Class 5A

Meridian at Wingfield

Class 4A

West Lauderdale at Vicksburg

Brookhaven at Northeast Lauderdale

Port Gibson at Wayne County

Quitman at McComb

Class 3A

Choctaw Central at Crystal Springs

Hazlehurst at Southeast Lauderdale

Heidelberg at Raymond

Class 2A

McLaurin at Newton

Prentiss at Bay Springs

Kemper County at Hinds AHS

Enterprise at Bassfield



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Wildcats travel to meet No. 2 Falcons

By Brandon Walker and

Rocky Higginbotham

The way Randy Bolden sees it, he and the Meridian Wildcats knew they would have to face the state’s best teams to reach their goal of a Class 5A state championship.

Unfortunately for Bolden, he probably didn’t know it would happen this soon.

Bolden, the first-year coach of the 26-6 Wildcats, and his team will open the 5A playoffs on the road tonight, traveling to take on perennial power Wingfield in a brutal opening-round contest which highlights the 12 playoff matchups involving area teams tonight.

Wingfield, a team which returns four starters from last year’s Class 4A semifinalist, enters tonight’s showdown ranked No. 2 in 5A and No. 5 in the Jackson Clarion-Ledger Super Ten.

“This is a big challenge for us,” Bolden said. “They are one of the top three or four teams in the state, but I feel confident that we will be ready to play when the time comes.”

Wingfield boasts one of the state’s most experienced starting fives, bolstered by a pair of all-state performers from a year ago.

Falcons Chris Wallace and Ananza Richardson each earned all-star recognition after powering Wingfield to The Big House last season. The Falcons lost to Provine in the 4A semifinals.

This season, WHS has continued to soar in the 5A ranks, averaging 73 points per game en route to a 27-4 record.

“They are a very athletic team and they can really shoot the ball,” Bolden said of Meridian’s first-round opponent. “They are very well-coached. They are just a very good basketball team all the way around.”

Meridian also brings a talented team into the postseason after a 25-5 season that saw MHS claim the Division 5-5A regular season crown. The Wildcats faltered in the 5-5A tournament, dropping the tournament title game to Brandon by a score of 79-76.

Following the loss, Bolden is confident in his team’s ability to bounce back.

“Sometimes when you lose, it helps you to regain your focus as a team,” Bolden said. “I believe that loss will bring back our sense of urgency that we have to have. We now know that we have to limit our mistakes, especially against a team the caliber of Wingfield.”

Meridian and Wingfield, and all of tonight’s MHSAA state playoff games, tip off at 7 p.m.



Class 4A Boys



Fresh off a Division 5-4A Tournament championship, Northeast Lauderdale will be at home tonight to host Brookhaven.

The Trojans and Mississippi State signee Romero Osby whipped regular-season division champ Wayne County 58-48 in last Friday’s division title game — using a stout defense and an all-around game from Osby which included 21 points, 13 rebounds and 10 blocked shots. Brookhaven is the No. 4 seed out of Region 6-4A.

Also tonight, West Lauderdale ventures to Vicksburg in North State action while Wayne County hosts Port Gibson and Quitman goes to McComb in other South State matchups.

Duran Clark’s Knights finished third in the Division 4-4A Tournament, while the Gators were the 3-4A runnerup. Vicksburg is led by Dandy Dozen senior guard Jonathan Phelps.



Class 3A



Southeast Lauderdale will try to keep its late-season momentum going tonight when the Tigers entertain Hazlehurst in a South State opener.

Southeast, 13-14, won a pair of tight contests over Raleigh and Heidelberg in last week’s Division 5-3A Tournament to earn the right to host tonight. The Tigers rely on a trio of third-year senior starters — Jerry Wallace, Derrick Landrum and Marino Thompson — while Gabriel Rice and Ed Ruffin also contribute for veteran coach Johnny Patrick.

Heidelberg, meanwhile, goes to Raymond and Choctaw Central visits Crystal Springs in other Class 3A South State action.



Class 2A



Crandal Porter’s Newton Tigers may be the hottest team in the state in any classification, and they’ll begin their quest for a repeat trip to The Big House at home against McLaurin tonight.

Newton, 28-4, has won 20 consecutive games — including an overtime victory over defending 3A state champ Forest in the Division 5-2A Tournament championship game last Friday.

Also in Class 2A South State games tonight, Bay Springs hosts Prentiss while Kemper County goes to Hinds AHS and Enterprise visits Bassfield.

In Utica, Kemper will be taking on the state’s No. 1 ranked Class 2A team, as Hinds is 29-0 after winning the Division 6-2A title last week. The Wildcats are the No. 4 seed from 5-2A.

Enterprise, meanwhile, is the No. 3 seed out of Division 7-2A after first-year head coach John Darnell led his Bulldogs to an exciting 59-53 win over Piney Woods in last Friday’s tournament consolation game.