By Chris Van Tuyl
Monday, March 1, 2010
Center Hill High School has had a lot of athletic success this school year.
The girls volleyball played for the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 1 state championship, football made it to the second round of the Class 4A state playoffs and boys soccer advanced to the 4A North Half title match.
Now, the Mustangs boys basketball team is going to try their luck at Jackson's Mississippi Coliseum. Tonight at 8:30, Center Hill faces Bay in the 4A state semifinals.
"Our kids are feeling good about it," said Mustangs coach Jerry North. "There's good spirits. We've had a lot of life; a lot of pep and I know they're looking forward to it. There's no clear-cut explanation for it -- we just kind of, at the end of the year, started doing what we needed to do to win."
While this is North's first year at Center Hill, he spent 29 years coaching in Alabama. His club enters the contest with a 20-15 record. Bay, meanwhile, is 32-3.
"They're a well-oiled machine," said North, of the South Half champions. "They're a bunch of seniors that are playing for a young coach (Kelton Thompson) that does a really good job."
The Tigers are led by 6-3, 185-pound senior point guard Daron Bell, who averages 21.4 points a game.
Center Hill, playing only its third year of varsity basketball, has two seniors on the roster -- Brandon Lucas and Ashaad Stephens.
"Those two guys have really stepped it up," North said. "They're our top two scorers."
Jaquon Mullins, Johnny Scales and Jabarri Fisher round out the Mustang starting five. Junior Kelvin Bonner is the team's top reserve.
Center Hill last played Feb. 20 at the North Half Tournament in Pontotoc. Despite dropping a 61-56 decision to the host team, the Mustangs knew they were state-bound following a 55-50 victory over Rosa Fort (Feb. 19).
"Really," said North, "I don't think anybody expected us to be down there (Jackson), so I don't think nervousness is going to be a factor. We just need to keep the same thing going we've been doing all year and keep a level head -- try to keep it all business-like."
The winner meets either Pontotoc or St. Stanislaus for the 4A crown Friday at 8:30 p.m.
-- Chris Van Tuyl: (901) 333-2018
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