Wrap-up from the BIg House

The lights have been turned out at the "Big House" and the time has come to close the book on the 2011-2012 high school hoop season. But before we close the book completely we want to look back with a few observations of this year's MHSAA state Tournament.

Our first order of business is always to give the state championship teams their due. This year's state champions were:

6A Boys: Jim Hill (Jackson)

6A Girls: Forest Hill (Jackson)

5A Boys: Callaway (Jackson)

5A Girls: Oxford

4A Boys: Amanda Elzy

4A Girls: Pontotoc

3A Boys: Kemper County

3A Girls: Belmont

2A Boys: S.V. Marshall

2A Girls: New Site

1A Boys: Coldwater

1A Girls: H.W. Byers

Now to our tournament awards:

Best Fans: Jim Hill fans

This year's state tournament picked up right where last year's ended with great attendance and fan support for the teams. A number of team's fan really stood out and it almost a shame to have to pick one group but out fan award goes out to the Tigers of Jim Hill. The title hungry, green and gold clad Tiger fans practically took over the coliseum Wednesday night and Saturday night, swallowing up the opposing team's fans. Recognition must also go out to the fans from Booneville and S.V. Marshall as both of their fan bases showed up in force.

Best Game: 6A Championship Game - Jim Hill 76 Tupelo 74

What a way to end the season!!! It looked early like Jim Hill was going to run away and hide, but Tupelo battled back and looked to have taken control when Jim Hill again grabbed the lead. Tupelo regrouped and forced overtime, setting the stage for Fred Thomas to save the day for the Tigers. This game was a classic; big momentum swings, a number of lead changes, overtime, big shots and a big game performance from a star player. Again I say - What a way to end the season!!!

Top individual performance: Devonta Pollard, Kemper County vs. Booneville in 3A Championship game

Pollard dominated the 3A state championship game, posting a triple double, 28 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocked shots, to help Kemper County take home the 3A title. The McDonalds All-American had the play of the game also, as, after Booneville cut the lead to ten, he rebounded a miss and dribbled the length of the court, throwing down a thunderous dunk to quilch the rally.

Play of the Tournament: Fred Thomas' Game winning three-pointer vs. Tupelo in 6A Championship game

It's only fitting that the play of the tournament is the game winning play in the game of the tournament. Somehow Tupelo let Fred Thomas get a clean look at the hoop from three point land with the game on the line and he responded by knocking down the clutch shot for the game winner. Thomas finished with 24 points in the game but none were bigger than the three he hit with 17 seconds left in overtime.

Dunk of the Tournament: Rahkeem Lehaman, Amanda Elzy vs Corinth

I missed it but everyone who was at the "Big House" Friday night is still buzzing over the late game reverse alley-oop slam that Lehaman threw down in the 4A championship game.

A couple of other notes:

A number of the state champions look to be poised to make another run for a title next year again as Callaway, Amanda Elzy and S.V. Marshall all have rosters full of underclassmen who played big minutes in this year's state tournament. Callaway and Amanda Elzy both should be heavily favored to repeat.

Five teams returned to the state tournament with a chance to repeat this year and only H.W. Byers girls were able to pull it off. Wayne County's Boys, Booneville's Boys and Ripley's Girls were all denied in the championship game, while Durant's Boys lost their semi-final game.

It was not a banner year for the Mississippi Gulf Coast as all four boys' teams and the one girl's team at the state tournament failed to get a win.

All State Tournament Team:

Co-MVP

Devonta Pollard - Kemper County

Heart and soul of 3A Champs, wasn't going to let them lose this year.

Co-MVP

Fred Thomas - Jim Hill

Thomas had two big games at the "Big House" and came up really big in the clutch for the Tigers in the 6A championship game.

Rahkeem Leheman - Amanda Elzy

Lead Panther got the clutch baskets for the 4A champs.

Terron Gilmore - Callaway

Unheralded senior big came up big for 5A champion Callaway in back to back Games in the "Big House".

Raeford Worsham - Wayne County

Wayne County's senior leader wouldn't let the War Eagles go down without a fight but was held up by foul trouble in 5A championship game.

This pretty much puts a wrap on the high school hoop season with the only thing left being the Mississippi-Alabama All-star game. Here are this year's rosters for the game to be played March 16th in Montgomery, Alabama.

Mississippi Boys Roster:

Chris Bilbo, Forest Hill

Javerick Burrell, Lanier

Davon Ester, Biloxi

Terron Gilmore, Callaway

Twymond Howard, Pearl

Ladarron Johnson, Pascagoula

Devonta Pollard, Kemper County

Fred Thomas, Jim Hill

Anthony Tucker, Hickory Flat

Gavin Ware, Starkville

Avery Woodson, Wayne County

Raeford Worsham, Wayne County

Head coach: Herman Sanders, Wingfield; Assistant: Leroy Cotton, East Side

Mississippi Girls Roster:

Angelia Allen, Belmont

Jerontay Clemons, Coldwater

Samantha Clemts, Forrest County AHS

Kierra Collins, Franklin County

Quinndella Ford, Pontotoc

Aspriona Gilbert, Myrtle

Jasmine Golden, Center Hill

Morgan Pearson, New Site

Tydeshia Poole, Amite County

Becca Ruckes, Ripley

Erika Sisk, Oxford

Keoysha Wilson, South Jones

Head coach: Charles Moore, Franklin County; Assistant: Bill Russell, Pontotoc

Don't forget to check out our final team rankings elsewhere on this site.