The Choctaw County boys basketball team was set to play at North Panola Tuesday in the opening round of the MHSAA Class 3A State playoffs after finishing fourth at the Region 4-3A tournament with losses to host Houston 81-57 and Aberdeen 54-51.
The Chargers led Aberdeen in the consolation game by three points with less than a minute left. “We just didn't protect the lead,” said coach Gary Beals. “We made some key defensive mistakes at the end that allowed them to win.”
Zay Coleman made two free throws with three seconds left to pull Choctaw County within a point, but the Chargers were forced to foul and Aberdeen made two final free throws.
Tray Jobe, Tylan Carter and Jared Bellew each scored 12 points for Choctaw County. Jobe had a nearly perfect shooting night – two of three on 3-point shots, two of two on 2-point shots and two of two from the line.
In the semifinals, Houston led Choctaw County 34-26 at the half, then broke the game open by outscoring the Chargers 31-18 in the third quarter.
Beals said lack of depth was the main problem. Israel Whitmore, the team's leading rebounder, missed the game due to injuries, forcing Beals to go with six players.
“They're so long and athletic,” he said of Houston. “We just ran out of juice.”
Carter had 13 points, Bellew and Kendall Coleman 10 each. Bellew also had 12 rebounds. Shemar Crawford scored 31 points on 13 of 19 shooting and had 10 rebounds for Houston. He followed that up with another 31-point performance in a 79-77 victory over Noxubee County in the championship game.
