More than a dozen turnovers and missed free throws limited what should have been a relatively smooth first half for the Columbus High boys basketball team Tuesday in its home game against Callaway High.
Instead of having a big cushion, Columbus led by three points at halftime after going scoreless the first four minutes and going 4 for 12 at the free-throw line in the first half.
That’s when the Falcons’ big boys went to work.
Columbus used an 18-4 run in the third quarter to frustrate Callaway into careless mistakes that resulted in an unwillingness to run the floor with the likes of Robert Woodard Jr. (31 points), who teamed with guard Cameron Douglas to lead Columbus to an 80-61 victory.
Douglas sparked the run with back-to-back buckets to help Columbus improve to 4-0.
“We just had to settle down,” Woodard Jr. said. “It was a pretty fast-paced game, and once we got into the groove of it and just started clicking, everything came together.
“It was just hitting them hard. If they hit us, we want to hit them back just as hard — throwing those extra punches and shocking them.”
Callaway fielded five players who were 6-foot-6 or taller, including 6-11 center Damion Moore. The Chargers’ size and activity in the half-court set gave the Falcons fits in the first 12 to 13 minutes, but when Columbus started to isolate Woodard Jr. in the middle of the court, passing lanes began to open up for cutters off the both wings.
“Mobility has been the biggest improvement to my game,” Woodard Jr. said. “Once you get in the middle, you find gaps and get easy shots. That’s the key to my game.”
Woodard scored 17 points in the second half. Douglas and Demetrice Clopton each had 13.
Columbus High coach Luther Riley said his forwards have to play better, noting the missed free throws and disjointed defending in the first half. But he was pleased with the physicality seniors Clopton, Chris DeLoach and Jartavius Dobbs showed late in the second quarter through the rest of the game.
“We told them it would be a fight against their size,” Riley said. “We had to be in a situation where we’d have to throw some punches back and be ready to fight back. Our tough guy off the bench, Chris DeLoach, he’s the man. All that’s contagious, and we try to tell our guys to play with that intensity. They tried to do it tonight.”
Douglas said Callaway started to break down once Columbus started pushing the ball in transition and getting easy dunks. The Chargers were visibly frustrated, as was coach David Sanders, who was tossed from the game after receiving two technical fouls within three minutes of one another in the third quarter. Police had to intervene between Sanders and one of the referees before escorting him out of the gym. The sideshow only ratcheted the crowd’s atmosphere and sparked more running and gunning from the Falcons.
“Getting out in transition was big for us,” Douglas said. “We’re athletic, so we had to push the ball. Playing halfcourt wasn’t enough; we had to speed the game up to get them off balance.”
Callaway (girls) 53, Columbus 45
Despite a 24-point performance by Zaria Jenkins, Columbus couldn’t overcome the double-digit deficit it faced for much of the game.
The Lady Falcons cut the deficit to 46-39 after two free throws by Tori Weir at the two-minute mark. It then cut the lead to 47-43 with 52 seconds left following a layup by Jenkins, but Callaway closed the game on a 6-2 run.
n Starkville Academy (boys) 74, Oak Hill Academy 55: At Starkville, Codie Futral had 27 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and nine steals Monday to lead the Volunteers.
Luke Templeton had 13 points and three assists, Carter Roach had nine points and seven assists, Noah Methvin had nine points, and Reid Stevens had seven rebounds.
n In the girls game, Oak Hill Academy won 58-56.
n In other action Monday, the West Point High girls beat Kemper County 59-29. The Kemper County High boys beat West Point 53-47.
n Columbus Christian (boys) 60, Starkville Academy 44: RJ Deloach had 13 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Rams on Friday.
Kimarri Whitfield had 21 points to lead Columbus Christian.
Codie Futral had 17 points, four assists, and four rebounds to lead Starkville Academy. Ade Amusa had 12 points and four rebounds, while Luke Templeton had nine points. Raegan Richardson had four steals.
n In the girls game, Sarah Pellum had 12 points and six rebounds, and Milla Davis (five rebounds) and Bonner Hughes had 12 points to lead Starkville Academy to a 66-9 victory.
Sydney Passons had nine points, Kacey Faver had eight rebounds, and Hannah Cuevas and Rush Brown had six rebounds.
Soccer
n Caledonia (girls) 5, North Pontotoc 2: Caitlyn Sheppeard had two goals Friday to lead the Lady Confederates.
Briann Benson, Claire Benson, and Jay Jay Williamson had goals for Caledonia. Ainsley Cullum, Elizabeth Truelock, and Kelsey Wade had assists. Maggie Norton made three saves.
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