Photo: Jaliyah Kelly, shown in action earlier in the season, scored 21 points to lead Hernando in the MHSAA first-round victory over Clinton Friday evening in Hernando. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Feb. 14, 2025-It will be the Hernando and Olive Branch girls basketball teams advancing to the next round of the Mississippi state basketball tournament after first-round state playoff victories Friday night.
Hernando moved on with a 55-48 victory over Clinton in 7A at Hernando, while in 6A, it was Olive Branch taking a high-scoring 85-76 victory over Neshoba Central at Olive Branch.
With the victory, Hernando is next paired against defending 7A state champion Tupelo in the quarterfinals on Feb. 19, and it will be Olive Branch against Vicksburg on Friday, Feb. 21. Both games are scheduled for Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena.
In the Hernando victory, Jaliyah Kelly scored 21 points and Fran Kelly added 19 more as the Lady Tigers led from wire-to-wire against the Lady Arrows from Clinton.
“They both played hard, they both played smart down the stretch,” said Lady Tiger coach Blake Jones. “If Jaliyah has a bad night, Fran will step up and if Fran has a bad night, Jaliyah will step up.”
Hernando led by as much as 18 points in the second half before Clinton clawed back into the contest, led by point guard Caitlyn White, who scored 19 points, and Grace Eatmon with 14. The Lady Arrows’ leading scorer, Jatoi Johnson, was held to just five points before she fouled out in the second half.
Senior guard Saniyah Merriweather contributed four points but added some key rebounds and other plays during her time on the floor for the Lady Tigers Friday night.
“We did what we were supposed to do and we put it away early,” Merriweather said. “We got the ‘W,’ so that’s good.”
Friday’s result improved the Hernando record for the season to 22-6. Clinton ended its season with a 20-9 record.
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT MOVES PLAYOFF SCHEDULE AROUND: Friday’s first round girls’ games went off without changes, but a threat of severe weather on Saturday moved a 7A boys’ first round game involving Horn Lake against Tupelo into a Friday night slot. The Eagles would be eliminated in that game by a 72-57 final score.
The severe weather threat also moved the start time for Saturday’s 6A contest with Callaway at Olive Branch to begin at 4 p.m. instead of the scheduled 7 p.m. start time.
The remaining first round schedule of playoff games has DeSoto Central at Starkville and Madison Central at Southaven in 7A boys, along with Center Hill at Columbus and Lake Cormorant at Ridgeland in 6A boys.
In addition, the Northpoint Christian boys start the TSSAA Division 2-A West Region tournament with a first-round meeting against Jackson Christian, with tip off set for 5 p.m. in Jackson, Tenn.
WEATHER WRITES THE SCHEDULE NOW: Friday’s contest for Hernando was likely the last game played at its Theron Long Gymnasium as the school moves to a new campus on McIngvale Road next year. However, Hernando coach Blake Jones said after Friday’s game it is possible the Lady Tigers might play again at home against Tupelo on Wednesday, Feb. 19, instead of traveling to Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU). Jones said Wednesday’s forecast of snow and a high of 30 degrees may force a change. If bad weather and road conditions exist, MVSU may not be available to play games at. As Hernando is a number one seed and Tupelo is a number two seed, Hernando may have the opportunity to host the game Wednesday if the MHSAA determines the games set for that day cannot be played in Itta Bena. As for now, it is much too early to make that determination. But, stay tuned.
Ayanna Harris, a softball outfielder at Olive Branch High School has signed a scholarship offer to play next season at Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama, a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Ayanna’s parents are Blake Harris and Jacqueline Harris.
