Photo: Lewisburg’s Pierce Jones finds him surrounded by a group of Hernando Tigers during Tuesday’s contest at Lewisburg. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Grantham, Haley Lead Lewisburg Past Hernando
Behind a dominant perimeter attack and a high-energy home atmosphere, the Lewisburg Patriots defeated the Hernando Tigers 61-42 Tuesday night.
The victory, powered by a combined 39 points from Chance Grantham and Beckett Haley, helps Lewisburg bounce back from a recent district loss as they look to improve their seeding for the upcoming district tournament.
“If you’re going to get where you want in this district, you’ve got to win your home games,” said Lewisburg head coach Zach Jorgenson. “I was really proud of the way we defended our home court. The crowd was awesome, the student section was great, and there was just a lot of energy in the gym.”
The contest started as a defensive struggle, with both teams tied 2-2 midway through the first quarter. Lewisburg eventually found its rhythm, taking an 8-6 lead by the end of the first frame. The momentum shifted significantly in the second quarter when Beckett Haley caught fire from deep, sinking four 3-pointers to push the Patriots to a 27-17 halftime lead.
Hernando attempted to rally late in the second, but two consecutive shots rimmed out in the final seconds. Lewisburg maintained control in the third, extending the lead to 45-32 thanks to continued long-range shooting from Haley.
In the fourth quarter, the Patriots turned to Grantham to seal the win. Grantham scored 11 of his game-high 20 points in the final period, effectively silencing any hope of a Tigers comeback. Haley finished with 19 points, including six total 3-pointers.
Hernando was led by Aaron Dale, who finished with 12 points, and Jamarion Joyner, who added seven.
With the win, Lewisburg shifts its focus to a critical road matchup this Friday.
“We wanted to get back in the win column,” Jorgenson said. “Now we’re just taking care of business and getting ready to move on to Tupelo on Friday.”
Walker, Hernando girls’ handle Lewisburg
A dominant defensive performance in the second half propelled the Hernando Lady Tigers to a 47-23 victory over the Lewisburg Lady Patriots on Tuesday night.
After a competitive opening frame that saw the teams tied at 10-10, Hernando seized control with a late second-quarter run. The Lady Tigers went into the locker room with a 22-14 lead, but it was their defensive intensity in the third quarter that defined the matchup.
Hernando held Lewisburg scoreless for nearly the entire third period. The Lady Patriots did not find the basket until Alley Henderson hit a shot with just 24 seconds remaining in the quarter. By then, Hernando had extended its lead to double digits, entering the final frame ahead 29-16.
Gemma Walker led the offensive charge for Hernando, finishing with a game-high 19 points. Walker was clinical through the first three quarters, providing the “cushion” the Lady Tigers needed to dictate the tempo. Kalia Mister took over in the fourth quarter, scoring seven of her 12 total points to put the game out of reach.
Lewisburg struggled to find an offensive rhythm against Hernando’s pressure. Henderson finished as the leading scorer for the Lady Patriots with six points, followed by Emma Bullion with five. Neely Presley added four points in the first quarter but was held in check for the remainder of the contest.
The win marks a statement performance for Hernando, which outscored Lewisburg 25-9 across the final two periods. The Lady Tigers’ ability to close quarters strongly proved to be the difference, as they capped the night with an 18-point fourth-quarter explosion.
NOTABLES: Calvin Harrison scored a three-goal hat-trick in the Hernando boys’ soccer victory over Southaven..Nate Hinton led the Memphis Hustle with 25 points in the loss to Sioux Falls…Nailah Herrera scored 17 points, Robbye England 16, and Londyn Griffin 10 in the Northpoint Christian girls’ basketball victory over St. George’s…
AS SEEN ON X/TWITTER: Two Center Hill softball players signed scholarship offers to play college softball next season.
Congratulations to these two senior softball student-athletes signing today! Juliet Davis at Arkansas State Mid-South and Reagan Ryan at The University of Tennessee Southern! Proud of you girls!! #RespectTheHill🥎 pic.twitter.com/RDBCN2mpRH
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.
