Zavier Coleman drilled a three-pointer as time expired to give Choctaw County boys basketball a dramatic 32-31 season opening victory over Winona.
After An'Darius Coffey sank two free throws in the final 10 seconds to give Winona a 31-29 lead, the Tigers committed a foul with 1.7 seconds left. But it was not a shooting foul because Winona was under the limit so the Chargers had the ball out of bounds. Coleman scored from the corner off the inbounds pass from Hunter Smith.
“He caught it, squared up his shoulders and nailed it,” said coach Gary Beals.
Coleman led the Chargers with 17 points and Jared Bellew had 10. Coffey scored 12 points for Winona,
Beals had praise for Tray Jobe, who has returned to the team following a finger injury last season. “He handled the ball against the pressure and got us in position where we could win the game.”
The Chargers fell to 1-1 with a 66-22 loss to Leake Central. Coleman was practically the entire offense with 19 points.
Choctaw County has been playing short handed due to the continued success of the football team in the 3A playoffs.
A game at Ethel was the boys season opener, but it was canceled after about one quarter when the gym roof started leading during a rain storm.
“We waited 30 minutes and it was still leaking. We went ahead and called it because it would have been a liability,” Beals said.
GIRLS
La’Geness Johnson has moved seamlessly from volleyball, where she helped the Lady Chargers win a region championship, to the basketball court. The Alcorn State commit followed up a 27-point performance in a season opening victory over Ethel with 18-points, six rebounds, four assists and three blocks in another win over Ethel 42-27 and 21 points, 19 rebounds and two blocks in a 33-10 victory over Winona.
The Ethel game was completed before the leaks in the roof halted the boys game.
Choctaw County fell from the ranks of the undefeated with a 62-17 week ending loss to Leake Central.
“It was a long week with three games. The girls were tired. But I think they did a good job hanging in there and playing hard,” said coach Mandy Jewell.
In addition to Johnson, Jewel said Raquela Graham and Tyliyah Alston have played well for the Lady Chargers. Graham totaled eighth assists against Ethel and Winona and was the team’s high scorer in the Leake Central game with seven points. Alston had four steals in each game against Ethel and Winona.
Jalia James, an eighth grader, has added scoring depth with 5, 8 and 6 points in last week’s three games.
Scott Central cancelled games with Choctaw Central scheduled for Tuesday. The games will not be rescheduled. The Chargers and Lady Chargers will be at French Camp Thursday.
