What do you get when you combine an injury to a key player, a double-digit deficit and a raucous road atmosphere?
You get a hard-earned win for the Starkville High School boys basketball team.
The Yellow Jackets fought through the absence of senior guard Forte Prater (hip flexor), came back from 12 points down and shocked host Noxubee County 52-50 in Friday’s game in Macon.
“It was big time without Forte tonight,” Starkville assistant Ed Townsel said. “It was good to see the boys, in a tough environment, a physical game, step up and play hard.”
Starkville (24-2, 6-0 district) did just that after Noxubee County (16-12, 4-0 district) built up a 40-28 lead with a big run in the third quarter, fighting back to erase the Tigers’ advantage and quiet a home crowd that kept up a fever pitch throughout the contest.
“What we had to do was come out and play ball, keep our composure right, maintain our attitude and play ball,” senior Eric Green said. “Play physical.”
That physicality turned out to give Friday’s game a slightly early end. Trailing by one with nine seconds to go, Noxubee County missed a pair of free throws for the lead, then fouled Starkville on the rebound. The Jackets made the first and missed the second, but Noxubee County turned it over shortly after securing the rebound.
Right after the turnover, the Tigers issued a hard foul in frustration with just 0.6 seconds left on the clock. The Jackets took exception, and the teams looked close to an altercation — until Starkville coach Greg Carter and Noxubee County coach Danny Crawford got together with the game officials. With not much time to go, the contest was declared over, giving Starkville the win.
“It was a very close game,” Crawford said. “It was a competitive game. You’ve got two somewhat rival teams. So tempers kind of flared because both teams played hard. Both teams wanted to win.”
But of course, only one team could, and the Jackets made sure it would be them. They went on a 22-6 run starting late in the third quarter, holding a 50-46 advantage with less than a minute to play.
Noxubee County hit a big 3-ball from the left wing to cut the lead to one, then got a stop. Jakarion “Kobee” Lockett was fouled on a shot with nine seconds to go, given a chance to give the Tigers the lead, but he failed to connect on either free throw.
But after an entertaining game with a MHSAA Class 6A power, Crawford said he was almost pleased with the result as the Tigers enter their district tournament on Thursday in Houston.
“It was frustrating for him, but personally for me, I know it’s crazy, but I’m kinda glad he missed them,” Crawford said. “We come away with a one-point win over Starkville, we would have gotten a big head going into the district tournament, and we would have been set up to get upset.”
Friday night marked the last regular-season home game for Noxubee County’s four seniors: Dantarian Davis, Marlon Windham, Edward Colvin and Jadakiss Williams.
For Crawford, who took over at Noxubee County when those four players were freshmen, Friday’s game was special — despite the result.
“They were my first group coaching, and we’re going out together,” Crawford said. “They gave me a great game. I couldn’t ask for anything else.”
After Crawford got to see Starkville’s strength in a 71-38 Jackets win Jan. 25, his team’s improvement was clear on its senior night.
“It was hard, like it’s supposed to be,” Crawford said. “Starkville. Friday night. It was hard.”
It wasn’t easy for Starkville, either. But the Jackets fought back and did what they needed to despite the absence of Prater, who was hurt in Tuesday’s game against Germantown.
“One man down, next man up,” Green said. “Somebody’s gotta step up.”
Starkville did, and it may need to do so again when it opens its district tournament at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday against South Panola — Prater said he’s unsure if he will be able to take the court.
Noxubee County, meanwhile earned the No. 1 seed in its district tournament and will play the winner of Aberdeen and Hatley at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Houston.
Starkville girls 60, Noxubee County 34
The Starkville girls’ 60-34 rout of Noxubee County on Friday prepared the Yellow Jackets well in just about every area as they get ready for next week’s district tournament.
“It helps us with our defense, our offense, getting other players in,” sophomore guard Jada Odneal said. “It helps us a lot.”
Starkville (13-10, 3-3 district) built a comfortable lead early on and was able to play its bench unit a considerable amount. Even the Yellow Jackets’ reserves played well against the Tigers — all 11 players scored for Starkville.
“(B)eing able to get everybody some playing time and to be able to rest the starters the way I did, it was good to come out on top like this,” Starkville coach Kristie Williams said.
Junior Amaya Ford led the way with 12 points, eight of which came in the first half as the Jackets built up a 31-14 halftime lead. The Starkville defense got a little more lax in the second half, but the Jackets’ bench continued to score at the same pace.
“It was just one of those games where everybody was able to contribute, and that’s what we wanted from them,” Williams said.
Noxubee County coach Glenda Liddell-White was disappointed by her team’s showing after a much more competitive game at The Nest in Starkville on Jan. 25.
“We had a better showing in Starkville,” Liddell-White said. “I think they could have put in a little bit more effort.”
With the addition of eighth grader Na’Kailya Mason, Noxubee County turned things around in district play after going winless into December. The Tigers’ 3-1 district record earned them the No. 1 seed in their district tournament, where they will play either Hatley or Houston on Thursday.
Starkville will face Greenville at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Starkville.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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