NEW HOPE — Everything happened in an instant in Tuesday night’s New Hope-Itawamba Agricultural girls basketball game.
A game-tying basket from the Trojans leveled the score at 35-35 with less than 30 seconds to go in regulation and suddenly, after a steal, New Hope found itself with the ball back.
Freshman Logan Warren was wide open down the court and caught a perfect pass in the paint as she scored with 9.4 seconds left, a simple layup that gave the Trojans a 37-35 lead.
Chaos ensued late, including the clock not starting after an inbounds pass, but Itawamba’s last-second prayer came up short as New Hope emerged victorious.
“We were playing really good defense throughout the entire game,” Warren said. “We were trying to keep playing competitively and we stayed locked in the entire time which got us that steal and that bucket at the end.”
It was a chaotic finish for what felt like a slow-moving game through the second and third quarters. The two schools combined for 20 points in the first quarter, but just 23 over the next two.
In that time, what was a six-point New Hope (4-1) lead turned into a one-point Itawamba lead going into the fourth quarter before overdrive kicked in.
Both teams turned up their offenses as the back-and-forth suspense continued, but the Trojans remained resilient until the end.
“That’s something we’ve been preaching this season is having that level of maturity,” head coach Nick Christy said. “Basketball is a game of runs. We’re going to make some. They’re going to make some. That was really important that we were able to withstand that.”
Jakayla Smith led the Trojans with 16 points in the win, including the game’s only three-pointer, and was the lone New Hope player in double-figures on the night.
It was Warren, the freshman, however, who scored the two most important baskets in the fourth quarter that made the difference.
“The first couple games, at first, I was nervous, but playing now, it’s getting better as the season continues,” Warren said. “Going from the bench last year to being a starter this year, I’m becoming more confident.”
New Hope boys 69, Itawamba AHS 37
While the girls game certainly provided a lot of late drama, New Hope’s boys team had plenty of fireworks in what turned into a 30-plus-point victory.
Dunks were flying left and right for the Trojans, who had their way with Itawamba, and after just a four-point first quarter lead, New Hope outscored IAHS by 27 points the rest of the way, exploding in the second quarter and extending the lead from there for a comfortable 69-37 win.
“We turned the energy up on the defensive end which led to some offense which got some easy stuff for us,” head coach Drew McBrayer said. “They had a couple dunks and of course, energy started coming after that.”
The winning times have continued for the now 7-0 Trojans, who scored a season-high 69 points in the win, their fourth game scoring 60 or more points this season.
Once that lead was built out in the second quarter, New Hope was able to really empty the bench in the second half and get playing time for just about everyone.
Nine different players ended up on the score sheet in the win and four finished in double-figures, led by senior Isaace Grady’s 16-point night.
“It’s been good to get some fresher legs for our starters or main guys that play and get some other guys in for that experience,” McBrayer said.
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