The Northpoint girls basketball team had the ball in the hands of the
right player Thursday afternoon. And she delivered the right result.
Karlie Hughes hit a 3-pointer with 35.9 seconds left to give the
Trojans a 51-49 victory over University School of Nashville in the
semifinals of the BlueCross Division 2-A girls state tournament at Allen
Arena.
The victory gives Northpoint (30-3) a spot in Saturday’s 1 p.m. title
game against Knoxville Webb, which beat Ezell-Harding 54-41 in the
other semifinal.
“Coach (Barry Gray) always tells us that when we shoot we have to
believe that’s it’s going in,” said Hughes, who finished with five
points. “I believed it would go in and I knew the good Lord was looking
over us.”
Hughes’ bucket came moments after she had fouled USN’s Alex Miller on a 3-point shot. Miller made all three to put USN up 49-48.
USN had a chance to retake the lead on the next possession, but Katie
Roth missed from close range after a well-designed inbounds play.
After Ashtyn Baker missed the front end of a one-and-one that could
have sealed it for the Trojans, USN hustled the ball downcourt but
failed to get a shot off.
Senior Kimberlee Keltner scored 19 to lead the Trojans, who lost in the semifinals last year.
“It’s awesome,” she said. “We work for each other.”
The Trojans also got a huge boost from eighth-grader Lauren Gross, who made five 3-pointers and finished with 16 points.
“I was shocked at how calm she was,” said Gray. “I was worried she wouldn’t even hit the rim.”
Said Gross, “I’ve been working on my shot all year ... and it just fell tonight.”
October 6, 2018 - High School Session
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Kaylah Keys (Harding) Ranked 9th among Freshman in Scoring
Congrats Kaylah!
Contrats Kaylah! RT @HighPointSports: #HPU's Kaylah Keys ranks No. 9 in #NCAA in freshmen scoring! @HPUWBB #GoHPU pic.twitter.com/DnMaRxM7DC
— HPU Men's Basketball (@HighPointUBball) February 24, 20142014 Region 7 AAA Champions
Charity Savage - MVP Kerrice Watson - All Region Kristen Rogers - All Region
2014 Region 8 AAA Champions
REGION 8 AAA CHAMPIONS
#mustangpride
#SGOD pic.twitter.com/9GhFJFZJGj
— Houston Athletics (@YouAreHouston) February 27, 2014Breaking Down the Division 2 State Tournaments
from Commercial Appeal
Northpoint girls
First game: Thursday at 1:15 p.m. against University School of Nashville.
Records: Northpoint 29-3; USN 27-4
Coach: Barry Gray
Players to watch: Kimberlee Keltner (5-8, senior); Ashtyn Baker (5-4 freshman); Karlie Hughes (5-6 junior).
What to expect: The Trojans are in the big dance for the second year in a row. Their season came to an end in the semifinals and they'll be looking to take things further this time around, behind Keltner -- who coach Gray called "a warrior" after their substate victory against Fayette Academy -- and the talented Baker, who saw extensive playing time as an eighth-grader last year. Northpoint isn't as deep this year but has done well to make the tournament from a very competitive West region. They've played in lots of big games this year and won't fade under the bright lights this weekend.
Fun fact: Gray is 54-11 in two seasons at Northpoint (83 percent).
Briarcrest girls
First game: Friday at 1:15 p.m. against Brentwood Academy
Records: Briarcrest 28-0; Brentwood Academy 21-5
Coach: Lee Smith
Players to watch: Jasmine Cincore (5-8 senior); Elise Holden (5-8 junior); Brynn Holden (5-8 junior).
What to expect: The Saints have turned back all challengers and are just two victories from an undefeated campaign. They entered the tournament in similar circumstances last year, carrying a 26-1 record into their semifinal against Brentwood. In that one, Briarcrest missed all 16 of their first-half shots, shot just 7.1 percent for the entire game, and lost decisively. That won't happen this time around. Briarcrest is deeper, can shoot and defend and has a great leader in Cincore, who should win her second straight Miss Basketball award on Saturday. This is a confident bunch with tremendous chemistry and anything less than a championship will be a big disappointment.
Fun fact: Cincore, last year's Miss Basketball in D2-AA, was a Central High teammate of last year's Miss Basketball in AAA, current Baylor standout Nina Davis.
Northpoint girls
First game: Thursday at 1:15 p.m. against University School of Nashville.
Records: Northpoint 29-3; USN 27-4
Coach: Barry Gray
Players to watch: Kimberlee Keltner (5-8, senior); Ashtyn Baker (5-4 freshman); Karlie Hughes (5-6 junior).
What to expect: The Trojans are in the big dance for the second year in a row. Their season came to an end in the semifinals and they'll be looking to take things further this time around, behind Keltner -- who coach Gray called "a warrior" after their substate victory against Fayette Academy -- and the talented Baker, who saw extensive playing time as an eighth-grader last year. Northpoint isn't as deep this year but has done well to make the tournament from a very competitive West region. They've played in lots of big games this year and won't fade under the bright lights this weekend.
Fun fact: Gray is 54-11 in two seasons at Northpoint (83 percent).
Briarcrest girls
First game: Friday at 1:15 p.m. against Brentwood Academy
Records: Briarcrest 28-0; Brentwood Academy 21-5
Coach: Lee Smith
Players to watch: Jasmine Cincore (5-8 senior); Elise Holden (5-8 junior); Brynn Holden (5-8 junior).
What to expect: The Saints have turned back all challengers and are just two victories from an undefeated campaign. They entered the tournament in similar circumstances last year, carrying a 26-1 record into their semifinal against Brentwood. In that one, Briarcrest missed all 16 of their first-half shots, shot just 7.1 percent for the entire game, and lost decisively. That won't happen this time around. Briarcrest is deeper, can shoot and defend and has a great leader in Cincore, who should win her second straight Miss Basketball award on Saturday. This is a confident bunch with tremendous chemistry and anything less than a championship will be a big disappointment.
Fun fact: Cincore, last year's Miss Basketball in D2-AA, was a Central High teammate of last year's Miss Basketball in AAA, current Baylor standout Nina Davis.
Houston Girls Top Ridgeway for 8-AAA Regional Title
image and article from Commercial Appeal
Jaida Roper and Aysha Harris weren’t going to dwell on the little details — like the way they managed to score in double figures, or that their extremities were still in one piece.
All the two Houston stars had to do was look at the plaque that proclaimed them Region 8-AAA girls basketball champions after the Mustangs eked out a 36-27 alley fight with district rival Ridgeway on Wednesday night at Central.
The Mustangs (27-7), who hadn’t won a regional title since the middle of the Sarah Watkins era nearly a decade ago, will be at home Saturday to face Dyer County for a berth in next week’s state tournament at Murfreesboro. Ridgeway (28-4), which spent much of the regular season atop The Commercial Appeal’s Dandy Dozen poll, will play its substate game at Region 7 champion Bolton.
Roper took charge late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, scoring seven straight points to open a 26-18 lead. It started with a 3-pointer off a drive and dish by Harris.
“A game like this against someone you know really well always has a feeling-out process. It was hard getting an opening, but the coach told me to keep shooting and after that 3, I felt better,” said Roper, who finished with 11 points.
Harris, whose two 3-pointers were her team’s lone first-quarter scores, hit 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch to finish with 13 points and earn MVP honors. The Mustangs were 12 of 14 from the line for the game and 8 of 10 in the final period.
“The free throws pulled us through again,” said Harris, who will play for West Georgia next year. “But when we took the lead (16-15 on her two free throws with 1:24 left in the first half) we weren’t going to let that go.”
Ridgeway, which lost 43-42 to Houston in the district final, dominated early. The Roadrunners blocked four Houston shots in the opening quarter and took a 14-6 lead on a three-point play by Tierany Paylor to open the second.
After that, Houston went into a zone and dared Ridgeway to fire long. “We stopped chasing them all over the floor,” Roper said.
And the Roadrunners misfired, scoring just 13 points the rest of the game. Ashley Jackson was the lone Ridgeway player in double figures with 10 points.
Other girls regional finals
Region 7-AAA at Bolton: Sophomores Charity Savage and Kerrice Watson each scored 22 points and carried host Bolton to a 67-59 win over Dyer County in the championship game. The Wildcats scored 20 points each in the second and third quarters to ease past the Choctaws.
Region 8-AA at Fairley: LeShaundra Somerville had 21 points, and Precious Harvey and Janekia Mason chipped in 13 apiece as the Chargers (26-7) bolted to a 22-8 first-quarter lead on Jackson Northside in a 66-40 romp to the title.
Region 8-A at Mitchell: Jackson Christian scored a 57-50 victory over Middleton for the title.
 |
| Aysha Harris (right), who scored 13 points Wednesday night, battles Ridgeway’s Alexus Bryson for a loose ball during the fourth quarter action of the Region 8-AAA girls championship game at Central High School. |
Jaida Roper and Aysha Harris weren’t going to dwell on the little details — like the way they managed to score in double figures, or that their extremities were still in one piece.
All the two Houston stars had to do was look at the plaque that proclaimed them Region 8-AAA girls basketball champions after the Mustangs eked out a 36-27 alley fight with district rival Ridgeway on Wednesday night at Central.
The Mustangs (27-7), who hadn’t won a regional title since the middle of the Sarah Watkins era nearly a decade ago, will be at home Saturday to face Dyer County for a berth in next week’s state tournament at Murfreesboro. Ridgeway (28-4), which spent much of the regular season atop The Commercial Appeal’s Dandy Dozen poll, will play its substate game at Region 7 champion Bolton.
Roper took charge late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, scoring seven straight points to open a 26-18 lead. It started with a 3-pointer off a drive and dish by Harris.
“A game like this against someone you know really well always has a feeling-out process. It was hard getting an opening, but the coach told me to keep shooting and after that 3, I felt better,” said Roper, who finished with 11 points.
Harris, whose two 3-pointers were her team’s lone first-quarter scores, hit 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch to finish with 13 points and earn MVP honors. The Mustangs were 12 of 14 from the line for the game and 8 of 10 in the final period.
“The free throws pulled us through again,” said Harris, who will play for West Georgia next year. “But when we took the lead (16-15 on her two free throws with 1:24 left in the first half) we weren’t going to let that go.”
Ridgeway, which lost 43-42 to Houston in the district final, dominated early. The Roadrunners blocked four Houston shots in the opening quarter and took a 14-6 lead on a three-point play by Tierany Paylor to open the second.
After that, Houston went into a zone and dared Ridgeway to fire long. “We stopped chasing them all over the floor,” Roper said.
And the Roadrunners misfired, scoring just 13 points the rest of the game. Ashley Jackson was the lone Ridgeway player in double figures with 10 points.
Other girls regional finals
Region 7-AAA at Bolton: Sophomores Charity Savage and Kerrice Watson each scored 22 points and carried host Bolton to a 67-59 win over Dyer County in the championship game. The Wildcats scored 20 points each in the second and third quarters to ease past the Choctaws.
Region 8-AA at Fairley: LeShaundra Somerville had 21 points, and Precious Harvey and Janekia Mason chipped in 13 apiece as the Chargers (26-7) bolted to a 22-8 first-quarter lead on Jackson Northside in a 66-40 romp to the title.
Region 8-A at Mitchell: Jackson Christian scored a 57-50 victory over Middleton for the title.
Girls Basketball Scores - February 26, 2014
REGION 7-AAA TOURNAMENT
CHAMPIONSHIP
Dyer Co. (59) — Crain 20, Enochs 8, Hicks 12, Jackson 6, Owen 3, Spence 8, Anderson 2.
Bolton (67) — Kayla Bolden 6, Samaria Grandberry 8, Jaelyan Jones 2, Kiersten Rodgers 5, Charity Savage 22, Taylor Smith 2, Kerrice Watson 22.
Dyer Co. / 15 / 15 / 12 / 17—59
Bolton / 16 / 20 / 10 / 21—67
Records — Bolton 21-8.
----------
REGION 8-AA TOURNAMENT
CHAMPIONSHIP
Jackson Northside (40) — Boyd 9, Hayes 4, T. Long 4, Perkins 13, Thomas 10.
Covington (66) — Chelsey Dye 4, Cyeisha Hall 2, Precious Harvey 13, Janekia Mason 13, Treasury Poindexter 10, LeShaundra Somerville 21, Iesha Tipton 3.
Jackson Northside / 8 / 17 / 8 / 7—40
Covington / 22 / 10 / 14 / 20—66
Records — Jackson Northside 16-13, Covington 26-7.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Dyer Co. (59) — Crain 20, Enochs 8, Hicks 12, Jackson 6, Owen 3, Spence 8, Anderson 2.
Bolton (67) — Kayla Bolden 6, Samaria Grandberry 8, Jaelyan Jones 2, Kiersten Rodgers 5, Charity Savage 22, Taylor Smith 2, Kerrice Watson 22.
Dyer Co. / 15 / 15 / 12 / 17—59
Bolton / 16 / 20 / 10 / 21—67
Records — Bolton 21-8.
----------
REGION 8-AA TOURNAMENT
CHAMPIONSHIP
Jackson Northside (40) — Boyd 9, Hayes 4, T. Long 4, Perkins 13, Thomas 10.
Covington (66) — Chelsey Dye 4, Cyeisha Hall 2, Precious Harvey 13, Janekia Mason 13, Treasury Poindexter 10, LeShaundra Somerville 21, Iesha Tipton 3.
Jackson Northside / 8 / 17 / 8 / 7—40
Covington / 22 / 10 / 14 / 20—66
Records — Jackson Northside 16-13, Covington 26-7.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Kaitlin McDade, Top Seller of Girl Scout Cookies in Memphis, Sets, Attacks her Goals AND CAN HOOP
I ran across this awesome story in the Commercial Appeal. Then I found out that the young lady played basketball at Colonial. Then I found out she made All Tournament Team for the MLK tournament this season. Congrats Kaitlin! Keep it up! You are doing Awesome!
The gray Honda arrived in front of Midtown’s CashSaver grocery at 4 p.m. Friday, loaded to the hilt with cases of Thin Mints, Samoas, Trefoils and other Girl Scout cookies.
Eighth-grader Kaitlin McDade of Troop 10606, her mother, Sonya Johnson, and brother Korbin McDade scrambled with the efficiency of a NASCAR pit crew: Unfolding the green card table, stacking the cookies atop and below it, placing side-by-side a wood box for the cash and a plastic bag for coins, and leaning three folding chairs against a column.
Those chairs — as if symbols of mediocrity — would stay folded and unused for two hours.
The Mid-South’s record-breaking seller of Girl Scout cookies stood smiling in front of the table, making eye contact and greeting each passer-by with a: “Hello, would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies today?”
That’s the technique of a 14-year-old Colonial Middle School student who sold 3,013 boxes of cookies last year, 223 more than second place in the 59-county Heart of the South Girl Scouts Council.
It’s hard to turn them down and harder still to avoid them this time of year. Like a late-winter harbinger of the spring, nearly 7,500 of the council’s Girl Scouts post themselves in front of businesses for four consecutive weekends. Friday will kick off Weekend No. 2, and March 16 is the last day.
The kindergarten through 12th-grade girls in the Heart of the South Council sold an average of 211 boxes last year. That’s among the highest council averages in the nation.
Kaitlin’s goal is to sell more than 3,100 boxes this year. She has to. Her mother is on the hook for the $10,850 worth of cookies they ordered. What does not sell they must eat, literally or figuratively.
Kaitlin pre-ordered 1,100 more boxes than any other Scout in the council.
That’s the kind of can-do goal-setting that impresses Pam Routh. The Commercial Appeal asked the former president of the Sales & Marketing Society of the Mid-South to observe Kaitlin selling cookies and offer any analysis.
Routh, vice president of sales for Start 2 Finish Event Management, did one better. She approached Kaitlin’s cookie table as a potential customer. Kaitlin had never met Routh.
“I’d hire her,” Routh said after buying three boxes and then observing Kaitlin for an hour.
“You’ve got good eye contact,” Routh told Kaitlin. “You’ve got a nice smile, and I notice you get in front of the table. You’re moving and you’re approachable. The table is not between you and the client.’’
Tables, chairs, even arms crossed on the chest, can be barriers between a seller and potential customers.
“Also, you do great in saying ‘Thank you,’ ’’ Routh told Kaitlin.
The Girl Scouts say they owe huge ‘‘thank you’s’’ to businesses like Kroger, Wal-Mart, Petco, Hollywood Feed, Huey’s and others who allow them to sell in front of their doors.
“Without the support of local retailers and store owners we would not be able to be successful,” said Kristen Posey Russell, spokesman for the Memphis-based Heart of the South Council.
Cookie sales are vital to Girl Scouts, funding 80 percent of the operating budget, Russell said. The council sold a record 1,689,959 boxes — $5.9 million worth — in 2012, the Girl Scouts’ centennial year, and nearly 1.6 million boxes — nearly $5.5 million worth — last year.
Selling cookies teaches girls five key skills, she said: Goal-setting, decision-making, money management, people skills and business ethics.
Kaitlin has also learned the value of hard work. She’s sacrificing her entire weekends from mid-February to mid-March to sell cookies either in front of stores or on the busy corner of Park at Semmes.
But she takes them everywhere she goes throughout the week. When her family took her grandmother to the hospital last week, Kaitlin sold 15 boxes to a nurse.
This is her sixth year to sell. “She always wanted to be the top seller. They get to go have lunch and get a prize,” said Johnson, her mother. “This year she will get an iPad mini. Last year she got a Google Nexus tablet.”
As she sold cookies in front CashSaver, Kaitlin told Routh that she didn’t like coming in fifth place in sales for the first few years, adding, “I told my mom I wanted to be in first place.”
“You like winning?” Routh asked.
“Yes I do,” Kaitlin said.
“You’re very competitive,” Routh said to the girl who plays basketball, volleyball and runs track. “That’s a very good thing to have in sales, actually. Because you want to be the best.”
The gray Honda arrived in front of Midtown’s CashSaver grocery at 4 p.m. Friday, loaded to the hilt with cases of Thin Mints, Samoas, Trefoils and other Girl Scout cookies.
Eighth-grader Kaitlin McDade of Troop 10606, her mother, Sonya Johnson, and brother Korbin McDade scrambled with the efficiency of a NASCAR pit crew: Unfolding the green card table, stacking the cookies atop and below it, placing side-by-side a wood box for the cash and a plastic bag for coins, and leaning three folding chairs against a column.
Those chairs — as if symbols of mediocrity — would stay folded and unused for two hours.
The Mid-South’s record-breaking seller of Girl Scout cookies stood smiling in front of the table, making eye contact and greeting each passer-by with a: “Hello, would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies today?”
That’s the technique of a 14-year-old Colonial Middle School student who sold 3,013 boxes of cookies last year, 223 more than second place in the 59-county Heart of the South Girl Scouts Council.
It’s hard to turn them down and harder still to avoid them this time of year. Like a late-winter harbinger of the spring, nearly 7,500 of the council’s Girl Scouts post themselves in front of businesses for four consecutive weekends. Friday will kick off Weekend No. 2, and March 16 is the last day.
The kindergarten through 12th-grade girls in the Heart of the South Council sold an average of 211 boxes last year. That’s among the highest council averages in the nation.
Kaitlin’s goal is to sell more than 3,100 boxes this year. She has to. Her mother is on the hook for the $10,850 worth of cookies they ordered. What does not sell they must eat, literally or figuratively.
Kaitlin pre-ordered 1,100 more boxes than any other Scout in the council.
That’s the kind of can-do goal-setting that impresses Pam Routh. The Commercial Appeal asked the former president of the Sales & Marketing Society of the Mid-South to observe Kaitlin selling cookies and offer any analysis.
Routh, vice president of sales for Start 2 Finish Event Management, did one better. She approached Kaitlin’s cookie table as a potential customer. Kaitlin had never met Routh.
“I’d hire her,” Routh said after buying three boxes and then observing Kaitlin for an hour.
“You’ve got good eye contact,” Routh told Kaitlin. “You’ve got a nice smile, and I notice you get in front of the table. You’re moving and you’re approachable. The table is not between you and the client.’’
Tables, chairs, even arms crossed on the chest, can be barriers between a seller and potential customers.
“Also, you do great in saying ‘Thank you,’ ’’ Routh told Kaitlin.
The Girl Scouts say they owe huge ‘‘thank you’s’’ to businesses like Kroger, Wal-Mart, Petco, Hollywood Feed, Huey’s and others who allow them to sell in front of their doors.
“Without the support of local retailers and store owners we would not be able to be successful,” said Kristen Posey Russell, spokesman for the Memphis-based Heart of the South Council.
Cookie sales are vital to Girl Scouts, funding 80 percent of the operating budget, Russell said. The council sold a record 1,689,959 boxes — $5.9 million worth — in 2012, the Girl Scouts’ centennial year, and nearly 1.6 million boxes — nearly $5.5 million worth — last year.
Selling cookies teaches girls five key skills, she said: Goal-setting, decision-making, money management, people skills and business ethics.
Kaitlin has also learned the value of hard work. She’s sacrificing her entire weekends from mid-February to mid-March to sell cookies either in front of stores or on the busy corner of Park at Semmes.
But she takes them everywhere she goes throughout the week. When her family took her grandmother to the hospital last week, Kaitlin sold 15 boxes to a nurse.
This is her sixth year to sell. “She always wanted to be the top seller. They get to go have lunch and get a prize,” said Johnson, her mother. “This year she will get an iPad mini. Last year she got a Google Nexus tablet.”
As she sold cookies in front CashSaver, Kaitlin told Routh that she didn’t like coming in fifth place in sales for the first few years, adding, “I told my mom I wanted to be in first place.”
“You like winning?” Routh asked.
“Yes I do,” Kaitlin said.
“You’re very competitive,” Routh said to the girl who plays basketball, volleyball and runs track. “That’s a very good thing to have in sales, actually. Because you want to be the best.”
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Congratulations Holly Springs
Holly Springs basketball team is 2 victories away from making a trip to this year's Mississippi State Tournament.
Along the journey, members of the team have been racking up awards.
Coach Kilgore was named the 2013-14 Mississippi Association Region 2-3A Coach of The Year.
Sophomore, Starlandria Walton, was named Region MVP and Offensive MVP.
Starlandria, Lakendra Bell, Brandi Woodson, and Kenyada Burns received All Region Team honors.
Keep up the good work!
Along the journey, members of the team have been racking up awards.
Coach Kilgore was named the 2013-14 Mississippi Association Region 2-3A Coach of The Year.
Sophomore, Starlandria Walton, was named Region MVP and Offensive MVP.
Starlandria, Lakendra Bell, Brandi Woodson, and Kenyada Burns received All Region Team honors.
Keep up the good work!
Ashley Jackson Class of 2014 Recruiting Update
I received an email from Ridgeway's senior guard, Ashley Jackson . She has committed to Old Dominion.
Per Ashley's email:
I am happy to announce I have made a verbal commitment to Old Dominion University. I chose ODU because Coach Barefoot has created excitement around the program, and I want to be a part of helping ODU return to a national prominent program.
Ashley will be teaming back up with former Ridgeway standout, Odegua Oigbokie.
Congratulations Ashley!!
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