STARKVILLE — Tyson Carter is getting a lot of attention from opposing teams.

The Starkville High School senior point guard burst onto the scene last year as a junior as he led the Yellow Jackets to a state championship. He put his name on a national level playing Amateur Athletic Union basketball over the summer. The Mississippi State signee will get every team’s best player guarding him night in and night out.

“It just lets me know I need to work harder,” Carter said. “That’s why I prepare for that in practice because I know everywhere we go there’s a bullseye on my back.”

But Carter doesn’t have to do it alone, as he has other players who are more than capable of stepping up and taking a little pressure off of him on the offensive end. One of those is junior Jesse Little. The forward/center scored 17 points as the Jackets beat Callaway 61-48 Saturday at the Beehive in a Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A, Region 3 game.

Starkville improves to 7-1 overall and 1-0 in region play.

Little was 6 of 12 from the field against the Chargers and helped Carter in the third quarter. Leading just 20-15 at halftime, the Jackets outscored the Chargers 18-13 in the third period to increase their lead to 38-28 entering the fourth quarter. Carter scored eight points, while Little scored 10 point all in succession.

“He can’t win every game by himself, he’s got to have some back up,” Little said. “I just try and fill that role as best I can.”

Carter scored 19 points to lead the Jackets.

Little played a great deal last season as the Jackets claimed the Class 6A state championship, but he didn’t become complacent when the season ended. He worked on his craft in the offseason and Carter said he saw a much improved Little when practices started.

Coach Greg Carter, Tyson’s father, has seen it as well.

“He’s a lot better player than he was last year,” coach Carter said. “He’s a lot more aggressive.”

Not only has Little improved his basketball game, but he worked on his body. He said he feels like he has gotten a lot stronger, a lot bigger, and a lot more affective.

Tyson and Little weren’t the only ones to score in double digits. Junior Darrious Agnew scored 11 points off the bench.

Both Little and Agnew had some length to deal with from Callaway in the post, but the duo handled it very well and were a big reason the Jackets walked away with a victory.

“It just all comes down to toughness,” Little said. “We knew that they were going to be tough and it was going to be a hard game, so we just came out and played the best we could. We used our size as well.”

Tyson Carte shot just 6 of 12 from the field, but was 5 of 5 in the second half as the Jacket offense found its rhythm. Starkville led 12-6 after the first quarter as both teams were slow out of the gate.

Tyson Carter will score a bunch of points this season, but if the Jackets want to repeat as state champions, they are going to need players like Little to develop and become a real threat on offense.

“I can’t win a game by myself,” Tyson Carter said. “You need a supporting cast and people that I can pass it to. If other people are contributing, then they are going to lighten up on me a little bit.”

n Starkville girls 82, Callaway 41: The Lady Yellow Jackets had no problems.

With the win, Starkville stays unbeaten at 7-0 and starts 1-0 in region play.

The Lady Jackets led 16-4 after the first quarter and held a 43-12 lead at halftime, but Callaway outscored Starkville 15-12 in the third quarter to cut the lead to 55-27.

“It’s a growing process, even with seniors at the high school level,” Starkville coach Kristie Williams said. “They still have to understand that the game is still not over. You don’t ever look at the clock and let that dictate how you play. You play hard through every single possession, until that final horn sounds.”

The Lady Jackets put it away in the fourth quarter by outscoring the Lady Chargers, 27-14.

Kelsey Jones led Starkville with 25 points. Shannon Tate scored 20 points, Tanita Thompson 16 points, and Jariyah Covington 10 points to put four Starkville players in double digits.

“It’s really great to see because everybody’s zoning in on Kelsey every game,” Williams said. “She does bring a lot to the table as far as skill set, but she’s opening the door for everybody else too.

“It’s really great to see those step up and make those big shots when they’re available.”

Both Starkville teams are back in action against Southeast Lauderdale Friday at home.

Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait

Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.