Dawgs take No. 3 seed with 2-1 tourney finish

The Franklin County High School varsity boys’ basketball program came into last week’s Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 3A District 7 post-season tournament in Meadville as a No. 3 seed overall and exited in that same spot after claiming two wins and dropping one decision.

Franklin County opened play with a 67-37 victory over Wilkinson County before falling to Hazlehurst, 59-49, in the second round and then knocking off Jefferson County, 64-46, in Friday’s wrap up of the tournament

The 20-8 Bulldogs saw their district season record settle at 9-4 during the 2022-2023 campaign with FC’s four regional losses coming to Port Gibson and Hazlehurst, who would advance into the post-season as the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, respectively, from 7-3A after last week’s tourney.

Four Dawgs’ players — Ken’Trez Bonds, Derrick Wilson, Michael Covington and Daylen Thomas — also earned All-District nods for their actions on the court during the season.

Here is a summary of Franklin County’s games in the tournament:

THIRD-PLACE GAME

FC 64, JEFFERSON COUNTY 46

Franklin County had a lot riding on Friday’s third-place game — knowing a win over Jefferson County would mean the difference between a third- and fourth-place seeding after the district tournament in advancing to compete in the Class 3A round-of-32 teams in the post-season.

The Bulldogs outscored Jefferson County’s Tigers in all four quarters of play — 12-10 in the first; 18-6 in the second; 18-13 in the third; and 16-15 in the fourth — for the 64-46 victory.

Wilson, as a starter, and Quez Rancifer, coming off the bench, paced the FC win with 12 points apiece while starters Kepatrick Nimox and Covington added 10 each.

Thomas, as another starter, wound up with nine points for the Dawgs while Bonds contributed seven and Devin Coleman and Jamie Green tacked on two each.

Covington had a pair of three pointers in the affair while Wilson, Rancifer and Bonds each hit from outside the arch once.

The Bulldogs were 9-of-21 (42.8 percent) from the charity stripe against the Tigers with Bonds draining 2-of-2 (100 percent) and Rancifer sinking 3-of-4 (75 percent).

Hitting 50 percent of their bonus shots were Nixox, 2-of-4; Wilson, 1-of-2; and Thomas, 1-of-2. Green finished 0-of-4.

The win gave Franklin County a No. 3 seed in exiting the tournament and a shot at facing off on Tuesday, Feb. 14 against 5-3A No. 2-seed Southeast Lauderdale of Meridian.

Results of that contest were not available at press time, but will appear in next week’s edition of The Franklin Advocate.

Jefferson County, as the No. 4 seed from 7-3A, was slated to face off against 5-3A No. 1-seed Morton on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

• • •

SECOND ROUND

HAZLEHURST 59, FC 49

After splitting a pair of hoops decisions during the regular season, Franklin County came up on the short end of a 59-49 score to Hazlehurst on Tuesday, Feb. 9.

Hazlehurst opened with a 20-14 run through the first eight minutes of the outing with the Dawgs charging back with a 20-6 offensive burst in the second quarter to hold a 34-26 lead at intermission.

The Indians’ offense took charge after the break with a 14-7 scoring effort in the third quarter and a 19-8 explosion in the fourth to claim the 10-point-bulge victory at the final horn.

Covington was FC’s leading scorer with 14 points as Thomas had 12.

Additionally, Bonds contributed seven, Rancifer added six and Wilson and Tyler Walton each finished with three.

Nimox and Ja’Zavier Malone had two points apiece.

The Bulldogs were 9-of-17 (52.9 percent) from the line against Hazlehurst with Malone draining 2-of-2 and Walton collecting 3-of-4 (75 percent).

Thomas wound up 2-of-4 and Bonds was 1-of-2 (both 50 percent) shooting from the stripe.

Covington ended with a 1-of-3 effort (33.3 percent) and Jailan Hunt was 0-of-2.

• • •

FIRST ROUND

FC 67, WILKINSON COUNTY 37

Two dominating quarters for the Bulldogs meant the difference in a 30-point blowout of the Wilkinson County Wildcats during opening night district tournament action in Meadville on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

Things stayed relatively close in the first quarter with FC taking a 16-13 lead over the visiting Wildcats, but the Bulldogs charged ahead with a 28-8 run through the second quarter and then bulled to a 20-8 advantage in the third stanza.

Wilkinson County attempted a too-little-too-late rally in the fourth quarter by outpacing FC, 8-3, in the final eight minutes of the contest.

Thomas ultimately set the tempo of the affair with a game-high 22 points.

Covington and Bonds collected 13 each in the win as Wilson had 12, Nimox recorded five and Rancifer added two.

The Bulldogs were a solid 10-of-14 (71.4 percent) in terms of bonus shooting with Thomas hitting 2-of-2 (100 percent), Wilson draining 1-of-1 (100 percent) and Nimox connecting on 3-of-4 (75 percent).

Covington had a 3-of-5 (60 percent) free throw performance and Bonds was 1-of-2 (50 percent).