Photo: Nailah Herrera led Northpoint Christian with 20 points in Saturday’s loss to Jackson Christian. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Feb. 22, 2025- Northpoint Christian girls lost to Jackson Christian (JCS) 50-44 in the TSSAA D2-A West Division consolation game Saturday afternoon at Evangelical Christian School in Cordova, Tennessee. With the loss, the Lady Trojans must now travel Tuesday for its first round state game.
Nailah Herrera led the Lady Trojans with a solid 20 points in the loss. Lillie Milligan was next with nine points, followed by Londyn Griffin with eight. Blakely Melton was the leading scorer for the Lady Eagles with 17.
Jackson Christian took an early two-point lead and led 18-16 after one quarter. The Lady Eagles held a two-point margin through the first half and into the third quarter, when Jackson Christian went on an eight-point run for a 33-25 advantage. That’s when Northpoint turned up the pressure on defense to get within 40-35 at the end of third quarter.
Northpoint continued to chip at the lead and finally tied the game at 41-41 with 2:55 remaining in the contest. However, a corner three-pointer held JCS back on top late in the contest and they went on to win the game.
Jackson Christian threw in seven three-pointers in the win and that was a concern for Northpoint coach Barry Gray.
“We usually defend the three pretty good, but tonight we were slow just getting out there and that changed the momentum of the game,” Gray said.
After the championship game, Herrera (center) was tabbed to the West Region All-Tournament Team.
HUSTLE MEET UP WITH VIPERS AGAIN
The Memphis Hustle responded from a 24-point beatdown at the hands of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers Wednesday night to take a 136-120 victory from the Vipers on Saturday night at the Landers Center. Cam Spencer and DJ Steward led seven players in double figures to counteract a 44-point explosion from Viper guard Markquis Nowell.
The Memphis offensive explosion began in the first quarter as the Hustle took a 41-27 lead and continued into the second quarter, as Memphis took a 48-27 lead just 90 seconds into the period. At 69-38 Hustle with 4:13 left in the half, frustration from the started to show with a skirmish and war of words being players result in the Hustle’s Miles Norris getting a pair of technical fouls and an ejection from the contest.
“I was told he (Norris) pushed the guy after the play and then said something to them, and that’s the explanation I got,” said Hustle coach T.C. Swirsky after the game. But Swirsky also said the Hustle’s overall physicality improved Saturday over Wednesday night’s 134-110 loss to the Vipers.
“Rio Grande Valley is a physical team, it’s what they do,” Swirsky said. “We made a point of emphasis to march their physicality and even take it to the next level.
The physicality resulted in four technical fouls against the Hustle, including the two that sent Norris to the locker room early, a flagrant one foul against Cam Spencer, and Norris’ ejection. The Vipers had two technicals of their own in the game.
Memphis’ 41 points in the first quarter was also significant in setting the tone for the contest, Swirsky believed.
The Vipers fell to 10-9 for the regular season with the loss while the Hustle moved back to .500 for the regular season at 9-9. Memphis gets back into action quickly on Sunday, hosting the Maine Celtics at the Landers Center, starting at 5 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 22
Prep girls’ basketball
TSSAA Division 2-A West Region consolation at Evangelical Christian School
Jackson Christian 50, Northpoint Christian 44
Prep baseball
Faith Academy 5, Hernando 1 (at Madison Central)
Hernando at Madison Central
Center Hill 16, Houston 0 (5 innings)
Lewisburg 14, Petal 3 (at Germantown (Madison))
DeSoto Central 5, Marshall Academy 1
DeSoto Central: Aston Willis, Ethan Carter, Aiden Steht all homered
