The basketball tournaments at the beginning of the new year have not been kind to Starkville’s basketball teams, both of which suffered losses up North late last week in the Memphis Hoopfest and Tangle on the Trail tournaments. Meanwhile, Columbus extended its win streak to seven games with a victory in another tournament clash in Alabama.
Starkville
The undefeated start to the season came to a close for Starkville’s boys basketball team on Friday in the Memphis Hoopfest tournament where the team suffered its first loss of the year.
The Yellow Jackets’ usually explosive offense was stifled by the Houston Mustangs of Germantown, Tenn., in a 70-42 defeat that halted their run of 15 straight victories to open the year. TJ Warren led the team with 17 points, two rebounds and one assist, Jerwan McCarter had eight points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal and Deuce Howard scored six points with four boards, two steals and a block. Kobe Hendrix charted five points, seven rebounds and a steal, Ladanuel Jordan scored four points and grabbed seven rebounds and Jaden Tate finished with four points.
“We played a very high-level team from the Memphis area which has a couple of Division 1 prospects and I thought it would be a good matchup for us,” head coach Anthony Carlyle said. “I think the success of the season, sometimes continues to build complacency, and I think that you can’t just show up and play. … So, I think we learned a very good lesson in that game that hopefully helps us moving forward.”
Starkville’s girls team was dealt back-to-back losses for the first time all year in the Tangle on the Trail tournament at Pontotoc on Saturday. The squad (15-3) fell just short in a 45-43 defeat to Whitehaven and then was bested 53-26 by Hoover. Those two tournaments ended the first half of the season and set up the Jackets’ charge through Region 2-7A games, which began yesterday at Clinton. Both teams will host Madison Central Friday, the girls at 6 p.m. and the boys at 7:30 p.m., to close out the week.
New Hope
The Trojans’ boys and girls basketball team opened up the new year and Region 1-5A play with victories over rival Caledonia on Friday.
Anthony Smith delivered 23 points, Josiah Bluitt scored 21 points and Christian McDavis chipped in 15 points to help the boys team capture a 79-64 win, which snapped the Trojans’ (4-10, 1-0) five-game losing streak. For the Cavaliers (5-8, 0-1), it was their third loss in their last five games.
New Hope’s girls team (9-4, 1-0) managed to hold on for a 54-51triumph for their fourth win in their last five games, while Caledonia (8-5, 0-1) was hit with the second of back-to-back losses.
Both Trojans’ teams played at West Point yesterday while the Cavs’ teams played at Lafayette. New Hope will play at Columbus on Friday, with the girls tipping off at 6 p.m. and the boys starting at 7:30 p.m. The Cavs welcome West Point to town Friday for a 6 p.m. tilt for the girls game and a 7:30 p.m. tip for the boys.
Columbus
The Falcons’ boys basketball team continued its hot streak on Saturday in a basketball tournament held in Hoover, Ala., where they toppled Spain Park 73-53 for the team’s seventh win in a row. The Falcons (11-5, 1-0) put their streak on the line yesterday against Pontotoc in Region 1-5A action and continue conference play at 7:30 p.m. Friday against visiting New Hope. The Falcons’ girls team (4-8, 1-0) also played Pontotoc yesterday and take on New Hope at 6 p.m. Friday.
West Point
The Green Wave’s boys and girls teams both got back into the win column last week with victories over Amory.
The boys squeaked out a 56-53 win while the girls pulled away, 37-21. The two squads played at New Hope yesterday and continue Region 1-5A play Friday at 6 p.m. for the girls and 7:30 p.m. for the boys at Caledonia.
Heritage Academy
The Patriots’ basketball teams embarked on their first action of the new year on Saturday at home and the boys teams started off 2026 with a win while the girls teams fell just short.
Heritage’s boys team (5-5, 1-1) knocked off Greenville Christian 63-37 in bounce-back fashion after falling to Holmes County Central, 67-58, on Dec. 29. The girls team slipped up in a 48-46 defeat to the Saints that snapped their two-game win streak. Laura Lee Sharp, Nevaeh Jefferson and Abby Edwards all scored 11 points to lead the Patriots (6-11, 0-2). Both teams hosted District 2-4A foe Lamar School yesterday and play at rival Starkville Academy on Friday. The girls hit the court at 6:30 p.m. and the boys start at 7:45 p.m.
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