STARKVILLE — New Hope played its most complete game at the Travis Outlaw Slam Dunk at The Hump tournament Friday afternoon.
Unfortunately for the Trojans, it still did not add up to a victory.
The Trojans played the tournament’s heavyweight — Hamilton High of Memphis, Tenn. — to the wire, before falling 69-63 at the Humphrey Coliseum.
New Hope coach Drew McBrayer felt his squad played well and with great effort. However, the veteran coach admitted quickly the Trojans had no answers for the Wildcats’ height advantage.
Hamilton scored the first six points of the second quarter to build a 23-13 advantage. A 7-0 run would later extend the advantage to 32-16.
The Wildcats built that advantage with some strong 3-point shooting and inside play by 6-foot-6 Dedric Lawson and his brother 6-8 Keelon Lawson.
The Lawson duo combined for 34 points — right at half of their team’s output. Still, New Hope hung tough.
Sophomore Jaylon Bardley was the catalyst on both ends as the Trojans fought back.
Bardley finished with 23 points and was joined in double figures by Chris Mosley (11 points) and Whyatt Foster (10 points).
New Hope turned up the pressure defensively and closed within four in the final minute of the third quarter.
n Lanett Ala. 50, Starkville 35: The Yellow Jackets failed to overcome going scoreless in the second quarter.
The teams were tied at 12 entering that quarter. Lanett pieced together a 16-2 run and held a healthy lead from there.
Starkville did close within 41-35 but missed two chances to draw closer on the offensive end.
“Our effort is really good,” Starkville coach Greg Carter said. “We just have that one stretch where we struggle to put anything together on offense.”
Avonte Amos led the Jackets with 17 points, while Zeb Rice had 10 points.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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