ABERDEEN — Aberdeen High School has not lost back-to-back basketball games during the 2011-12 season.
That statistic will be put to the test Saturday when the Bulldogs (26-6) face Kemper County (26-8) in a semifinal game Saturday at the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 3A state tournament.
Tip-off is set for 10:30 a.m. at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson. The winner will face Booneville or Bailey at 8:30 p.m. Thursday for the state championship.
“We know we are the underdogs but we will be ready to play,” Aberdeen senior forward Elliot Johnson said. “Kemper County has the sixth best player in the nation in Devonta Pollard. It will be quite a challenge but we wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Aberdeen finished second in the north state Class 3A tournament this past weekend. The Bulldogs dropped a 69-55 decision to Booneville in the championship match. Coach Roy Hazzle reminded his team at Wednesday’s practice that the squad had not lost two games in a row the entire season.
“We have not lost two in a row all year and it is not going to start now,” said Hazzle, as he addressed his squad. “Instead, we are going to win two in a row. This is your chance to cement your place in history. For years to come, people will talk about this team. You will forever be remembered.”
Aberdeen lost in the north state semifinal round in each of the past two seasons. Thus, the Bulldogs will be going back to Jackson for the first time since the 2008 squad won the school’s only basketball state championship.
“Since it has been four years, it does seem like a long time,” Aberdeen junior center Brandon Hodges said. “We are very excited about a chance to go back to Jackson. We have been focusing really hard in practice. We have been paying attention to the little things.
“We know how hard it is to get to this point. So, we are not going to take anything for granted.”
Aberdeen senior guard Jeffery Riddle adds that the team’s togetherness has been a key ingredient to the Bulldogs’ run this season. A difficult schedule has allowed the Bulldogs punch their sixth ticket to the state championship tournament.
“It has been four years, so we have been having this dream for a long time,” Riddle said. “We have more of a team this year. The last couple of years, we had players who were more about themselves.
“This year, we knew we could be a special team. We have beaten several good teams and that makes us ready for what is next.”
Johnson echoed the togetherness sentiment.
“The team chemistry has been great this year,” Johnson said. “Every team practices and every team watches film. However, this team is different. We go out to eat together. We talk about basketball in class. We talk about each other’s strengths and weaknesses. We talk about how we complement each other and how we can play better together as a team.”
Hodges, Johnson and Riddle will be joined in the starting lineup by junior point guard Aaron McMillian and senior guard Shedrick Fair. The Bulldogs boast balance with any of the talented five able to lead the team on any given night.
Kemper County secured the south state title by taking a 71-46 victory over Bailey. Pollard paced the Wildcats with 25 points. While the challenge will be great, the rewards will be even greater.
“There will be no nervousness,” Hodges said. “We are excited to play and can’t wait to hit the court. This week has all been about school and basketball. This is a great opportunity and we are going to be ready to go.”
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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