Louisville’s boys took the trip over to Webster County on Friday and Saturday and came away happy with two wins.
At East Webster’s annual Christmas Classic, the boys squad took home a win over a solid Pillow Academy team on Friday night and followed it up with knocking off host East Webster on Saturday. It got them to 6-3 on the young season as Class 4A, Region 4 play is on the horizon.
“They came out and ran the offense which mean our defense had to work. That’s what I was hoping for that we would play some competition that made us work, talk and communicate and that’s what we got from Pillow and East Webster,” head coach Kylan Tippett said. “It showed me that our man defense isn’t as good as I thought it was.”
Vasedrick Culberson stroked all five of his 3-pointers and scored 20 points while Niselbyion Kirk had 10 points and 11 rebounds as the Wildcats rolled to a 70-57 win over the Mustangs.
That game was followed up by another successful offensive showing on Saturday night. Tyrell Thames was the one that was hot this time as three-straight threes late in the second quarter took a close game and gave them some distance in what would be a 69-52 win over East Webster.
Thames had a team-high 14 points, Culberson finished with 12 and Drea Shumaker had 10 points in the win. The Wildcats led 13-11 after the first quarter but the 3-pointers began to take their toll on the Wolverines.
“They stepped up and shot the ball much better than they have the last couple of games. One of the things I really pride this team on is that we have at least four or five guys that can knock down two or three threes a game,” Tippett said. “It’s a blessing and a curse because we could shoot well or we could shoot ourselves out of the game. It’s finding a nice balance.”
The lead got out to as much as 22 points in the third quarter before it settled into the 17-point final.
Either way, it was what Tippett wanted to see from his team this week as they prepare for one final test in non-conference before district play begins next week.
“This is our warmup before district starts so I hope that we were able to fine tune some things, work on some defense that we installed and trying to see who plays well together,” Tippett said. “We’re getting ready for district now.”
GIRLS
As defending Class 4A state champions, Louisville has not been afraid to play bigger competition in the state.
The Lady Wildcats entered the Christmas holidays with the only two losses coming against strong 6A competition in Tupelo and Harrison Central in respectable showings. They got a chance to play two more 6A teams in the prestigious Travis Outlaw Slam Dunk at Mississippi State’s Humphrey Coliseum just after Christmas last weekend and coach Fred Morris liked what he saw in a split against Horn Lake and Olive Branch.
Louisville made a statement on Thursday afternoon when they went up against the Lady Eagles of Horn Lake. They came out and dominated from the start in a 49-26 win to get things started on the right foot.
“We came out and played solid on both ends of the floor with a lot of energy,” Morris said. “We executed the game plan, made shots and defended well. That was one of our best games from start to finish we’ve seen.”
Morris was hoping for much of the same when Louisville played its toughest test of the season on Friday afternoon in Olive Branch who is the state’s third best team overall in a couple of polls.
The Lady Conquistadors boast one of the best programs in the state year in and year out and they provided a pretty good measuring stick for the Lady Wildcats. For most of the game, LHS was right there in position as they went toe-to-toe.
It was a 13-7 lead early for the Lady Wildcats and they would hold an 18-17 advantage at the end of the first quarter. By halftime, though, the Lady Conquistadores began to get things rolling and a 3-pointer right before the halftime buzzer saw Olive Branch on top 40-31.
The lead for Olive Branch grew to as much as 16 points in the second half but there was no quit in the Lady Wildcats. LHS went on a 10-0 run in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 67-61 with 4:15 remaining. They had a couple of chances to get it even closer but couldn’t cash in and they lost 75-65.
There was no shame in Morris’ mind postgame and he looked at the game as a major stepping stone for his team.
“From an effort standpoint, I was proud,” Morris said. “Games like this could be learning lessons. I hope that the players learn from it and build upon it going into district. I hope, if nothing else, they saw what it takes to compete hard for 32 minutes and stay the course.”
LHS (9-3) now prepares for upcoming Class 4A, Region 4 play that welcomes in Choctaw Central this season. Those games against 6A competition will do nothing but prepare them for the battles ahead with the Warriors and the rest of the district.
First, they’ll play Noxubee County on Friday at home.
“I think playing up is a way of preparing you for what lies ahead,” Morris said. “The intensity level, the physicality can’t do nothing but help you. In district, every game is important. I hope that they’re prepared, but I’m excited about district play getting started.”
