Photo: Hernando’s Jamarion Joyner (25) sets up the offense in Friday’s game against DeSoto Central. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Avant leads balanced DeSoto Central boys’ past Hernando
Hunter Avant scored a team-high 14 points and DeSoto Central weathered a gritty performance from Miles Colom to secure a 70-56 road victory over Hernando on Friday night.
Despite a 23-point explosion from Hernando’s Colom, the Jaguars (DC) used a balanced scoring effort and a pivotal first-quarter run to maintain control for most of the contest.
Early Momentum
The Tigers jumped out to an early 10-6 lead with three minutes remaining in the opening frame, fueled by active play from Kaleb Price. However, DeSoto Central responded with a 7-0 run to close the quarter, sparked by five points each from Avant and Langston Simpson, giving the Jaguars a 17-10 cushion they would never relinquish.
DeSoto Central extended that lead in the second quarter. Ace Webster caught fire, scoring seven of his nine points in the period, helping the Jaguars build a 15-point lead with four minutes left in the half. By the break, DeSoto Central held a commanding 37-25 advantage.
Resilient Tigers
Hernando refused to go away quietly. The Tigers opened the third quarter on a 7-2 spurt, cutting the deficit to single digits and forcing an early timeout from Jaguars head coach Blake Orman. Colom was the catalyst for the comeback attempt, netting seven points in the third quarter alone.
“Credit to Hernando, I thought they played really well,” Orman said post-game. “They shot the ball well and defended us really hard. I wish we would’ve looked a little cleaner, but I’m proud of us for finding a way to win.”
The Jaguars stabilized behind the interior presence of Shaun Banger, who finished with 11 points, and carried a 47-38 lead into the final eight minutes.
Closing the Door
DeSoto Central’s depth proved too much in the fourth quarter. Cameron Smith scored seven of his nine points in the final frame, and Avant added six to put the game out of reach. While Jamarion Joyner contributed seven late points for the Tigers, the Jaguars’ lead grew as large as 16 points late in the game.
Avant’s evolution has become a focal point for the Jaguars’ offense.
“He’s just a guy that’s maturing and growing up really fast,” Orman said of Avant. “As he continues to get the mental part down and get more confident, he’s just going to keep getting better.”
Scoring Leaders
DeSoto Central: * Hunter Avant: 14
Shaun Banger: 11
Cameron Smith: 9
Langston Simpson: 9
Ace Webster: 9
Hernando: * Miles Colom: 23
Jamarion Joyner: 12
Kaleb Price: 11
Lady Jags basketball dominates Hernando
Behind a stifling defensive performance and a balanced scoring attack led by Lakelynn Knight, the DeSoto Central Lady Jaguars cruised to a 53-15 victory over the Hernando Lady Tigers on Tuesday night.
The Jaguars’ defense proved to be the story of the game, holding Hernando to just two points—both from the free-throw line—in the entire second half. The dominant lead triggered a running clock in the fourth quarter.
Dominance from the Jump
DeSoto Central established control early, ending the first quarter with a 14-5 lead fueled by six points each from Knight and Janiyah Fletcher. While Hernando managed to find some rhythm in the second quarter with a balanced effort from four different players, the Jaguars stayed consistent. Moriah White added five points and Amara Ekyei chipped in four to give DeSoto Central a comfortable 30-13 lead at the half.
The third quarter saw the Jaguars pull away for good. DeSoto Central outscored Hernando 14-2 in the period, with Ekyei leading the charge with six points. Hernando’s only scoring in the frame came via single free throws from Janiya Moore and Joslin Lockhart.
Stat Leaders
Lakelynn Knight led all scorers with 14 points, including six in the final frame to seal the win. Amara Ekyei finished with 11 points, while Janiyah Fletcher rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Jaguars with 10.
Hernando was led by Janiya Moore, who finished with five points. The Lady Tigers were held scoreless in the fourth quarter as the clock ran continuously.
Game Summary
Team
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Final
Hernando
5
8
2
0
15
DeSoto Central
14
16
14
9
53
SCOREBOARD
Prep boys basketball
Lake Cormorant 60, Saltillo 56
Center Hill 53, North Panola 44
DeSoto Central 70, Hernando 56
Horn Lake 59, Southaven 49
Tupelo 71, Lewisburg 34
South Panola 56, Olive Branch 54
FACS 86, Northpoint Christian 47
Prep boys soccer
Center Hill 8, South Panola 0
Prep girls basketball
Lake Cormorant 40, Saltillo 24
North Panola 46, Center Hill 43
DeSoto Central 53, Hernando 15
Horn Lake 61, Southaven 55
Tupelo 67, Lewisburg 16
Olive Branch 72, South Panola 44
Prep girls soccer
Center Hill 7, South Panola 0
Thursday, Jan. 15
Prep boys soccer
Olive Branch at Saltillo
Lake Cormorant 9, Grenada 2
DeSoto Central 4, Horn Lake 0
Lewisburg 3, Hernando 1
JUCO men’s basketball
Holmes 95, Northwest 85
Prep girls soccer
Saltillo 12, Olive Branch 0
Grenada 3, Lake Cormorant 1
DeSoto Central 10, Horn Lake 0
Lewisburg 2, Hernando 1
JUCO women’s basketball
Northwest 72, Holmes 54
THURSDAY NOTABLES: Lewisburg boys’ soccer won the Region 1-7A regular season championship with Thursday night’s 3-1 victory over Lewisburg, it’s also the Patriots’ 11th straight victory…Gavin Walker scored the Tigers only goal. Luis Cano scored another three-goal hat trick in Lake Cormorant boys soccer victory…Araceli Huerta scored the Lady Gators only goal in their contest…
Bob Bakken provides content for DeSoto County News and its social media channels. He is an award-winning broadcaster, along with being a reporter and photographer, and has done sports media relations work with junior and minor league hockey teams. Along with his reports on this website, you will find this veteran media member providing sports updates on Rebel 95.3 FM Radio.
