Bulldogs see end to promising season
Published 11:34 am Wednesday, March 5, 2014
By Malik Gardner
PHS sports
THE PRENTISS HEADLIGHT / KAREN SANFORD —The 2013-14 Prentiss High School Men’s Basketball Team: Head Coach Calvin Morgan, (front row standing), Assistant Coach Jacques Poole (not pictured). Kneeling (l to r) JaVonne Walker, Kendrick Graves, Chauncey Baggett, Tashaderick Collins, Dedarious Sumrall, Nick Bournes and Donta Ford. (back row standing) Manager Malik Gardner, Deanyte Crockett, Damien Perkins, Tre’von Ratliff, Phillip Lucas, James Hawthorne, Kevin Hall, Justice Reese, Jessie Sands, Cameron Carter, and Managers Willie Young and Quin’Darrius Hall.
Basketball playoffs started on Monday March 24. Prentiss Lady Bulldogs took on Forest Lady Bearcats in the first round.
The game was very competitive at the beginning. Prentiss started off an 8-0 run. Then Forest answered with 10-8 run. The first quarter was very close at the end. In the second, Forest would take off. Lady Bearcats was up by 15 at halftime. After halftime, Prentiss would make a run behind the play of Joy Powell. The Lady Bulldogs will pull in within 12 points going into the fourth. Joy Powell would hit back-to-back 3’s starting off the 4th. The run though wouldn’t be enough to stop Forest from advancing to the next round. Forest won 70-52. This would be the end of the Lady Bulldogs season.
The boys would play Choctaw Central on Tuesday. The game was very intense from start to end. In the first quarter, the play was going back and forth. The score was tied at the end of the first at 19. The second was a high a scoring quarter. The teams together scored 55 points, but Prentiss would have a 5-point lead going into the half. Choctaw would make a push in the 3rd to take the lead. The fourth quarter would belong to Chauncey Baggett of the Prentiss Bulldogs, scoring 12 of his 18 points in the quarter. Prentiss would pull out the victory and move on to play on Thursday.
Chauncey Baggett – 18 pts
Donte Ford – 14 pts
In the second round of the playoffs, Prentiss traveled to Velma Jackson for the South State tournament. They would take on the Tylertown Chiefs. The game started high-paced and fast. Both teams were scoring off of fast break points. Prentiss had a 3-point lead going into the second. In the second both teams slowed the game down, only scoring 9 points each in the quarter. In the 3rd, the intense and pace picked back up. The crowd was cheering on every single play. Prentiss would have a 5-point lead to start the fourth. Tylertown fought back to take the lead with approximately one minute left in the game. Chauncey Baggett would once again take over and score six points to close out the win for the Prentiss Bulldogs. The final score was 62-59, Prentiss.
Chauncey Baggett – 22 pts
James Hawthorne – 16 pts
In the third round of the playoffs, Prentiss traveled back to Velma Jackson to take on divisional rival Morton. The Bulldogs and Panthers had met twice before in the district play, splitting the series 1-1. This game would decide if either team would make the trip to the Coliseum to compete for the State Championship. The game was intense because of the implications. Prentiss was very slow and sluggish to start the game. Morton came out playing harder and went on a run. Prentiss kept the game close through the first two quarters. Morton took off in the 3rd quarter, getting a 15-point lead. Prentiss would try to fight back, but the lead was insurmountable. Morton won 68-57, ending Prentiss’ destiny season.
The Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs opened some eyes and made some noise in the playoffs this year. Coach Morgan and Coach Ard want to thank the community for all the support! Thanks to everyone who read my articles this season!
