Tuesday sports page: Center Hill splits with Saltillo
Photo: Center Hill’s Yazlyn Buffington drives toward the basket against Saltillo in Tuesday’s Region 1-6A victory. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Moments after honoring Madison Hughes for reaching 1,000 career points, the Center Hill Lady Mustangs basketball set about picking up a 1-6A region win over visiting Saltillo Tuesday night. The 56-41 victory had Hughes again providing a major impact to the scoresheet, leading all scorers with 19 points. Kennedy Hulbert added scoring support with 12 more for the Lady Mustangs. Center Hill moved to 4-3 in region play, putting the Lady Mustangs in a solid third place position. Meanwhile, Saltillo dropped to 4-15 overall and 0-6 in region play.
Lady Mustangs coach Emily Owens said she was very happy to come away with the victory.
“I felt like the girls really came together tonight and did a lot of things that we’ve been specifically working on in practice,” Owens said.
The Lady Mustangs opened with a 16-9 lead after one quarter and led by 34-21 at halftime. Hughes had 13 of Center Hill’s 34 first half points with Hulbert scoring all 12 of her points in the first half. Hulburt scored nine of those points in the second quarter.
“She’s getting better and better and she’s become more consistent,” Owens said about Hulbert.
Points were spread out a bit more in the third period with Hughes netting five points and Angel Thornton came off the bench to score four.
Hughes, recognized before the game for reaching the 1,000 point level, has been an important part of Owens’ program. Owens has led the Center Hill program since the 2018-19 season.
“”She’s one of the greatest kids you’ll ever be around,” Owens said. “Madison is a great leader, positive, always helping the younger kids. You can’t ask for anything better than that from a senior.”
Aaliyah Hill led Saltillo in scoring with 12 points.
(B) SALTILLO 58, CENTER HILL 53: Center Hill boys’ basketball coach Julius Cosby readily admits his team is “young and inexperienced.” When you glance at the roster you quickly discover what he’s talking about. The youthful Mustangs feature two seniors, Malachi Stansfield and Deaundre Bailey, a trio of juniors, and everyone is a sophomore or freshman.
Still, Center Hill nearly completed a large comeback late in the fourth quarter of the Mustangs’ 58-53 loss to Saltillo Tuesday night. The Tigers showed in the victory they can fire from distance early and often, hitting eight three-point shots against the Mustangs, four of which came in the first quarter as Saltillo took a 23-8 lead after one quarter, scoring the first seven points of the contest.
The Mustangs would creep back into the game a bit at 31-22 Saltillo with just under three minutes left in the half, but the Tigers took a 35-25 advantage into the locker room at halftime
Saltillo quickly built back a 43-29 lead in the third quarter and took a 48-38 edge into the final eight minutes of the contest. That’s when Center Hill started a comeback, trailing by seven with 2:47 left, then a quick basket off a turnover to trail 50-46 with less than two minutes remaining,
Another steal and a layup got the Mustangs within 56-53 with 30 seconds left but a final Saltillo basket finished the comeback and the night for Center Hill.
Kourtnei Irby led the way for Center Hill on the scoresheet with 17 points, while Dallas Williams scored 14 points and Stansfield added 11 more. Crayden Shannon led Saltillo with 23 points as the Tigers improved to 16-5, 3-3 in region action. Center Hill dropped to 7-12 overall, 4-3 in 1-6A play.
Monday, Jan. 13
Prep girls soccer
- Horn Lake 4, Cleveland Central 1
JUCO men’s basketball
- Northwest 89, Copiah-Lincoln 87 (OT)
JUCO women’s basketball
- Northwest 79, Copiah-Lincoln 72
Tuesday, Jan. 14
Prep boys basketball
- Olive Branch 83, Grenada 57
- Lake Cormorant 54, Southaven 52
- Saltillo 58, Center Hill 53
- Center Hill: Kourtnei Irby-17, Dallas Williams 14, Malachi Stansfield 11
- Horn Lake 70, Oxford 66
- Hernando 59, Lewisburg 55 (2 overtimes)
- St. George’s 61, Northpoint Christian 41
- Northpoint: Myles Colom-23
Prep girls basketball
- Olive Branch 74, Grenada 48
- Southaven 63, Lake Cormorant 56
- Saltillo at Center Hill 56, Saltillo 41
- Center Hill: Madison Hughes 19, Kennedy Hulbert 12
- Oxford 50, Horn Lake 21
- Hernando 64, Lewisburg 10
- Northpoint Christian 64, St. George’s 36
- Northpoint: Londyn Griffin 15, Nailah Herrera- 14, Vespa Shifflett- 13, Lillie Milligan- 12
Prep boys soccer
- Center Hill 6, Grenada 1
- Oxford 4, Lewisburg 3
- Hernando 3, Southaven 1 (extra time)
- Hernando: Parks Rafferty-2 goals, Calvin Harrison-1 goal
- Olive Branch 2, Lake Cormorant 2 (Olive Branch wins in penalty kicks)
- Lake Cormorant: Luis Cano-2 goals
Prep girls soccer
- Center Hill 1, Grenada 0
- Oxford 3, Lewisburg 0
- Hernando 6, Southaven 0
- Lake Cormorant 6, Olive Branch 1
- Lake Cormorant: Destiny Lucas-3 goals
AS SEEN ON X/TWITTER
Fran Kelly of Hernando and Caleigh Nix of Olive Branch were recognized at the recent girls’ basketball Tangle on the Trail Classic in Pontotoc. Kelly was named to the all-Tangle first team and Nix was selected to the all-Tangle third team.
KELLY REACHES 1,000 POINT CLUB
MADISON HUGHES REACH 1,000 POINT CLUB
LEWISBURG WRESTLING WINS DUALS, FINISH AS TOP NORTH SEED FOR STATE
