As if they needed another weapon just before the playoffs, the McComb Tigers found it Friday night.
In his first start in 13 games, Kenyon Tobias scored 14 points — all in the first half — and the Tigers rolled over Forest Hill 78-65 in Region 5-5A action at McComb High.
Tobias drained a trio of 3-pointers as part of his night. His shooting prowess helped spread Forest Hill’s defense and give the rest of the Tigers plenty of open looks.
“I’ve been looking for him to do that all year,” Harrell said of Tobias. “He puts the pressure on defenses to spread out. That’s what we’ve been missing.”
The biggest benefactor of Tobias’ on-court presence was LaDarius White. The senior post player scored 32 points, including five 3-pointers of his own.
“We need big shots, Ken-yon Tobias comes in and hits big shots,” White said.
The game was halted with 5:18 to go in the fourth quarter when White hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key. With the basket, White eclipsed the 2,000-point mark for his career.
White, who has signed a basketball scholarship with Ole Miss that will begin this fall, now has a school record 2,007 points for his career. He was presented a basketball by school athletic director Samuel West.
According to Harrell, White is also the first player to have played all four seasons at McComb. Jackie Butler played three seasons for the Tigers in the early 2000s.
“It’s been a joy seeing a kid his size and ability handling and shooting the ball,” Harrell said of the 6-foot-6 senior.
White, called “Snoop” by his teammates, called reaching the points scored record “a great honor.”
“There have been a whole lot of great players that have played here,” White said. “I feel like I’m special. There’s been a whole lot of good talent that has played in this program.”
White sank two 3-pointers in the first quarter. His third trey of the game gave McComb a 42-23 lead with 1:08 before halftime. The Tigers led 44-29 at halftime.
A Tradarius Holloway free throw stretched McComb’s lead to 51-34 with 4:22 remaining in the third period. Holloway finished with 11 points.
But two 3-pointers highlighted a 9-0 Forest Hill run that sliced the margin to 51-43 with 2:04 to go in the third.
After getting fouled on a drive through the lane, Cavellis Luckett hit a pair of free throws to push the lead back to double digits, 53-43. McComb led 61-49 after the third period.
Andre Armstrong’s 3-pointer and forward Quentarius Moore’s offensive rebound and 8-foot right-handed hook shot cut the Tigers’ advantage back to 63-56 with 6:02 to play.
The Tigers pushed the lead back to double digits on White’s landmark 3-pointer to make it 66-56. Forest Hill never got closer after that.
“LaDarius was at the top of his game tonight,” Harrell said.
White got the Tigers off to a fast start. He knocked down a 15-foot jumper from the left wing, then hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to send McComb out to a 5-0 lead.
Forest Hill briefly led 12-11 before Tobias’ first 3-pointer put the Tigers back on top 14-12. He added another trey at the first-quarter buzzer to give the Tigers a 22-15 advantage.
