By Stan Beall
The Star Herald
KOSCIUSKO —
The Kosciusko Whippets hosted the Eupora Eagles last Friday night, winning 62-54, and then lost to the Neshoba Central Rockets the next day in the Noxubee County Tourney 62-59.
In Friday’s game the Whippets jumped on the Eagles early and led 17-12 after one quarter of play.
The Eagles got hot in the second quarter and outscored the Whippets 23-16 to take a 35-33 lead into the half.
The Eagles were unable to maintain any offensive rhythm in the third quarter after the Whippets defense pressed them aggressively allowing only 10 points.
The Whippets would outscore the Eagles in the third quarter 16-10 to take a 51-43 lead into the final stanza.
Both teams would score 11 points each in the fourth quarter and the Whippets were able to hang on for a 62-54 win, improving their season record to 3-6 overall.
“I challenged the guys at halftime and they came out really got into their (Eupora) grills,” said Whippet head coach Shelby Kuehn. “We pressured them real good in the second half and were able to get back better on defensive transitions as well.”
The leading scorers for the Whippets were Jamari Roby with 20 points, Corey Lowe with 15 points and Jerrell Jackson, Parker McGee as well as Sabree Bakari with four points each.
The Whippets then traveled to Noxubee County on Saturday to take on the Neshoba Central Rockets and found themselves quickly in the hole 11-6 after the first quarter.
The Whippets had a huge second quarter scoring 23 points, but the Rockets were able to maintain their lead by scoring 20 points of their own to take a 31-29 lead into the half. The Whippets were able to outscore the Rockets in the third quarter 13-8 and took a 42-39 lead into the game’s final stanza.
The fourth quarter was not so kind to the Whippets. The Rockets scored 23 points to the Whippets 17 and were able to walk away with a 62-59 victory.
The Whippets season record fell to 3-7 overall.
The leading scorers for the Whippets were Jamari Roby and Parker McGee with 21 points each while Rajheem Jamison scored 18 points.
Rounding out the offense for the Whippets were Sabree Bakari with eight points and Kyeson Jackson with seven.
The Whippets will play in the Louisville Invitational Tourney starting Friday. Times are TBA.
