Holly Springs basketball teams move to 7-3

Holly Springs High School basketball teams closed out the pre-Thanksgiving portion of their schedules with identical 7-3 records.

Coach Morgan Vickery’s Lady Hawks and coach Sylvester Kilgore’s Hawks visited Tunica Friday night, Nov. 21, and split games against Rosa Fort.

Teyuana Reaves and Aryauna Ingram combined for 27 points in the Lady Hawks’ 41-36 win over the Lady Lions. Reaves scored 14, and Ingram followed with 13.

The Hawks struggled early and couldn’t recover. They dropped a 69-62 decision to Rosa Fort. Leading scorers were Christopher Hale and Karon Finley with 15 each and Jeremiah Dowdy with 10. Jaylen Cassidy grabbed 11 rebounds.

“We had a lot of missed opportunities and played from behind all game,” Kilgore said. “We had some nice scoring flurries, as well as missed free throws and turnovers.” Both Holly Springs squads participated in holiday tournaments on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 24-25.

The Hawks won both their games in the New Albany Thanksgiving Classic.

Three players scored in double digits as Kilgore’s team turned back the Itawamba Indians 66-56. Hale tallied 19 points, while Dawan Malone had 15 and Jatavion Pegues 14. Hale dished out seven assists, and Dowdy pulled down nine rebounds.

The Hawks got another double-digit win the next day, soaring past Amory 64-52. Dowdy was the top gun with 22 points. Scoring 19 and 11, respectively, were Hale and Malone. Finley had four steals against the Panthers.

The Lady Hawks won one and lost one in the Hickory Flat Thanksgiving Tournament. They played without the services of leading scorer Reaves, who was sidelined with an injury. She is expected to return after the Thanksgiving break.

Holly Springs opened the two-day event with a 57-20 loss to the Ingomar Lady Falcons, winners of three consecutive state tournaments and four in the last five years. Ingram scored eight for the Lady Hawks, who trailed 30-7 after the opening quarter.

Vickery’s squad bounced back the next day, dominating H.W. Byers 47-20. Ingram led the way with 17 points, and Zayriah Farrow tossed in 11. The Lady Hawks outscored the Lady Lions 27 to 7 in the second half.

Holly Springs teams were scheduled to host Rosa Fort on Tuesday of this week. They go to Charleston on Thursday, Dec. 4, and then visit Byhalia Friday, Dec. 5. Next Tuesday, Dec. 9, they open District 2-3A play at home versus North Panola.