ITTA BENA — They say it’s hard to beat the same team three times in one season.
That was the case for Starkville, it just took extra time to prove true.
Madison Central’s Maddox Singletary hit a three-pointer with two seconds left in the fourth quarter and the Jaguars were able to outlast the Yellow Jackets in overtime, 54-52, in the Second Round of the MHSAA Boys Class 7A Basketball playoffs at Mississippi Valley State on Wednesday night.
Madison Central (22-11) will face the Brandon-Meridian winner on Monday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. at the Mississippi Coliseum.
“Fourth quarter we’re down six and I’m calling timeouts saying, ‘Guys go make plays,’ and Jeremiah Carr comes in and makes a big lay-up and Maddox Singletary knocks down that shot to end regulation,” said Madison Central coach Ben Gardner. “Just were able to gut it out in overtime and get a big stop at the end. We’re heading back to the Big House 10 years since we’ve last made it.
David Washington hit a lay-up with 47 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give Starkville a 46-40 lead.
Dylan Rowe and Jeremiah Carr made back-to-back layups to cut the Starkville lead down to 46-44.
After LeBron Johnson made one of two free throws to give Starkville a 47-44 lead, Singletary took a pass on the wing and made the three-pointer with two seconds left to tie the game up 47-47 and send the game to overtime.
In overtime each team traded baskets, but with Madison Central up, 51-49, Starkville’s Jaden Tate hit a three-pointer with 51 seconds left to give the Yellow Jackets a 52-51 lead.
Dylan Rowe hit a pair of free throws with 30 seconds left to give Madison Central a 53-52 lead.
Singletary made one-of-two free throws with eight seconds left to give the Jaguars the 54-52.
The last-second Starkville shot bounced off the rim at the buzzer.
Rowe had 15 points to lead Madison Central, while J.P. Baldwin added 10 points for the Jaguars.
“We talked about extending the game and we got lucky they missed a few free throws and got key put back lay ups,” Gardner said. “Starkville is such a really good team and well coached and we got a great group of guys that play hard and got us to this point.”
Washington had 19 points to lead Starkville (24-8).
“We fought hard, and we knew it was going to be a tough battle playing those guys for the third time, but we missed opportunities at the free throw line to put the game away and stops down the stretch and just didn’t get it done,” said Starkville coach Anthony Carlyle. “We had a great season, and proud of the guys for buying into what we’re trying to get where we wanted to be. Two free throws away from Jackson, but that’s the way it bounces sometimes.”
Jacket girls roll over Germantown
Starkville couldn’t have asked for a better start.
The Yellow Jackets raced out to a 16-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back as they raced past Germantown 56-31 in the Quarterfinal Round of the MHSAA Girls Class 7A basketball playoffs.
Starkville (24-6) will face the Brandon-Biloxi winner at the Mississippi Coliseum on Monday at 10:30 a.m.
“It was an ideal start, but we were focused from the start playing well on defense and came down and attacked the way we did on offense,” said Starkville coach Matt Wilbanks. “Two of our better players stepped up and now we get to go to Jackson. I hope we’re not satisfied with just going to Jackson, but this is my sixth trip to the coliseum and I told the girls I haven’t won one yet, so they got to get me over the hump.”
Zariah Brown had 14 points to lead Starkville, while Zariyah Edwards added 11 points for Starkville.
Germantown ended the season 17-14.
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