NATCHEZ — Flora McKnight knew she could beat Natchez.

The Jefferson County head coach just had to convince her team they could too.

“I told them I don’t play the game,” she said. “But they do, and they can beat Natchez.”

The Lady Tigers took McKnight’s words to heart, and stunned the two-time defending MHSAA Class 5A champion Lady Bulldogs on their home floor, 70-65, Thursday night.

“This is a highlight for our season,” McKnight said. “Nobody expected this except the players and coaches. It is a good win for our team. Our ladies have worked so hard, and I told them they have done too much to separate now. These ladies deserved to win and the whole team played well.”

Overcome with joy after the game, Jefferson County players found it hard to put into words the emotions of taking down a powerhouse.

“I’m speechless,” senior center Diamond Smith said. “This is a huge win.”

Smith scored 15 points in the game, but it was her teammate in the post, Antrell Gales, who stole the show for the Lady Tigers.

“I’m always expecting a double team, so when they do go double teaming me, Antrell is going to show them,” Smith said.

Gales racked up 25 points in the win, and alongside Smith, gave the Bulldogs trouble down low.

“It took the girls a while to figure out what they needed to do,” Natchez head coach Alphaka Moore said. “Once they figured it out in the second half, they executed a lot better. But, you can’t not show up in the first half and expect to win in the second.”

The teams traded baskets in the first quarter, with Natchez edging Jefferson County 17-15 at the end of the period. Kirdis Clark, who scored a game-high 28 points, recorded 11 of those in the first quarter.

However, the Lady Tigers found their groove in the second quarter, outscoring Natchez 21-9.

In the second quarter alone, Gales had 12 points.

Down 10, the Lady Bulldogs realized they were facing an uphill fight, but weren’t going to give up just yet.

Natchez was able to keep things close in the third and entered the fourth quarter down just six.

The Bulldogs would get within three at 55-52, but things began to fall apart.

Moore was called for a technical foul, and Jefferson County built its lead back up to six.

But like they have done so many times in the past, the Lady Bulldogs defense turned into offense as they rallied back to within two points at 63-61 with two minutes left in the game.

With the pressure mounting, McKnight knew she had to keep her team focused.

“I told them we had to keep calm and patient because the crowd is going to get in it,” McKnight said. “The only way you can quiet a crowd is make baskets, and that is what we did.”

Jefferson County got baskets from Gales, and Jar’Quayla Doss, and Kailyn Hammett hit free throws to seal the victory.

The Lady Tigers, who advanced to the semifinals of the Class 3A state tournament last year, are hoping to use the win to propel them into making another run once again.

“We are big house bound again,” Smith said.

“We take it more serious now,” Hammett added. “Since we lost last year, we want it more than we did before.”

As for Natchez, it is the third loss of the year for the Lady Bulldogs, who only lost two games in the past two seasons.

“They aren’t used to losing this many,” Moore said. “When you shouldn’t have lost any, at some point you have to decide, what are you going to play for? You have to play for you.”

 

Jefferson County (boys) 69, Natchez High 64

NATCHEZ — Despite holding a 10-point halftime lead, the Natchez High School Bulldogs weren’t able to hold on against neighboring Jefferson County Thursday night, falling 69-64.

“It was a tale of two halves,” Natchez head coach David Haywood said. “We knew what we were up against. We didn’t execute well and had a few turnovers, so it is back to the drawing board.”

Jefferson County outscored Natchez 22-8 in the third quarter, and was able to hold off the Bulldogs in the fourth, 18-17, securing the win.

Jadarrius Ivory led the Bulldogs with 18 points and teammate Tyran Newman added 13. Izzy Holmes also had nine for the Bulldogs, and Haywood said he was pleased with how the sophomore played.

“Izzy finished around the basket and off of penetration all throughout the first half,” Haywood said. “He picked up some ticky-tack fouls and ended up fouling out in the third quarter, but he is young and still learning.”

Like many of his teammates, Holmes is one of the many young Bulldogs being asked to step into a large role this year, something Haywood said the young players have done pretty well.

“We are relying heavily on sophomores, but they are growing,” Haywood said. “You give them a challenge and they step up. They are getting good leadership from Tyran Newman and Jadarrius Ivory, who work hard in practice and motivate them. They are young and growing. They aren’t taking leaps, but they are taking steps.”

The Bulldogs will get another shot at Jefferson County next week and Haywood said he and his team will be ready.

“Of course we are disappointed, but we will be ready next week,” he said. “It is going to be a war when we go up there, and we intend for it to be.”