Kosciusko boys began the basketball season with two wins and a loss, the girls with a win and two losses.
The Whippets defeated Choctaw County 49-32 and Winona 52-13 before losing to Grenada, a 6A team, 65-40.
Coach Eleazarus Greenleaf said an effective 2-3 zone keyed the victory over Choctaw County. “We had great anticipation where the ball was going and we rebounded well. It was a good start to the season.”
Freshman Jaybre Pierce had a strong game with 20 points, seven rebounds and five steals. Andrew Mancell had 13 points, 11 rebounds and a blocked shot, Jeremi Wilkes eight rebounds and six points and Kameron Vaughn six points and two steals.
The Winona game was never close. “We shot well and played great defense,” Greenleaf said.
Mancell scored 18 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked two shots. Pierce had another all court game with 10 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists. Vaughn had 10 points, four rebounds and two steals and Wilkes nine points, seven rebounds and two steals.
The Whippets ran into a hot shooting team against Grenada. Pierce had 10 points, four steals and three assists, Vaughn 10 points and three rebounds.
Girls
The Lady Whippets defeated Winona 74-40, but were beaten by Choctaw County 46-39 and Grenada 56-47. Turnovers and missed free throws were a problem in the losses, including 21 missed free throws against Choctaw County.
Haley Olive scored 13 points, D'naylah Williams 11 and Jamyia Gray had eight in the Choctaw County game.
Kosciusko was a much improved team two nights later against Winona. “We came out with a little more intensity and played well on both ends of the court,” said coach Cory Guyton.
Williams and Gray each had 18 points and Olive chipped in with nine.
Gray scored 17 points in the Grenada game, Olive had 11, Williams and Kaniziya Floyd 10 each. Floyd, a sophomore, played well off the bench.
The Whippets and Lady Whippets played J.Z. George Tuesday, have home games with Neshoba Central Thursday and will host the Premier Medical Group Shootout Saturday.
