MSU women’s basketball picks up Florida guard

Jacaira Allen is used to bearing big burdens.

Columbus basketball pair sign college scholarship offers

The blue word on the pink band on Jartavius Dobbs’ right wrist captured the sentiment of the morning.

Mississippi State blows out Mississippi College in women’s basketball exhibition

STARKVILLE — Blair Schaefer, LaKaris Salter, and Kayla Nevitt know they likely wouldn’t be starters if the No. 11 Mississippi State women’s basketball team started the season today.

Noxubee County faces nemesis Lafayette in Class 4A playoffs

MACON — Tyrone Shorter knew it would come to this.

MSU women’s team faces Mississippi College in exhibition tonight

Coaches can find unique ways to talk about their teams’ mistakes.

Player of Week: Hill leads Hebron Christian to upset in MAIS playoffs

PHEBA — Landon Hill doesn’t know how to describe the feeling.

Bulldogs will have place in spotlight this season

“The Bulldogs are the most upwardly mobile team in the SEC. After three straight losing seasons, Vic Schaefer’s rebuilding job produced a school-record 27 wins. Now Mississippi State is in position to challenge at the top of the conference. Sophomore Victoria Vivians is one of the most exciting young scorers in the country and leads a deep and versatile roster.”

— Charlie Creme’s analysis of Mississippi State in his Southeastern Conference preview posted last week on ESPN.com

STARKVILLE

Vic Schaefer doesn’t always agree with Charlie Creme.

Sharing will be key for Columbus High boys

Robert Woodard II knows the importance of sharing the basketball.

Earlier this year, Woodard II was one of 12 players to represent the United States in the FIBA Americas Championship in Bahia Blanca, Argentina.

The Columbus High School sophomore averaged 5.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per game in the USA Basketball Men’s U16 National Team’s 5-0 run through the tournament.

Centers aim to produce for MSU women

STARKVILLE — Don’t expect Teaira McCowan to defer to very many people.

At 6-foot-7, McCowan, a center from Brenham, Texas, is believed to be the tallest player to wear a Mississippi State women’s basketball uniform.

But as a freshman, McCowan is learning how to fall in line behind her elders, namely junior center Chinwe Okorie. McCowan showed Tuesday she is a quick study and that she is able to follow Okorie’s thinking after she was asked how much production MSU could expect from its centers this season.

Columbus High basketball teams open with sweep of Shannon

It pays to have a coach on the floor when you’re building to win a championship.

That’s why Columbus High School boys basketball first-year head coach Luther Riley had to smile when told senior point guard Javontae McDavid talked first about what the team needs to work on rather than the assists and the flurry of dunks that were a part of an 88-50 season-opening victory against Shannon.

Florida standout Allen gives verbal commitment to MSU women

Dan Olson remembers Tan White being a “scoring machine” for the Mississippi State women’s basketball team.

Olson also recalls White, a WBCA All-American and four-time All-Southeastern Conference honoree, was a “freak athlete” who could wreak havoc on opponents in a variety of ways.

Riley begins championship quest at Columbus High

The championship journey begins tonight.

Don’t worry, though, because Luther Riley won’t have any butterflies when his Columbus High School boys basketball team hits the floor at 7:30 tonight for its season opener against Shannon. After all, when you have won four state titles and a Grand Slam championship at John W. Provine High boys basketball team in Jackson, you’re probably used to the hype that accompanies a new season.

Ware, Bulldogs excited about start of season

STARKVILLE — Gavin Ware can’t wait for the 2015-16 season to start.

Buoyed by the arrival of veteran head coach Ben Howland and the addition of a talented freshman class that includes McDonald’s All-American and two-time Mississippi Mr. Basketball Malik Newman, Ware believes his senior year with the Mississippi State men’s basketball team has the potential to be his best.

Columbus Christian Academy boys cross country team wins state title

Chris Webber wasn’t going to let Billy Thomas leave McAllister’s without asking the question the had been nagging him all summer.

“So when do we start practice,” Webber asked Thomas, who was sitting in his car in the drive-thru waiting for his food.

Thomas, who coached the Columbus Christian Academy girls track and field team at the end of the 2014-15 school year, didn’t have an answer. He didn’t even know if there was enough interest at the school to field a team, so he encouraged Webber to talk to his friends and see if the interest was there to have a team.

Plenty of factors have helped MSU women grow

STARKVILLE — Vic Schaefer wasn’t being evasive Tuesday when he declined to give one reason to answer the first question he faced at the Mississippi State women’s basketball team’s annual media day at Humphrey Coliseum.

The question: Why has MSU had so much success in three seasons under his leadership?

Noxubee County carries momentum, win streak into playoffs

MACON — Timorrius Conner heard the talk in town.

Player of Week: Long becomes natural at quarterback for Central Academy

MACON — It didn’t take long for Michael Dawkins and Bryan Ricks to know they had found their quarterback.

Starkville Academy shows balance after slow start

STARKVILLE — Colt Chrestman has learned to be patient.

As much as the Starkville Academy senior wide receiver enjoys catching passes from senior quarterback Houston Clark with effortless efficiency, Chrestman understands that is only part of the job he plays for a young coach who likes an old-school approach.

Chapel wants to be more consistent for MSU women

STARKVILLE — Ketara Chapel can do whatever Vic Schaefer wants from one of his forwards.

The 6-foot-1 junior from Temple, Texas, can step out to the 3-point line to stretch defenses. She also is long and athletic enough to move to the perimeter and defend versatile forwards.

Dawkins, Vikings have overcome obstacles on road to finale

Michael Dawkins knew in the preseason he was going to face a challenge in his first season as head football coach at Central Academy.

But Dawkins never imagined he would spend as much time being so much more than a football coach.

After starting the season with 12 players on the roster, injuries to the Vikings’ two fastest players made things a little tougher on the team in its Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Eight-Man matchups. Later in the season, Central Academy had to forfeit a game to Calhoun Academy because two of its players had a family member with a medical emergency.