MCADAMS –Nanih Waiya's best game of the season resulted in home court for the opening round of the MHSAA Class 1A state playoffs. The Warriors upset top seed West Lowndes 67-66 in the semifinals of the Region 5-1A tournament before losing to McAdams 70-44 in the championship game.
“We put everything to together. It was a huge win,” said Nanih Waiya coach Austin Swart.
Rico Moore drove for a layup as time expired for the win. He had a big game with 22 points and 15 rebounds and was the player Swart wanted to take the final shot. “He had the hot hand. I wasn't going to take it from him.”
Moore is usually the first player off the bench, but started in both tournament games because Tyquan McCully was out with a high ankle sprain suffered against French Camp in the final regular season game.
Swart said McCully is day-to-day as the Warriors prepare to open the playoffs with a 5 p.m. game Friday against Resurrection, the third place team from 8-1A. Due to a winter weather forecast early in the week, MHSAA has postponed opening round games to Thursday for girls and Friday for boys.
''He says he's playing, but that is to be determined,” Swart said. “He's not getting to practice much. I'll be glad when he gets back. Hopefully we will still be playing.''
Three other Warriors reached double figures against West Lowndes. Hagan Halfacre had 12 points, Trey McMullan 11 and Ethan Daily 10.
McMullan was named region Defensive Player of the Year.
Nanih Waiya lost to West Lowndes twice during the regular season, 63-56 and 68-42.
McAdams jumped out to a 21-9 lead after one quarter in the title game on the strength of five 3-point baskets and Ethel never drew closer than 12 points the rest of the way. Dailey had 11 points and Moore 10.
“'We have been up and we have been down,'' Swart said. “I hope we got the bad game out of our system because we sure didn't play very well against McAdams. It's win or go home now.''
If Nanih Waiya defeats Resurrection, the Warriors will play either McEvans or Sebastopol in the second round.
NW girls pay visit to Sacred Heart Thursday
By Austin Bishop
Winston County Journal
The Lady Warriors of Nanih Waiya will be headed South on Thursday in hopes of pulling off a first-round upset in the MHSAA Class 1A State Basketball tournament.
Sacred Heart will be playing host to NW, which is coming off a tough 61-56 loss to French Camp in the consolation round of the Region 5-1A Tournament.
Taylor Clemons pumped in 20 points for NW in the loss to FCA, while I’onnya Coleman scored 13 and Channa Clemons 11.
The Lady Warriors opened the tourney last Monday with a 49-35 loss to top-seeded West Lowndes. Tyler Clemons led the way with 10 points, while Channa Clemons had nine and Morgan Mills notched seven.
