PONTOTOC — One of the state’s best Class 5A boys teams came to The Hollow and showed why they’re worthy of that moniker.
Columbus completed an undefeated Region 1-5A slate with a 72-55 win over the Pontotoc Warriors on Friday night. The Warriors have now lost three in a row to end the regular season.
“That defense was just stifling, and it made us go into 1-on-1 basketball when we couldn’t get any type of continuity going,” Warriors coach Rolley Tipler said. “We got a few sparks here and there, but we never felt connected to where we get everything going. The transition points were taken away.”
Whatever buckets Pontotoc (16-9, 5-4 Region 1-5A) got were hard to come by. Columbus’s size and athletic advantage gave Pontotoc fits, especially down low. It led to a 19-8 Falcons lead after one quarter.
Pontotoc found a spark early in the second. Kayden Caruthers nailed back-to-back threes as part of an 8-0 run that made it 21-16 with 6:29 to go. However, Tylan Brown scored off a turnover, then three different players had slam dunks, giving the Falcons (21-5, 10-0) momentum they would never relinquish.
“Every position, they’re either bigger or stronger or both, and it makes it harder,” Tipler said. “But at the same time, it makes it to where you have to play a perfect night.”
Neither team, or player, had a perfect night, but Columbus’ Michael Hood Jr. came close. The senior had a game-high 20 points, making his first nine shots from inside the arc. He scored eight points in a row late in the third to put Columbus up 53-37 with about a minute left.
“We were just trying to finish strong, finish with the right mindset, and have a sense of urgency,” Columbus coach Phillip Morris said. “Continue to just play hard, man.”
Omaree Scott led Pontotoc with 13 points. Dalyn Powell was close behind with 12.
Despite the loss, Tipler is still optimistic about the postseason.
“I still believe. I’m still going to have that same fantasy of any coach, that if we do what we’re supposed to, that we can still make it to the final game,” he said. “And maybe we just play for the full time and win when it counts.”
Three-Pointers
Turning Point: Hood, Tyson Sims and Jawaun Thomas each had dunks in the second quarter.
Point Maker: Hood shot 11 of 15 from the field.
Talking Point: “If you can win 13 in a row, you can win seven. That was my message before I left the locker room, just to know that 13 games is a big feat to do, so seven is half of that. We got half the problem out the way. We’ve shown it. We’ve done it. Let’s just just do it again.” — Tipler
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