The Hattiesburg Lady Tigers have become a mainstay in the state tournament, but the Tigers aren’t strangers either. While this is the fourth consecutive trip for the Hattiesburg girls, this is the Tigers’ first deep playoff run since the 2015 season.
The Lady Tigers are set to play Neshoba Central (15-13) Friday at 9 a.m. and the boys are matched up with Canton (28-3) for an 8:30 p.m. first tip Friday.
The Tigers needed a strong fourth quarter to close out Long Beach in the second round Saturday, but like the region championship game against Pearl River Central a week earlier, Hattiesburg answered the bell. The Tigers held the Bearcats to zero points through the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, which helped them create separation in the final minutes.
Watson believes Canton is the best team in the state. Of its three losses, two came to Alabama teams and one was to rival Velma Jackson. Canton won the first meeting between the rivals by 26 points but lost the early February contest by three points.
“They’re the best in the state as of right now,” Watson said. “I think them and Meridian would be a heck of a game if they played, but they’re not in the same class.
“We’re just hoping they don’t play like the best team in the state. That’s the first thing that has to happen. The second thing is we have to take care of the basketball and take shots.”
Junior Brandon Weatherspoon is the youngest of the Weatherspoon brothers. Quinndary and Nick Weatherspoon are playing their junior and freshman seasons, respectively, at Mississippi State. Brandon is a 6-foot-4 guard for Canton who causes all sorts of matchup problems for opponents.
Canton also has a 6-9 forward in senior Javian Fleming who Hattiesburg doesn’t have an answer for as far as the height advantage.
The plan for Weatherspoon is to study game film and try to find a weakness, which is a needle in a haystack basically, and for Fleming, sometimes height can’t be guarded.
“(Weatherspoon) is a different animal because he’s so athletic,” Watson said. “I just hope we can frustrate him a little bit and make him do things he’s not used to doing.
“Hopefully, we can try to beat (Fleming) out of the paint and push him a little bit. If he gets the ball above his head, there’s not a lot we can do. But, down low, if he bounces it, dribbles it or tries to anything to the basketball, hopefully, we can reach at it and slap it.”
The Lady Tigers are once against matched up with the Lady Rockets in the 5A Quarterfinals. The two met at the Mississippi Coliseum last year, as Neshoba Central earned the 11-point win on its way to a 5A State Title. Lady Tigers’ coach Caronica Jackson doesn’t believe this is a rematch, though.
“The girls keep saying, ‘Coach, we’re playing the same team.’ No, we’re playing the same school. They’re a different team, but the same school,” Jackson said. “They do like to do the same stuff. They’re going to run motion, they always have some shooters, but the only difference is they are younger this year.”
The Lady Rockets lost their two leading scorers from last season, but juniors Taylor Ben and Hallie Billie are leading another talented roster. Jackson complimented Neshoba Central’s skill level and readiness of each game.
Hattiesburg is very different from last year, too. The team fought to keep its record near .500 all season, and they were led by a junior and two freshmen. Even then, Hattiesburg found a way to win its region and win a second-round playoff game to advance to the quarters.
“Of course, every time you go you want to win,” Jackson said. “Some years, we were just happy to be there, which was the case last year. We were there and it was a good experience for them. This year, I think we have the talent. The girls have the drive and they want it.”
This season, senior Terralyn Ulmer was back to provide the leadership and score 10 points per game, while sophomore Melyia Grayson is having a breakout season in the paint.
Grayson moved up to the varsity team midway through her freshman season last year and finished with nearly nine points per game in the last half of the season. Her presence down low this season has been a key reason why the Lady Tigers are in this position.
“She’s been a great help for us on the offensive side,” Jackson said. “The thing I’ve been telling our girls, the one thing that helps us out is we’re a very balanced team. We have about four players who average near double figures, so for us, we don’t have to depend on one person every night.”
Hattiesburg will get a little deeper, too. Sophomore Chelsea Ulmer was cleared to play after an injury kept her out the last month of the season. She averaged eight points per game through the first 19 games, and she’ll provide another scoring option Neshoba Central will have to defend.
“Right now, we’re trying to work her in and see how much she’s going to be able to do,” Jackson said. “Just get her some minutes here or there, but she’ll be able to help us out.”
