Blake Fulton and 10 from Caleb Metts.
Newton County Academy, 6-9, got 15 points from Jonathan Moore, 11 from Bud Loper, nine from Wil Bean, and seven from Donovan Cooksey.
Marty Stamper is a sports writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail him at mstamper@themeridianstar.com or call him at 693-1551, ext. 3235.