Sumter Academy to host area tourney

By Staff
From Staff Reports
Jan. 30, 2002
Sumter Academy in York, Ala., will host the AISA area basketball tournament, Thursday-Saturday.
Play begins Thursday at 5 p.m. when the Jackson Academy girls take on Marengo Academy. In Thursday's boys' contest, South Choctaw Academy squares off with Jackson Academy at 6:30.
On Friday, the Marengo-Jackson girls' winner plays top-seeded Patrician Academy at 3 p.m. At 4:30, the Patrician boys face Marengo. At 6, the girls from South Choctaw take on Sumter. At 7:30, the South Choctaw-Jackson boys' winner faces top-seeded Sumter.
The girls' championship is slated for 2 p.m. on Saturday with the boys' title game to follow at 3:30.
Marty Stamper
Tupelo girls lose first
The defending Class 5A state champion Lady Wave of Tupelo suffered their first loss of the season Saturday night in the Robertson's Sportswear Challenge at New Albany.
Tupelo dropped a 45-44 decision to Briarcrest School of Memphis on a 3-pointer from Allison Gordon with 3.8 seconds remaining. Gordon played at Magnolia Heights School in Senatobia two years ago.
In front of nearly 3,000 fans, Tupelo's 36-game winning streak came to an end along with any shot at an unbeaten season. The last team to beat Tupelo, which fell to 25-1, was Briarcrest last January.
Tupelo had battled back from an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take a 44-42 lead with 16 seconds remaining.
Briarcrest improved to 19-4.
In other games in the one-day classic, defending Class 1A state runner-up Myrtle, 24-2, beat defending Class 3A state runner-up South Pontotoc 62-48 as South Pontotoc dropped to 22-4. And New Albany improved to 23-4 with an 89-76 win over West Lowndes, 18-6. Ellen Buchanan, who tossed in 45 points against Ripley on Friday, had 35 against West Lowndes.
Marty Stamper
Martin commits to MCC
Northeast Lauderdale senior point guard Jamaal Martin has committed to Meridian Community College, Trojans' coach Lewis Lightsey said Saturday at the second-annual Broiler Classic at Forest.
The Trojans entered this week with a 22-4 record.
Northeast's Marcus Betts has not committed to MCC as was reported in last week's Prep Notebook. Betts is only a junior.
Marty Stamper
Picayune boys up to 26-1
The Picayune Maroon Tide upped its record to 26-1 with a 72-45 rout of Bay High Friday at Bay St. Louis.
Picayune extended its winning streak to 20 with the victory. The Maroon Tide competes in Class 4A.
Marty Stamper
Brookhaven's McCreary gets 100th win
Brookhaven boys' soccer coach Rob McCreary recently got his 100th career victory as the Panthers beat McComb Tuesday to clinch the Division 6-4A championship for the third straight year.
Marty Stamper
Tupelo boys tough in soccer
The Tupelo boys' soccer program is the tops in Northeast Mississippi as the Golden Wave recently clinched its 14th consecutive division championship.
Marty Stamper
Hattiesburg looking for AD
Hattiesburg High School has decided it needs a full-time athletic director after all.
The school district has been without a full-time AD since the position was vacated when former AD Allen Brice resigned on March 30, 2001, after being investigated by the State Auditor's Office for mismanaging department funds.
Brice was ordered by force of a demand letter from the auditor's office to repay $13,392.
Among those interested is Hattiesburg boys' basketball coach Yama Jones.
Marty Stamper
Wilson new coach at St. Martin
Jon Wilson has been named the new head football coach at St. Martin High School. Wilson replaces Kelly Causey, who resigned to join the coaching staff at the University of North Alabama.
Wilson was an assistant on Causey's staff at St. Martin in 1999. Wilson went to Vancleave in 2000 where he was the athletic director.
Wilson also coached two years at Mantachie High School and three years at Heritage Academy in Columbus.
Marty Stamper
Richton sweeps Pine Belt
Richton won both the girls' and boys' championships in the Pine Belt Conference Tournament last week. The Richton girls knocked off Sumrall 41-37 in the finals.
In the boys' finals, Richton beat North Forrest 64-52.
Marty Stamper
25 times 20
The Leake Academy girls' basketball team defeated East Rankin Academy 57-46 Friday to extend the Rebelettes string of seasons with at least 25 wins to an incredible 20 years.
Marty Stamper