Bank of Holly Springs
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Photo by Willie Ann Shelton
Lady Indian Soniya Mixon (15) applies pressure defense versus Lady Hawk Tayla Alexander (10).

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Photos by Willie Ann Shelton
Holly High’s Kendrick Fountain (20) finds the going tough versus Byhalia’s Jamaris Briggs (left) and Jacrion Crockett (right).

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Holly High’s Shretta Jeffries (1) battles inside versus Byhalia’s Lakiowa Milan (12).

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Antwon Porter (2) of the Indians passes to a teammate.

Byhalia sweeps Holly High

Holly Springs basketball teams started the New Year by playing host to rival Byhalia.

Back on November 18, the Lady Indians had defeated the Lady Hawks 92-49. And the game on Tuesday night of last week was no different.

Leekadra Smith scored 23 points, Kavacia Johnson 12 and Ariel Tunstall 10 as Byhalia cruised past Holly High 67-28.

The Lady Indians held the advantage 13-4 at the end of the first quarter. Camee Faulkner made a charity point and Shretta Jeffries drilled in a three for the Lady Hawks.

The Holly High girls outscored the Lady Indians (12-11) in the second frame, but found themselves trailing 24-16 at the half.

The Lady Indians went to work in the third. They began to toss in more shots. Smith rattled off 12 points, Tialexus Stevenson fired in six and Johnson added five. At the end of the third, Byhalia had stretched its lead to 51-25.

In the fourth, Smith netted 10 points as the Lady Indians’ rolled to victory in this intra-county rivalry.

Jeffries led the Lady Hawks with 12 points and Faulkner had seven.

Indians win over Hawks

Holly High’s boys looked to avenge a loss (72-47) to Byhalia back in November, but came up short, 60-45, on Tuesday of last week at home.

The Indians jumped out front, going up 15-3 as time expired in the first quarter. Jamaris Briggs paved the way for the Indians in this frame. He dropped in 11 points for Byhalia. Cornelious  Bridgeforth sank a bucket and DaQuan Smith contributed a charity point for the Hawks.

The Indians kept pounding away in the second quarter. Avion Graham hit three threes and later came back with two buckets for Byhalia. The Hawks answered with some good shots of their own, too. Kendrick Fountain cashed in a two-pointer and three freebies. Smith and Corey Bell each hit a three. At the halfway point, the Indians had extended the lead 30-17.

The Hawks added seven more points in the third compared to Byhalia’s four. But the Holly High boys were down by 10 (34-24) as the frame ended.

In the fourth, Graham scored 24 points for the Indians. Byhalia boys closed the nightcap with a 15-point victory.

Smith led Holly High with 16 points, one rebound, two steals and one block. Fountain had nine points, three rebounds, one steal, one assist and two blocks. Ladarius Stinson added six points, two rebounds, two steals and one assist. Bridgeforth pulled down five rebounds.

For Byhalia, Graham scored a career-high 41 points. Briggs had 15.

Holly High teams hosted M.S. Palmer Tuesday. They will then welcome county foe Potts Camp to town this Friday night.

The boys will play in the North Pontotoc Shootout Saturday versus Ripley at 5:30 p.m.  The Shootout include starts at 10 a.m. Other games (in order) are North Pontotoc-Alcorn Central, East Webster-Hickory Flat, Houston-South Pontotoc, Houlka-New Albany, DeSoto Central-Corinth.

Next Tuesday, Jan. 17, the Lady Hawks and Hawks visit Water Valley.

Byhalia teams went to New Albany Tuesday night. They will host Rosa Fort on Friday. Next Tuesday, Jan. 17, they go to Senatobia.

Holly Springs South Reporter

P.O. Box 278
Holly Springs, MS 38635
PH: (662) 252-4261
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