Meridian Chiefs win gold

By By Jeff Byrd/staff writer
June 22, 2003
When New Deal Destroyers' Tim Latiker and Manuel Sample hit the floor with leg cramps with 15 minutes to go in the gold medal game of men's adult basketball, everyone at the Northwest Gym knew it was only time before the Meridian Chiefs would take advantage.
Marty Everette, an assistant basketball coach at Meridian High and a player-coach for the Chiefs for this State Games, knew it as well.
The Destroyers, however, had little left after Webster line-drived a three-pointer to give his team a 35-33 lead. The Chiefs responded with a 23-2 run to pull away and win the gold medal game, 57-39.
White, State's point guard until the arrival of Derrick Zimmerman, is also an ABA veteran. New Deal also had Mississippi Valley State signee Tim Latiker.
The Chiefs were able to counter New Deal's high-powered lineup with a line-up of former Meridian Community College and Meridian High players.
Former Wildcat guard Joey Wade ignited the second half run for the Chiefs with 11 second-half points. His slam off a missed free throw pretty much sealed the game at 54-37.
Wade finished with 16 points. Carlos Cole, who was big in the Chiefs' two previous wins, had 15 including 12 in the first half.
Sammie Cole who plays for the University of Texas San Antonio had seven points, as did Ricardo Kelly.
Webster paced New Deal with nine points.
New Deal 86
A.C. H &C 83
New Deal reached the finals thanks in part to White hitting a "Hail Mary" three-pointer that banked in to force overtime.
White finished with 33 points to lead the New Deal Destroyers.
ACHC settled for the bronze medal. They were led by Northeast Lauderdale product DeKenno Winston who had 30 points. Jamal White added 22 points and Stephen Dyess had 11.
The win was the third straight for New Deal in the losers bracket. They defeated Mid South 72-63 and then nipped the Mafia 77-76 to reach the bronze medal game.
A.C. Heating and Cooling lost to the Chiefs 75-56 in the winners bracket semifinal.
A.C. Heating and Cooling 68
MidSouth Hoopers 66
Two free throws by Winston with four seconds left handed A.C. Heating and Cooling a second-round win in the State Games of Mississippi's Adult Basketball tournament.
Winston finished with 23 points to lead ACHC to a third round game against the Meridian Chiefs. The East Central signee hit five three-pointers in the game.
ACHC got off to a big 30-9 lead when Winston and Stephen Dyess, another Northeast Lauderdale/East Central CC product, combined to hit nine three-pointers in the first half.
Dyess had 14 points. Jamal Martin chipped in nine and Brandon Barr added seven for ACHC.
Quad Griffin led MidSouth with 28 points. His three-point shot gave the Hoopers their final lead at 58-56. Winston answered with a three-pointer to put ACHC back in front at 59-58. Neil Henry then made a putback to make it 65-60 with 1:03 to play.
A dunk by Fred Cole and two free throws by Griffin tied the game at 66-all with eight seconds to play. Winston was fouled at midcourt following the inbound.
Meridian Chiefs 65
Mafia 63
Keno Leflore's off-balanced leaner from six-feet dropped in with two seconds left to key the Meridian Chiefs past the Philadelphia-based Mafia in a second-round game of the Adult Basketball competition at the State Games of Mississippi.
The Chiefs trailed 63-61 with 54 seconds left but got two tying free throws from Carlos Cole to tie it. A turnover with 18 seconds left allowed the Chiefs to set up a final play which Leflore, a former Meridian High guard, hit on a drive in the lane.
Cole led the Chiefs with a game-high 36 points. He was 15-of-17 from the line and hit four three-pointers. Leflore had 11 points while Sammie Cole chipped in 10 points.
Neil Broome, a former USM player, had 14 points to lead the Mafia.
A.C. Heating and Cooling 57
Run &Gun 51
Winston tossed in 14 points and Henry had 10 to lead A.C. Heating and Cooling past Run &Gun 57-51 in a first round game of adult basketball at Northwest Gym.
Dyess had nine points while Barr had eight.
Run &Gun was led by former West Lauderdale player Boo Ramsey with 11 points. Two of Winston and Dyess' former teammates at Northeast in Marcus Betts and Kalani White had 10 and nine points respectively.
MidSouth Hoopers 72
Midnight 58
Quad Griffin led MidSouth Hoopers to an opening round win over Midnight 72-58.
Griffin, who plays for Meridian Community College, had 18 points. Josh Walker added 12 and Alcorn State player Fred Cole chipped in nine.
Mafia 68
New Deal Destroyers 58
Mafia upset the New Deal Destroyers out of Holmes County 68-58 in a Saturday morning first-round game.
Patrick Prince led the Mafia with 11 points while former Southern Mississippi guard Neil Broome chipped in 10.
The Destroyers got 15 points each from Detrick White and Horatio Webster. Tim Latiker chipped in 10.