Photo: DeSoto Central’s Ace Webster (11) tries to block a shot from Horn Lake’s Julian Jeter (12) during Thursday’s contest at Horn Lake. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Key highlights from Thursday sports action:
Defensive Dominance Sparks Six-Game Win Streak: The DeSoto Central boys used a high-energy “defense-into-offense” strategy to break open a halftime tie and secure their sixth consecutive victory. The Jaguars’ defensive pressure allowed them to pull away in the second half, leading by as many as 18 points.
Shaun Banger and Cameron Smith Lead the Charge: Senior Shaun Banger sparked the decisive third-quarter run, scoring nine of his team-high 15 points in that period alone. He was supported by Cameron Smith’s 14 points, whose cutting ability helped the Jaguars carve through a physical Horn Lake defense.
Lady Jaguars Triumph in Defensive Duel: In a low-scoring “scrappy” affair, the DeSoto Central girls held off a Horn Lake rally by outscoring the Lady Eagles 14-9 in the final quarter. Janiyah Fletcher led the way with 11 points, ensuring a sweep for DeSoto Central on the night.
Jaguar boys pull away late for a 70-55 win over Horn Lake
Behind a dominant second-half defensive surge and a balanced offensive attack, the DeSoto Central Jaguars defeated the Horn Lake Eagles 70-55 on Thursday night. The victory marks the sixth consecutive win for the Jaguars as they continue their late-season momentum.
Senior leader Shaun Banger paced the Jaguars with 15 points, while Cameron Smith added 14 in a physical contest that saw DeSoto Central break open a halftime tie to lead by as many as 18 points in the closing minutes.
A Game of Two Halves
The matchup began as a defensive grind. DeSoto Central jumped out to a quick 8-2 lead, but Horn Lake’s physicality kept them within striking distance. By the 4:50 mark of the second quarter, the Eagles had fought back to tie the game at 21-21. The teams headed into the locker room deadlocked at 32-32.
The third quarter proved to be the turning point. The Jaguars ignited a scoring run fueled by transition buckets and high-energy defense. Banger took over the period, scoring nine of his 15 points, while Smith’s cutting ability away from the ball consistently carved through the Eagles’ defense.
“I think it was just a lot of our defensive energy and getting some transition off of our defense,” said DeSoto Central head coach Blake Orman. “That’s kind of what we’ve done all year—we use our defense to create offense for us.”
Sealing the Victory
DeSoto Central entered the final frame with a 50-35 lead and refused to let up. Despite 15 points from Horn Lake’s MJ Sanders and 14 from Julian Jeter, the Eagles struggled to find consistent stops.
The Jaguars officially put the game out of reach late in the fourth quarter following a basket and a technical foul assessed to the Horn Lake bench. Blake Price, who finished with 11 points, helped stabilize the Jaguars down the stretch to secure the 15-point margin of victory.
Looking Ahead
With six straight wins under their belt since the Magnolia Heights tournament, Orman wants his team to maintain their focus as the postseason approaches.
“We’re going to celebrate this one tonight, but we still have so many big things ahead of us,” Orman said. “We just want to finish strong and play our best basketball down the stretch.”
Fletcher Leads DeSoto Central Past Horn Lake in Low-Scoring Battle
Janiyah Fletcher scored a team-high 11 points to lead the DeSoto Central Lady Jaguars to a 39-31 victory over the Horn Lake Lady Eagles on Thursday night.
In a defensive struggle defined by momentum swings, DeSoto Central utilized a strong fourth-quarter surge to pull away and withstand a late rally from their cross-town rivals.
Defensive Grind
The game began as a low-scoring affair, with Horn Lake holding a narrow 9-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. Paris Greenleaf, who led the Lady Eagles with nine points on the night, kept Horn Lake competitive through the first half as both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm.
The Lady Jaguars managed to manufacture a slim 19-18 lead heading into halftime, thanks to a second-quarter boost from Kaitlyn Moore and Micah Woollery.
Players battle for a loose ball during Thursday’s DeSoto Central’s girls basketball victory at Horn Lake. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Back-and-Forth Battle
The third quarter saw both teams trade the lead in what became a “scrapped” and physical contest. Horn Lake briefly reclaimed the advantage at 22-21 with 2:19 remaining in the period, but DeSoto Central responded to take a 25-22 lead into the final frame.
The Lady Jaguars finally found breathing room in the fourth quarter. An aggressive push led by Fletcher, Moriah White, and Amara Ekeyi extended the lead to 34-24, forcing a Horn Lake timeout with under four minutes to play.
Closing It Out
Despite a late push by the Lady Eagles, spearheaded by second-half contributions from London Greenleaf and Alyiah Peoples, DeSoto Central’s defense held firm. The Lady Jaguars outscored Horn Lake 14-9 in the final eight minutes to secure the eight-point win.
Lakelynn Knight added seven points for DeSoto Central in the winning effort, while Moore chipped in five.
SCOREBOARD
Prep boys basketball
Olive Branch def. Memphis Home Education Ass’n (score not reported)
Southaven 74, Hernando 61
Desoto Central 70, Horn Lake 55
Northpoint Christian 86 Westminster Academy 63
Lake Cormorant 64, South Panola 46
Prep girls basketball
Olive Branch 68, Memphis Home Education Ass’n 32
Southaven 45, Hernando 37
Desoto Central 39, Horn Lake 31
South Panola 56, Lake Cormorant 43
Prep boys soccer
Lewisburg 4, Olive Branch 1
DeSoto Central 3, Corinth 0
Lake Cormorant at Horn Lake
Prep girls soccer
Lewisburg 11, Olive Branch 0
DeSoto Central 7, Corinth 0
Horn Lake 3, Lake Cormorant 1
JUCO men’s basketball
Coahoma 94, Northwest 86
JUCO women’s basketball
Coahoma 53, Northwest 50
NOTABLES: Northpoint boys basketball forward Aidan Becksfort scored 47 points and added 10 rebounds in the Trojans’ victory over Westminster Academy…
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Congratulations to Girls Bowling on winning the Regional Championship and Boys Bowling finishing as Regional Runners-Up. DC Bowlers each won individuals: Brooklyn Gaines for girls and Dyon Parker for boys. They'll compete at the state championship next week. pic.twitter.com/En6ArVOdn0
LHS Boys finish 3rd today in the Dual State Championship! Finished the dual season with a 21-1 dual record! We will have Individuals competing at North State Individual on 2/7/26 at NWCC Howard Coliseum (Senatobia)! pic.twitter.com/7LtZjDSelw
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.
