Trojans season ends at Big House
By By Carver Rayburn / staff writer
Feb. 25, 2003
JACKSON Coach Lewis Lightsey said his basketball team set three goals at the beginning of the Northeast Lauderdale season win 20 games, win a division championship, and make it to Jackson.
The final goal set at the beginning of the season became a reality on Monday at Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson. The Trojans represented their school for the first time since the early 1980s when it comes to boys basketball in the "Big House".
Northeast fell to Jackson Provine 66-41 in first day action of the Class 4A State Tournament. Don't let the score fool you, the final score of this game did not dictate the way Northeast played for the majority of the 32 minutes.
The Trojans came out in the first quarter and executed good transition baskets and set the tempo for the game. Kalani White and DeKenno Winston scored all of the Trojans first quarter points and Northeast held a 12-8 lead after eight minutes of play.
White finished with 11 points. Winston added 10 points.
Senior Marcus Betts took over in the second quarter when the Trojans threatened to pull away. Betts opened the quarter with a three-pointer and went on to score the next five points for the Trojans.
Betts finished the game with 13 points and had six rebounds.
Winston hit a three-pointer at the 4:55 mark to put the Trojans ahead 23-14. After two Deltric Portis free throws, White hit a shot from behind the arc and Northeast extended its lead to 28-16.
With under three minutes remaining in the half, Northeast was whistled for two straight offensive goaltending calls. Provine's Charlie White answered with five points.
For those of you counting, take four points away from Northeast and give Provine five. That's a nine-point swing in a matter of about 45 seconds.
Northeast led 28-21 at halftime.
Coach Lightsey was pleased with his team's effort in the first half.
Provine came out of the locker room looking like a different team in the second half. After two quick Charlie White buckets, the Rams switched to a man-to-man defense that gave the Trojans fits.
Kalani White scored a driving lay up and was fouled with 6:53 to play. White hit the free throw to complete the three point play. This was the last time Northeast would score for over 10 minutes.
Provine used a full court press and defensive pressure to go on a 28-3 run and basically took the Trojans out of the game as a whole down the stretch.
Provine was lead by Charlie White with 21 points and Jeremy Young with 23 points.
Northeast finishes the season with a record of 22-13. The Trojans will lose six seniors off this years squad including Marcus Betts, Deltric Portis, Greg Powell, Dekenno Winston, Kalani White and Jonathan White,
