Williams keys LeFlore to title
Nick Williams scored 36 points and hauled down 10 rebounds to lead LeFlore to a 70-53 win over St. Jude in the finals of the LeFlore Thanksgiving Classic Saturday night.
James Buford added 10 points for the defending state 6A champion Rattlers (5-0).
Williams' performance offset a 23-point performance by St. Jude's JaMychal Green, an Alabama signee. Charles Knight added 10 points for the 1A Pirates (1-2).
Despite the absence of standout big man DeMarcus Cousins, LeFlore coach Otis Hughley felt his squad played well.
"With 13 new kids and without DeMarcus Cousins, I though we played a pretty good game," said Hughley. "St. Jude's doesn't play a 1A schedule, and they have 6A (style) players. That game helped our kids grow up."
St. Jude kept it close much of the first half before a 9-0 Rattlers run -- highlighted by a pair of Williams dunks -- made it 38-29.
Green answered with a pair of 3-pointers and Knight added another to cut LeFlore's lead to 40-38 at intermission.
"I told our kids we've got to take care of the ball better," said Hughley. "We have to learn to be more poised on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. We got into a hurry a little too much."
The Pirates hung tough in the third period and tied it 44-44 before the Rattlers went on a 10-3 run. St. Jude got no closer than six the rest of the way.
"It was really a no-win situation for us," said Hughley. "They don't understand who we played, because St. Jude could probably beat most 6A teams in the state."
-- MOSS POINT 80, VIGOR 53: Rod Little (20 points), Travis Jackson (18) and Jeremy Horne (16) scored in double figures for Moss Point in the LeFlore Thanksgiving Classic. Vigor was led by Bruce Williams with 11 points.
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