Photo: Lewisburg’s Asher Morgan (21) tries to move inside against a West Memphis defender during Tuesday’s night game at Lewisburg. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
A unique boy-girl basketball doubleheader at Coach Tip Memorial Gymnasium in Lewisburg Tuesday night. The Patriot boys met a strong West Memphis Blue Devil squad, following a girls’ contest where Mitchell High School (Memphis) filled a last minute hole in the Lewisburg girls’ schedule and took on the Lady Patriots for the front end of Lewisburg’s Senior Night.
The Patriots fell to West Memphis 69-42, after the Lady Patriots stopped Mitchell 41-19.
Blue Devils rally after slow start to rout Lewisburg
After falling behind by double digits in the opening minutes, West Memphis ignited a dominant offensive surge to secure a 69-42 victory over Lewisburg on Tuesday night.
The Blue Devils used a massive second-quarter performance and a physical defensive effort to erase an early deficit and cruise to a 27-point win.
Turning the Tide
The game began in favor of the Patriots, as Lewisburg jumped out to a 10-0 lead just three minutes into the contest. Following a West Memphis timeout, the Blue Devils found their rhythm, closing the gap to 14-13 before taking their first lead of the night, 16-14, with one minute remaining in the first quarter.
The momentum shifted permanently in the second period. West Memphis broke the game open with a 25-point outburst while holding the Patriots scoreless for nearly the first four minutes of the frame. A buzzer-beating 3-pointer sent the Blue Devils into the locker room with a comfortable 44-24 halftime lead.
Tempers Flare in the Second Half
The third quarter was marked by increased physicality and frustration. Lewisburg was whistled for two technical fouls—one following a basket and another for a pushing incident—as the Blue Devils’ lead swelled. Despite the heated atmosphere, West Memphis maintained control, leading 57-33 heading into the final quarter.
Lewisburg attempted to narrow the margin behind Chance Grantham, who finished with a team-high 19 points, including four 3-pointers. However, West Memphis’ balanced attack was too much to overcome.
Top Performers
West Memphis was led by Donnell Johnson, who finished with 18 points, and Peyton Hamptons, who added 17. The Blue Devils’ bench and transition game proved vital during the second-quarter run that effectively sealed the game.
Colson Alexander contributed 12 points for the Patriots, but the team struggled to find consistent scoring after their initial 10-0 run to start the game.
The Lewisburg Lady Patriots used an overwhelming defensive start and a high-tempo transition game to cruise past Mitchell 41-19 on Tuesday night at Coach Tip Memorial Gymnasium.
Cheyenne Outlaw fueled the offensive effort with a team-high 12 points, while the Lewisburg defense stifled Mitchell from the opening tip, holding them to just one point in the first quarter.
Early Dominance Sets the Tone
Lewisburg established control immediately, racing out to a 17-1 lead by the end of the first period. The Lady Patriots’ defense remained stout throughout the first half, heading into the locker room with a comfortable 24-15 advantage.
While Mitchell’s Carlay Bryson accounted for nearly all of her team’s production with a game-high 16 points, the Lady Patriots’ depth proved to be the difference maker.
“We’ve just been keeping the focus on our growth and progress over the year,” said Lewisburg head coach Kristen Coleman. “Not trying to worry too much about the record, just what we can do to get better every single day in practice. We came out and competed and played hard and did things the ‘Lewisburg way’.”
Transition Game Makes the Difference
Coleman highlighted the team’s ability to push the pace as the primary reason for the double-digit victory.
“I really liked our transition offense,” Coleman said. “We’ve been working on that—getting the ball up the court, seeing the girl ahead of us, and not just dribbling our way down. We passed it up and got good opportunities to score.”
Outlaw was the primary beneficiary of that fast-paced style. Known as a “hustler” by her coaching staff, Outlaw’s ability to finish strong at the rim allowed Lewisburg to pull away in the second half.
Freshman Kate White also provided a spark off the bench, contributing 8 points and securing key rebounds to prevent any Mitchell second-chance opportunities. The Lady Patriots’ defense was so effective that Mitchell was held scoreless in the fourth quarter until the 2:21 mark.
With the win secured, Lewisburg cleared the bench for the final 1:38 to give their rotation players experience.
SCOREBOARD
Monday, Dec 15
JUCO men’s basketball
Northwest 116, Meridian 96
Tuesday, Dec 16
Prep boys basketball
Tupelo 77, DeSoto Central 73
West Memphis, Ark 69, Lewisburg 42
Hernando 57, Holly Springs 51
Southaven 54, Senatobia 33
Olive Branch 80, Horn Lake 62
South Panola 46, Center Hill 42
Lake Cormorant 66, North Panola 46
Prep boys soccer
Lake Cormorant 10, Grenada 3
Hernando 6, Horn Lake 1
Olive Branch 4, Saltillo 2
Lewisburg 1, Tupelo 0
Center Hill 8, South Panola 0
Prep girls basketball
Tupelo 50, DeSoto Central 33
Lewisburg 41, Mitchell (Memphis) 19
Holly Springs at Hernando
Senatobia 54, Southaven 24
Olive Branch 67, Horn Lake 33
South Panola at Center Hill
Lake Cormorant 46, North Panola 17
Prep girls soccer
Grenada at Lake Cormorant
Hernando 9, Horn Lake 0
Saltillo 8, Olive Branch 0
Tupelo 3, Lewisburg 1
Center Hill 7, South Panola 0
NBA G League basketball
Memphis Hustle 125, Osceola Magic 122
NOTABLES Anthony Balderas and Calvin Harrison each scored two goals in the Hernando boys’ soccer victory over Horn Lake…Three players each scored two goals in the Hernando girls soccer win, including Karis Herman, who was named Hernando’s MVP for the match.
SPORTS ETC Lake Cormorant volleyball coach Christina Morgan was named Mississippi 6A Coach of the Year as Mississippi coaches released its all-state team selection. Morgan has led the Lady Gators to four straight state championships, including the last two in 6A.
All-state team selections in 6A included four Lady Gators Sofia Gonzalez, Payton Davis, MaKayla Hill, and Emily Huerta.
On the 7A all-state team are Lewisburg players Mary Olivia Barnes, Addison Cole, and Laney Wier, who are joined by DeSoto Central’s Genesis Weeks.
