Friday sports page: Gators sweep Saltillo

Jayden Smith’s 28 points fueled the Lake Cormorant Gators boys’ basketball team to a 63-55 Region 1-6A victory over the visiting Saltillo Tigers Friday night “in The Swamp.” Smith’s offensive performances have helped spark the Gators to 17-5 record (5-1 in region), second place in the region standings with a battle with number one Olive Branch looming Tuesday night. 

Lake Cormorant coach Kendrick Davis was quick to point out after Friday’s victory that the Gators are on a long winning streak of sorts. They are on a seven-game winning streak with the last loss coming at home against Olive Branch on Dec. 13 and victorious in over a dozen of their last outings.  

“In the last 13 games, we have lost only two,” Davis said. “We’ve won 11 of our last 13 and the only two losses have been to Olive Branch and Pascagoula.”

Scorebook Live currently ranks Olive Branch third in 6A, Pascagoula fourth and Lake Cormorant is ranked fifth in the state. Saltillo is right behind the Gators at number six in 6A. The Tigers dropped to 16-6 overall and 3-4 in the region with Friday’s loss.  

Smith broke loose in the second quarter of Friday’s win for Lake Cormorant, scoring 12 of his game-high 28 points in the eight minutes before halftime. The total includes four field goals, one of which came from distance, and Smith was three of four from the free throw line.  

“Since December, Jayden has been scoring 20-plus points a game,” Davis said about his six-foot-one senior shooting guard. “He’s just playing really hard and I keep telling him he’s an all-star for a reason so he’s been playing like one.” 

Smith played in the 5A/6A/7A Mississippi Association of Coaches All-Star games as a junior last March.  

Lake Cormorant took a 15-7 lead in the first quarter and built the lead to 36-21 at halftime.  In addition to Smith’s 18 first-half points, Vernon Green II added 13 more for the Gators before halftime. 

When the second half began, Lake Cormorant quickly took a 40-21 lead and held a 44-23 advantage halfway through the third quarter. Xadrian Gilliland’s seven points helped lead that charge, along with Messiah Dunn’s five points in the quarter. Lake Cormorant led 54-31 entering the final eight minutes of the contest.  

Smith pumped in six points in the fourth quarter for the Gators, but Saltillo rallied late with a pair of three pointers from Jack Howell and nine points for the quarter from Crayden Shannon, who led the Tigers in scoring for the game with 20 points.  

Now the defending 6A state champions Olive Branch await the Gators and Davis expects it to be a fast-tempo contest.  

“We’re gonna hustle and we’re gonna push the tempo, and we’re gonna try to control the tempo and drive and make layups or they will cut us off,” he said.  

Following Tuesday’s game, Lake Cormorant has three more region games remaining on the regular season schedule. They’ll host Grenada and play at Center Hill.  

(G) LAKE CORMORANT 60, SALTILLO 28: The Lake Cormorant girls improved to 8-10 overall with Friday’s one-sided victory. Coach Angela Harris’ squad started out strong from the start, taking a 14-3 in the first quarter before the visitors rallied to get within 22-12 after one quarter. 

Much of the point production came from guard Amariyah Games, who scored 11 of her game-high 22 points in the first eight minutes. 

The attack continued in the second quarter as the Lady Gators took a 37-15 into the locker room at halftime.  Coming back on the floor for the second half, Lake Cormorant continued the pressure and when the lead reached 51-21 as the third quarter ended, the clock went into mercy mode and didn’t stop the rest of the way.  

Saltillo, now 4-17 overall, was led by three players with six points each.  

Friday, Jan. 17

Prep boys basketball

• Lewisburg 65, Oxford 51
• Lake Cormorant 63, Saltillo 55
  • Lake Cormorant: Jayden Smith-28
• Olive Branch 94, South Panola 62
• Center Hill 59, West Memphis, Ark. Christian 53
• Horn Lake 65, Southaven 50
• Northpoint Christian 45, First Assembly Christian 40
  • Northpoint: Myles Colom-17, McCoy Huxford-8

Prep girls basketball

• Oxford 53, Lewisburg 18
  • Lewisburg: Parker Moss-6
• Lake Cormorant 60, Saltillo 28
  • Lake Cormorant: Amariyah Games-22
• Olive Branch 77, South Panola 64
• Center Hill 70, West Memphis, Ark. Christian 43
  • Center Hill: Kennedy Hulbert-21, Madison Hughes-16
• Southaven 43, Horn Lake 38

SPORTS ETC.: Two players from the Northpoint Christian School Division II-A state volleyball championship team were selected by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’ postseason all-state team. Twins Quinn Thurman (outside hitter) and Hassie Clare Thurman (libero) were named to the team as they helped the Lady Trojans to the school’s first state championship in a 3-0 victory over Battle Ground Academy last October. Quinn Thurman was named finals Most Valuable Player in the championship match.

The complete all-state teams are found on the Tennessee Sports Writers Association website.