Kosciusko had only seven players, none with varsity experience, when the boys’ basketball team opened the season with a 42-21 victory over Choctaw County and a 49-26 loss to East Webster.
The rest of the team, including players who are expected to be in the starting lineup, missed the games because they were playing football. Following the football team's loss to Caledonia in the opening round of the 4A playoffs, 17 players have joined the indoor sport in time for the next game Thursday at Neshoba Central.
“The kids played hard. That’s all I can ask of them,” said Coach Eleazarus Greenleaf.
He said adjustments allowed the Whippets to pull away from Choctaw County in the second half. In the East Webster game, some of the players were winded in the second half, understandable with only two on the bench. Some had to play the whole game against an opponent with better numbers.
Kameron Bond had 17 points and Andrew Mancell 16 against Choctaw County. Jeremi Wilkes had a strong game on the boards.
George Teague was the Whippets’ high scorer against East Webster with 12 points. Mancell had eight points and four rebounds.
Mancell is a sophomore who played for the junior varsity last year. He grew two inches to 6-4 over the summer and Greenleaf expects him to be a major contributor this year.
“He’s athletic. He can block shots and rebound. He’s tough. He doesn’t back down and plays hard,” said the coach.
A home game scheduled for Tuesday with J.Z. George has been rescheduled for December 11, giving the football players two additional days to become acclimated before the Whippets face Neshoba Central. That will be followed by a home game Saturday with Grenada.
