Photo: Center Hill’s gymnasium was packed with student fans for the school day game with North Panola Friday afternoon. (Credit: Center Hill High School on Twitter)
UPDATE: Center Hill High School on Saturday posted the following regarding the outcome of Friday’s school day boys’ basketball game against North Panola and action being taken against the head referee of the game:
Official Update: Yesterday’s basketball game vs NP has been declared a DRAW by Supervising Official for our area. Head Ref from game has been scratched from all future CH games. @desoto_news@DCSeNews
Right now, the final score of Friday’s school day basketball game between North Panola at Center Hill reads: North Panola 71, Center Hill 70. But the victory the Cougars thought they were taking back to Sardis may disappear after an appeal of a referee’s apparent error.
With six seconds left in the game and the score 68-67 for the Cougars, a North Panola player made two free throws to give the visitors a three-point lead at 70-67.
The Mustangs followed with a three-point basket at the buzzer that appeared to tie the score at 70-70 and overtime loomed.
But, it was at that point the scorekeeper for North Panola stepped forward to say the score wasn’t correct, that the score should have been 69-67 Cougars before the two made free throws and the game should be 71-67 North Panola with six seconds left before the Center Hill three-pointer.
According to reports, the scorebooks were never compared to decide the discrepancy, the referees conferred amongst themselves and after their conference decided the score would be 71-70 North Panola, the contest was over and the officials exited the gymnasium.
What the officials completely ignored, however, is a longstanding rule that states the home team scorebook is the official book for a basketball game when a discrepancy is discovered. The officials must defer to the home team’s scorekeeping if an issue develops that can’t be otherwise settled. The rule, Rule 2-11, was not applied properly by the officials in this case and it deprived the Mustangs a chance to win the game in overtime.
It is expected that Center Hill will look at game tape and likely file an appeal with the Mississippi High School Activities Association to throw out the North Panola “victory” and declare the game a draw.
Noah Jorgenson of Lewisburg drives to the basket as Keviarr Lang defends for Lake Cormorant. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Elsewhere in DeSoto County sports action Friday…
Friday, Nov. 18
Prep boys basketball
Southaven 73, Senatobia 62
Lewisburg 70, Lake Cormorant 62
Lewisburg: Noah Jorgenson 16, Amarion Davis 14, Josiah Nelson 12
Lake Cormorant: Keviarr Lang 22. Dalen Anderson 19
North Panola 71, Center Hill 70
Isabella Conaway of Lake Cormorant (2) drives past three Lewisburg players during Friday’s contest. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Prep girls basketball
Southaven 52, Senatobia 31
Lewisburg 44, Lake Cormorant 37
Lewisburg: Allison Irby 12, Allie Carroll 11
Lake Cormorant: Isabella Conaway 11
Center Hill 68, North Panola 21
Center Hill: Dominique Collins 17, Madison Bush and Destiny Campbell, each 11
Collins recorded 12 steals for Center Hill.
Prep boys soccer
DeSoto Central at Jackson Prep
Prep girls soccer
DeSoto Central vs. Saltillo
JUCO women’s soccer
NJCAA national tournament semifinals – at Tucson, Arizona
Phoenix College, Arizona 2, Northwest CC 0
JUCO women’s basketball
National Park College 55, Northwest CC 42
SPORTS ETC.: Grammy-nominated rock band Starship featuring Mickey Thomas this week was selected to receive the 2022 AutoZone Liberty Bowl Outstanding Achievement Award. Starship featuring Mickey Thomas will be the headline honoree at the President’s Gala and star in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl’s halftime spectacular on Wednesday, Dec. 28. The 64th annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl game will kick off at 4:30 pm.
