Freshmen Jamar Teague and Jayveon Phillips gave McAdams a spark off the bench in a 78-53 victory over Yazoo County at the McAdams Holiday Tournament. Coach Kenyon Ross said it was the best game for both.
Teague connected on five of seven shots and scored 11 points in 13 minutes of court time.
“He came in and did what he is capable of doing,” Ross said.
Phillips was three of four from the floor and scored seven points, also in 13 minutes.
“He hit a couple of big shots and got the momentum going for us,” said the coach.
McAdams trailed 11-9 after one period but turned it on with 25 second-quarter points for 34-21 halftime lead. The Bulldogs added 44 points after intermission.
“We started off slowly,” Ross said. “We got the lead, then we sort of relaxed. That has been our problem, playing four quarters of basketball.”
Cameren Fleming had 14 points and seven rebounds and Tyrick Davis 13 points, four assists and three steals for McAdams. Malachi Morton scored 25 points for Yazoo County.
McAdams did most of its scoring from in close with 56 points in the paint.
The Bulldogs also had one bad quarter against Greenwood in the tournament the following night, but it cost McAdams the game. McAdams outscored the Panthers in each of the first three quarters and led 47-39 entering the fourth quarter. But Greenwood outscored McAdams 30-18 over the final eight minutes for a 69-66 victory.
“We self-destructed in the fourth quarter,” Ross said. Turnovers and missed free throws doomed the Bulldogs, with 29 turnovers and 12 missed free throws.
“We just couldn't stop the momentum,” the coach said. “When we had a chance to stop it we missed free throws and that hurt.”
Poor shooting from the line had been a problem all season., Even in the victory over Yazoo County the Bulldogs made only four of 10.
Davis had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Fleming 16 points and six rebounds and Kendarrius McBeath 15 points, four steals and three assists. Javeon Smith scored 26 points and J.T Lawrence 21 for Greenwood.
“You can see that they (Greenwood) have a good team,” Ross said. “They have a couple of guards (Smith and Lawrence) who can play for anybody.”
The Bulldogs began Region 6-1A play Tuesday against Leake County and have a home region game with Noxapater Friday.
GIRLS
The Lady Bulldogs were outclassed by 4A power Kosciusko 51-8.
“It was a tough night,” said Coach Ashley Brown. “We played like we were afraid of Kosciusko.”
McAdams was scheduled to play Yazoo County in the tournament, but the game was canceled because Yazoo County was quarantined.
McAdams has taken its lumps against larger schools in non-region games. Brown is hoping that the Lady Bulldogs will do better in region play against other 1A teams.
“The teams in our region are not going to be so loaded,” the coach noted.
