JACKSON — It was, in the eyes of their fans, the worst possible ending of the season for the McComb Tigers.
To head coach Hilton Harrell, the Tigers’ 62-53 loss to the Callaway Chargers in the Class 5A state basketball semifinals Tuesday night was the beginning of what could be a remarkable run.
The Tigers had no answer for Callaway shooting guard Deville Smith or his teammates as McComb fell in its first return to the Mississippi Coliseum since 2004.
Callaway advances to the Class 5A championship game Saturday against Provine, a 61-49 winner over Forest Hill in Tuesday’s other semifinal.
Smith, whom Hilton called possibly the best guard in the state, showed why with a 28-point performance. But it was the Chargers’ supporting cast that hit some big baskets as Callaway built a double-digit lead in the second half and held off a late McComb run.
“We tried to double-team (Smith) and we took the ball out of his hands a lot,” Harrell said.
“But their other kids made shots. They really stepped up when they needed to.”
After the teams battled to a 10-10 first-quarter tie, Callaway took control. The Chargers led by nine on two occasions, the second following two Smith free throws that pushed Callaway out to a 25-16 advantage.
McComb cut the lead to seven on senior post player Rodric Bland’s tip-in of a teammate’s missed shot, but Callaway struck back when Smith dribbled behind his back, then beat the Tigers’ defense with a drive through the lane while being fouled. Smith added the free throw to complete the three-point play for a 28-18 halftime lead.
The Chargers led by 13 midway through the third period before McComb went on an 8-0 run to carve into the deficit.
Senior post player Tim Martin came away with consecutive steals, the second resulting in a breakaway dunk to pull the Tigers to within 38-31.
Junior forward Ladarius White followed with a steal and breakaway layup of his own to make it 38-33. White finished with a team-high 13 points.
Callaway led 40-34 after the third period.
But Smith’s drive through the lane for a layup to open the fourth quarter began another three-point point play that gave the Chargers a 43-34 advantage.
The Tigers rallied once again, cutting the deficit to 43-38 on two free throws by junior forward TraDarius Holloway.
But guard Devion Smith and forward Jeverik Nelson drove the baseline for layups on consecutive trips to increase Callaway’s lead to 49-40. McComb never got close again.
McComb will need to find replacements for several key players set to graduate in May. They include point guard Gredarrius Erving, whom Harrell called “The General,” and senior post players Daven Gooden, Bland, Tim Martin and Chris Rayborn.
But with a strong returning foundation that includes White — named a preseason Mississippi Dandy Dozen player — along with Holloway on the post, wing guard Latorrius Ferguson and guard Deontay Evans, Harrell said there is no reason to believe the Tigers won’t be back in the state tournament next season.
“The kids did a great job this year,” he said. “We have a lot of underclassmen returning. We’re building on something that can be very special in the future.”
