Lewisburg basketball teams earn sweep of games at Sideline Cancer Classic
Defense, Haley and Jones lead Patriots past Center Hill
SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — Behind a dominant first-half defensive performance and double-digit scoring efforts from Beckett Haley and Pierce Jones, the Lewisburg Patriots defeated the Center Hill Mustangs 47-37 in the Sideline Cancer Classic on Saturday at DeSoto Central.
Lewisburg built a double-digit halftime lead and weathered a late Mustang rally to secure the non-district victory between the county rivals.
Early Dominance and Defensive Lockdown
The Patriots established control early, jumping out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter. The defensive intensity ramped up in the second frame, where Lewisburg’s ball pressure forced critical turnovers. Two quick steals converted into transition baskets allowed the Patriots to open the quarter on a 4-0 run.
Center Hill struggled to find an offensive rhythm against the Lewisburg zone, scoring only five points in the second quarter. The Patriots went into the locker room at halftime with a commanding 25-12 lead.
“I thought early on, [our execution] let us get out to a big lead,” Lewisburg head coach Zach Jorgenson said. “Beckett [Haley] is really special. He’s growing through becoming comfortable, but when he is, he does things for us that nobody else really can.”
Center Hill Mounts a Comeback
The Mustangs refused to go away quietly. Coming out of the break, Center Hill’s defense tightened, holding the Patriots to just six points in the third quarter. Led by Dorian Bagley, who finished with a game-high 13 points, the Mustangs chipped away at the deficit to trail 31-24 heading into the final period.
Center Hill narrowed the gap to as few as five points in the closing minutes, but Lewisburg’s sophomore guard Pierce Jones used his speed to break the Mustangs’ press. Jones and Haley both finished with 10 points to lead the Patriots.
Closing the Door
Despite the pressure, Lewisburg rediscovered its offensive touch in the fourth quarter, putting up 16 points to ice the game at the free-throw line. Conversely, the Mustangs’ shooting went cold at the wrong time, as they were held to just five points in the final eight minutes.
“We’ve got a really young, inexperienced team, and we didn’t handle pressure very well in the second half,” Jorgenson said. “But I’m proud to pull it out at the end. We are process-oriented and late-season oriented. Every game we play is geared towards what we’re going to look like in January.”
Asher Morgan added nine points for the Patriots in the win. Center Hill received eight points from Tyler Garvin and six points from Colin Pruitt, who hit two of the team’s three-pointers.
Lady Patriots Surge Past Corinth Behind Bullion’s 18 Points
The Lewisburg Lady Patriots used a massive mid-game scoring run and a stifling defensive press to secure a 47-37 victory over the Corinth Lady Warriors, heading into the Christmas break with significant momentum.
The Turning Point: 17-0 Scoring Run
The game was a defensive battle early, with Lewisburg holding a slim 8-6 lead after the first quarter. Corinth rallied in the second, briefly tying the game at 18-18 with less than two minutes remaining in the half.
However, the Lady Patriots responded with a clinical 10-0 run to close the second quarter and followed it up with seven straight points to start the third. This 17-point swing shifted the scoreboard from a tie game to a 35-18 Lewisburg cushion, a gap Corinth was never able to close.
Bullion’s “Hot Hand” Leads the Way
Junior Emma Bullion was the catalyst for the Lewisburg offense, finishing with a game-high 18 points, including two shots from behind the arc.
“Emma played great,” said Lewisburg coach Kristen Coleman. “She is a streak shooter. When she hits her first shot, she lights up with confidence… I told the girls, ‘Emma’s got the hot hand, keep giving her the ball.'”
The Lady Patriots also saw balanced contributions from Ciara Banks and Neely Presley, who added 9 points apiece.
Defensive Intensity and Clock Management
Coleman emphasized the importance of the team’s transition game and their aggressive press to start the second half. “We wanted to keep the foot on the gas and keep the tempo up,” Coleman noted. “We’re trying to be a full-quarter team and show people we can play a complete game.”
While Corinth’s Alanna Cliff (9 points) and Brantley Faulkner (8 points) tried to spark a late comeback, both teams struggled to find the bottom of the net in the final frame, with each side being held to just five points in the fourth quarter. Coleman credited the win to her team’s ability to “work the clock” and maintain possession in the closing minutes.
