By By Rocky Higginbotham/The Meridian Star
Feb. 24, 2001
TYLERTOWN As far as Kemper County coach Charles Jackson is concerned, not only was Prentiss big man Al Ricardo Jackson better than advertised but so were the rest of the Bulldogs.
Prentiss used a 12-0 run early in the third quarter to take control, and the Bulldogs whipped Kemper County 86-65 in the opening night of the Class 3A South State Boys Tournament here at Tylertown High School.
Kemper, which fell to 25-11, faces a must-win situation in tonight's 6:30 p.m. consolation game, when the Wildcats go up against Hazlehurst. The loser goes home for the season, while the winner moves on to the 3A Boys State Tournament at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson Tuesday.
The Indians fell to host Tylertown Friday.
The Wildcats and Bulldogs lit it up in the first quarter, when the teams combined for 50 points and found themselves tied at 25.
Prentiss carried a 45-42 lead into the locker room at the half, but after Kemper cut it to one, the Bulldogs reeled off 12 straight capped by one of six dunks by Jefferson, a 6-foot-9 sophomore post player.
Kemper managed just six points in the entire third quarter and found itself down 67-48 going into the final eight minutes. The Wildcats never got any closer than 16 points in the fourth.
Jefferson's older brother, 6-foot-3 guard Jeremy Jefferson, scored 18 points and had four assists and two blocks for Prentiss, which improved to 19-11.
Joseph Flowers added 15 points and four steals for the Bulldogs, while Gerald Keys had 10 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals as Prentiss outrebounded Kemper 46-36.
Kenny Boyd scored 22 points in the first half alone and finished with a game-high 28 to lead the Wildcats. He also had 10 rebounds.
Gary Griffin had nine points and nine rebounds, Chris Davis scored eight points, Kendrick Gale had eight points, eight rebounds and three blocks and James Moore handed out 11 assists for Kemper County.
Rocky Higginbotham is the sports editor of The Meridian Star. E-mail him at rhigginbotham@themeridianstar.com.