Willie Young had a plan.
Entrusted with the basketball on a critical final possession for the Columbus High School boys basketball team in Tuesday night’s MHSAA Class 5A first-round playoff game, the junior knew exactly what he wanted to do with the Falcons tied 37-37 with visiting Canton and 3.7 seconds remaining.
“I was just going to the basket,” Young said. “I was trying to go lay it up.”
He never got the chance.
Instead, the Tigers inadvertently fouled Young some 30 feet away from the rim with one second on the clock, and he made his second free throw to give Columbus a 38-37 win and send the Falcons (11-8) to the second round by the narrowest of margins.
“With everything we’ve been through this season, with all the ups and downs we’ve had, it’s just a good feeling,” Columbus coach Phillip Morris said.
The Falcons have undergone two COVID-19 quarantine periods, Morris said. They’ve barely played two-thirds of the games a normal season would allot them. Columbus’ roster has been decimated by injuries and players leaving the program. And last week’s winter weather pushed back the team’s first-round game three times in addition to keeping the Falcons’ remaining players out of rhythm.
“We were off for five or six days,” Morris said. “It felt like we were off five or six weeks the way the guys were winded coming back.”
And still, Columbus is moving on. The Falcons earned a second-round date at 6 p.m. Thursday at Lake Cormorant, which upset Center Hill to win its district championship nearly two weeks ago.
“We’re expecting to be better — come out and play harder than we did,” Young said.
Morris said he knows the Gators’ aggressive defense and talented players will pose a threat. Columbus beat Lake Cormorant last year at the New Hope Classic tournament, but the Falcons lost several key players from that team while the Gators brought back essentially everyone, including three next-level talents.
“It’s going to be a tough game,” Morris said. “We’re going to go up there and fight just like we do every night.”
Columbus showed that fight Tuesday by hanging around when its shots weren’t falling and pulling ahead when they finally were. The Falcons missed practically every field goal they attempted in the first quarter but trailed by just five points at its end. Then they held Canton to just four points in the second quarter while scoring 13 to lead 20-16 at halftime.
“We always feel like we can come back no matter what the score is,” Young said.
But Columbus went cold again in the third quarter, allowing Canton to end the period up 31-24 before the Falcons opened the fourth with five straight points.
Freshman Jaylen Tatum eventually hit the tying free throw with 2:10 to play, and Young made both from the line with 1:24 to go. Then Canton got a putback with 57 seconds left, and the teams traded turnovers with chances to go ahead. The Falcons, killing time after inbounding with 37 seconds to go, were called for a five-second rule violation with 10 ticks remaining; the Tigers promptly double-dribbled in the corner with 3.7 on the clock.
With one last shot to win in regulation, Morris had no doubt where he wanted to go: with Young, who had been instrumental in getting the Falcons to that point.
“He’s been our best player of late,” Morris said. “We just wanted to put it in his hands and let him make a play.”
Young said he wasn’t surprised when the “over-aggressive” Canton defense bumped him too hard on the left wing with exactly a second left. But he walked to the free-throw line “as nervous as I’ve ever been in my life.”
Then he missed. His first free throw hit the backboard, bounced off the front of the rim and dropped to the floor.
Columbus called timeout to set its defense for a last-gasp Canton possession. Morris and Young maintained their confidence. The junior’s second free throw hit nothing but net.
“I was surprised he missed the first one, to be honest,” Morris said. “He usually knocks them down.”
The Tigers failed to get a deep 3-pointer off before the buzzer and missed it regardless. Columbus had survived, thanks to Young.
“I can draw up all the X’s and O’s, I can do this and I can do that, but at the end of the day, players are going to make the plays,” Morris said. “I could be Coach K or whoever; at the end of the day, the players are going to make the plays.”
He noted that Columbus has gone to the playoffs for all three years he’s coached the team; for the second consecutive season, the Falcons have made the second round.
“It’s just something special to be a part of,” Morris said. “I’m glad we were able to pull out the win.”
Other scores
Prep Girls Basketball
Columbia Academy 58, Oak Hill Academy 25, MAIS Class 3A tournament quarterfinal
WEST POINT — With a 58-25 loss to Columbia Academy in Tuesday’s MAIS Class 3A tournament first-round game, the Oak Hill Academy girls’ season came to a close.
The Raiders failed to qualify for the MAIS overall tournament with the loss.
Prep Boys Basketball
Yazoo City 60, Caledonia 38, MHSAA Class 4A playoffs, first round
YAZOO CITY — The Caledonia boys saw their season end Tuesday in Yazoo City with a 60-38 road loss in Tuesday’s first-round playoff game.
Jarvis Leigh led the Cavaliers with 13 points. Jeremy Emerson and Issac Grady had eight, Ja’Von Hopkins had seven, and Tre Bohannon had two.
Salem 56, West Lowndes 53, MHSAA Class 1A playoffs, first round
TYLERTOWN — West Lowndes’ season came to a heartbreaking end Tuesday night in Tylertown.
Salem senior Tyler Phillips hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat the Panthers 56-53 and eliminate West Lowndes.
Starkville Academy 44, Park Place Christian Academy 36, MAIS Class 4A tournament quarterfinal
JACKSON — The Starkville Academy boys survived and advanced Tuesday night against Park Place Christian Academy in the first round of the MAIS Class 4A tournament at Hillcrest Christian School in Jackson.
Jawon Yarbrough led the Volunteers, the No. 1 seed in the north half, with 17 points in a 44-36 win. SA was up 28-15 at the half before seeing its lead cut to four points, but the Vols were able to hold off the Crusaders.
Starkville Academy will play Simpson Academy in the state semifinals at 5 p.m. Friday.
Noxubee County 44, Amory 39, MHSAA Class 3A playoffs first round, 6 p.m.
MACON — The Noxubee County boys beat Amory 44-39 at home Tuesday to advance in the Class 3A playoffs.
The Tigers will play at Winona on Thursday in the second round.
Prep Softball
New Hope 3, Hatley 1
HATLEY — The New Hope softball team opened its season with a 3-1 road win Tuesday at Hatley.
Adi Dueitt threw a complete game for the Trojans, striking out nine and only walking two.
Zoe Goodman had an RBI single in the first inning to score Kensley Woolbright, who doubled.
Lailah Henderson and Jazmin Johnson each scored in the fourth inning for the Trojans.
New Hope will host East Webster on Thursday.
Caledonia 19, Amory 10
CALEDONIA — Caledonia softball beat Amory 19-10 in Tuesday’s season opener.
The Cavaliers trailed 4-0 after the top of the first inning but broke out the bats to beat the Panthers.
Ashlyn Jordan had two doubles and a triple as well as closing out the game in the circle.
Lauren Brown, the winning pitcher, had a double and a single for the Cavs.
Kaydence Sudduth had a triple and a double, and Aimee George had a single and a triple.
Ava Arnold had a double and a single, and Brooke Knoop and Allison Pennington each had a single.
Caledonia will play at Starkville on Thursday.
Prep Baseball
Heritage Academy 8, Pillow Academy 6
GREENWOOD — The Heritage Academy baseball team took the lead in the sixth inning to beat Pillow Academy 8-6 on the road Tuesday.
Aaron Downs had a two-run home run for the Patriots, and Rhett Ketchum and Baker Imes led the team with two hits each. Ketchum and Downs tied for the team lead with two runs batted in.
Jack Ketchum got the win on the mound for Heritage Academy, and Sam Hannon picked up the save. Caleb Hall had six strikeouts in 2.2 innings.
The Pats are back in action Wednesday against Washington School in Columbus.
New Hope 16, East Webster 6, five innings
NEW HOPE — New Hope used a 10-run second inning to beat East Webster 16-6 in Tuesday’s season opener.
The Trojans fell behind 3-2 after one inning but led 12-3 after the second. They added three runs in the third and another in the fifth to run-rule the Wolverines.
New Hope will face Fayette (Alabama) and Winfield (Alabama) on Saturday at Winfield.
Fayette (Ala.) at Caledonia 3, Fayette (Ala.) 0
CALEDONIA — Loren Cox threw a complete-game two-hitter as Caledonia stayed undefeated with a 3-0 win over Fayette (Alabama) on Tuesday.
Cox struck out 10 batters and walked just one for the Cavaliers (3-0).
Caledonia’s next game is Friday against West Point.
Starkville 6, Amory 3
AMORY — Starkville High School beat Amory 6-3 on the road Tuesday.
The Yellow Jackets got all six of their runs in the first three innings, including four in the third, and held off a comeback attempt by the Panthers, who had two runs in the sixth.
Brennon Wright led the Jackets with two hits, and Hayes Davis had a hit and three walks. Koby Livingston drove in a team-high two runs for Starkville.
Mason Thurlow struck out four in three innings for the Jackets. Kieran Coleman pitched 2.2 innings for Starkville.
The Jackets will play Northeast Jones on Thursday at Jones College.
Jackson Prep 13, Starkville Academy 1
STARKVILLE — Starkville Academy was run-ruled 13-1 by top-ranked Jackson Prep in Tuesday’s home game.
Drew Williams pitched 3.2 innings for the Volunteers with nine strikeouts, and Ayden Alsobrooks pitched 1.1 with one strikeout.
Starkville Academy didn’t manage a hit against the Patriots, but Will McReynolds drew a walk and scored.
The Vols will host Kirk Academy at 4 p.m. Friday as part of the Golden Triangle Classic.
Eupora 10, West Point 3
WEST POINT — West Point lost Tuesday’s season opener to Eupora, 10-3.
John Austin Ricks led the Green Wave with three hits.
Noah Essary had five strikeouts in three innings for West Point.
The Green Wave will play Friday at Caledonia.
Prep Tennis
Starkville 6, Caledonia 1
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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