Robert Wilson spent 23 years at The Clarion-Ledger/Jackson Daily News as a sportswriter with more than half of those years covering high school sports, mostly in the Metro Jackson area. He helped choose the All-Metro teams in various sports for more than a decade. Wilson rebirthed this team with the Mississippi Scoreboard All-Metro Jackson Boys and Girls Basketball Teams with 20 players and a Coach and Player of the Year on each team. These are the sixth annual teams. With the help of high school and college coaches, Wilson selected the best players and best coaches for the 2023-2024 season from Hinds, Madison, and Rankin Counties. The girls story and teams ran recently.
By Robert Wilson
Germantown senior guard Mike Williams and Central Hinds Academy coach James Crain – the 2025 Tatum and Wade/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Boys Basketball Player and Coach of the Year – took their new teams to state championships this season.
Williams – the son of former NBA Champion and NBA All-Star Mo Williams and a transfer from Jackson Academy – led Germantown to its first winning season and its first state championship in the school’s 15-year history.
At 70 years old and after four years of being retired from coaching, Crain led Central Hinds to the first state championship since 1996 and won 13 more games than last year’s team.
The 6-foot-1 Williams had his second straight outstanding season and won his second consecutive Metro Jackson Player of the Year award since moving from Texas to live with his father, who is in his second season as JSU’s men’s basketball coach, in Mississippi.
Williams – a Jackson State signee who rated as the No. 21 combo guard in the country in the Class of 2025 by 247 Sports –didn’t miss a beat after transferring from JA where he led the Raiders to a MAIS Class 6A state championship, Overall Tournament title and its best record in school history (36-1). He joined up with a talented group at Germantown in 6-11 junior center Sam Funches (rated as the No. 3 center in the country in the Class of 2026 by ESPN), Williams’ younger brother and 6-1 junior guard Mason Williams (who also transferred from JA), and 6-1 junior guard and Vicksburg High transfer Mikey Johnson, son of former Murrah, Alcorn State and Jackson State and pro basketball player Trey Johnson, who is an assistant coach with Williams at JSU.
Williams averaged 19.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 2.1 assists and 0.5 blocked shots and led Germantown to a 29-5 record and a No. 1 ranking in Mississippi by MaxPreps. The Mavericks won their first 15 games against Mississippi teams before losing to Pascagoula. Germantown’s only other Mississippi loss was to Starkville.
The Mavericks cruised through the Class 7A playoffs with double figure wins over Oxford (66-24) in the first round, Tupelo (61-49) in the quarterfinals, Biloxi (55-30) in the semifinals and Madison Central (69-52) in the championship game.
Williams was terrific in the state championship game. He hit back-to-back 3-pointers to open the game, scored the first eight points and finished with a game-high 22 points. He had many spectacular plays from the opening tip, from his first 3-pointer in the first minute, to mid-range, pull up jumpers, slam dunks, and acrobatic layups, bringing the crowd to its feet, reminding them of great performances at the Big House like Williams’ father Mo, who played at Murrah, Gulfport’s Chris Jackson (now Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf), Murrah’s James Robinson, Ronnie Henderson and Jesse Pate, Lanier’s Monta Ellis, and Callaway’s Malik Newman, just to list a few.
Williams made 7 of 13 shots from the field, 3 of 6 from 3-point range, and 5 of 5 from the free throw line. He had 6 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assist.
“It took a lot of confidence and pressure to overcome to win this championship,” Williams said. “With everyone expecting us to win, it made it harder for us to win. Everyone thinks we were a super team, but we just happen to be skilled players that all live in the same neighborhood. Our coaches gave us the courage we needed to get the win and get Germantown boys the first ever state championship.”
As expected, Williams performed at a high level all season. He plays like his father, using a variety of ways to get open and score without fanfare. Williams’ quickness is superb, his instincts are speedy, and his basketball IQ is off the charts. Williams is extremely accurate on his jump shot and his ability to see the floor is uncanny.
“I think Mike was the best player in the state this season,” Germantown coach Chris Love said. “He plays the game with a Russell Westbrook energy. What he doesn’t get enough credit on is his defense and rebounding, which was great this season. A lot of time we would put Mike on the other team’s best player, and he was outstanding. Also, he helped change the mindset of the team with how he worked this offseason with late night and early morning workouts. It wasn’t an accident; Mike had a great year. He also was a great teammate celebrating when someone else made a good play or just in the locker room having fun.”
Just like Williams made a smooth transition from Texas to JA, he didn’t miss a beat when he transferred from JA to Germantown.
“I spent constant hours sharpening my skill set and getting stronger physically while studying the deficiencies I had during AAU ball and my summer season,” Williams said. “I led my team but showing up before practice to work out and going hard every day, I am a far better player than I was last year because of the circumstances I had to learn from.”
Love was impressed with how Williams approached the game – serious, focused, determined, and dedicated.
“Mike is the most focused player I have ever been around (in his 11 seasons as a head coach),” Love said. “The way he works on this game is remarkable. Mike has a tireless work ethic. He is one of the best scorers in the country. Mike is a fierce competitor. He has been great for us.”
Now, Williams turns his attention to getting ready to play for his father at JSU. Williams and Callaway High alumnus and JSU junior guard Daeshun Ruffin – who was a two-time Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Player of the Year – should be not only one of the best backcourts in the SWAC but also the country next season. Ruffin, who has battled several injuries during his college career and transferred from Ole Miss, has had his best college season this year and is one of the best players in the SWAC. The talented duo has the potential to be one of the best backcourts in school history.
Since retiring from coaching basketball at Simpson Academy four years ago, Crain had been the elementary principal at Simpson along with spending time with his wife Kathy, his sons Curt and Carey (who both played for Crain at Mendenhall), his six grandchildren (Sara, Bailey, Brady, Stone, Avery, and Casen) and three great grandchildren (Wesley Allen, Rayne Elyse and Mary Lennon). His son Carey is the boys basketball coach at Mendenhall and Curt is the director of transportation at the Clinton Public School District. Crain’s grandson, Stone, is the catcher for Clinton High and a member of the Performance Therapy/Mississippi Scoreboard Preseason Metro Jackson Elite 11 Baseball Team.
Crain had finished his brilliant coaching career with more than 1,000 wins, nine state championships and one Overall title (at Simpson Academy) in 39 career seasons (23 at Mendenhall High, 6 at Hillcrest Christian and 10 at Simpson Academy) and was second only to Madison-Ridgeland Academy’s Richard Duease in boys basketball wins in Mississippi history when first-year Central Hinds head of school Billy Wayne Hankins called Crain.
Hankins had known Crain for many years. Hankins was a long-time football coach at Simpson and Crain had coached at basketball at Mendenhall and Simpson. Hankins knew how great a coach he was and needed to find one.
“I have known Coach Crain for over 30 years,” said Hankins, who was the head of school at Simpson before taking the job at Central Hinds. “Beginning when he was coaching at Mendenhall, I was fortunate enough to hire him at Simpson and he immediately took our program to another level. When I took the job at Central Hinds in the spring of last year and found out he was available, it was a simple decision.”
Even though it was about an hour, 15-minute drive from Crain’s house to Central Hinds in Raymond, Crain took up Hankins on his offer and accepted the boys basketball position.
In addition to teaching two seventh grade Bible classes, Crain took over the boys basketball program and turned it around in one season.
Crain led Central Hinds to a 28-11 record – 13 more wins than last season – and a MAIS Class 4A state championship, the first state boys basketball title since the late Shelby Watts took the Cougars to a state championship in 1996. Crain and his Cougars finished the season on an 11-game winning streak before losing to Class 6A Hartfield Academy in the Overall Tournament quarterfinals. Five of Central Hinds’ losses were to 6A teams, two to Hartfield and one each to Overall champion Jackson Prep, 6A state champion Jackson Academy, and MRA.
“We had to start from scratch with this team,” Crain said. “This program hadn’t had a lot of success in a while and these kids didn’t know how to win and play and practice hard. It took a while to instill that in them and to be successful. It finally paid off and kicked in for these guys. We will stay after you and we’ve got a few guys who can score.”
Crain, a Puckett High and Southern Miss graduate, finished the season 1,066 career wins and 10 state championships and one Overall title (at Simpson Academy) in 40 career seasons. He won two state championships at Mendenhall, three state runners-up at Mendenhall, three state championships at Hillcrest, four state titles and one Overall crown at Simpson and this year’s state title at Central Hinds.
“I can honestly say there is not another coach in the state I would rather have coaching our boys,” Hankins said. “He coached my son Josh at Simpson, so I know from personal experience the positive impact he has on kids both on and off the court. Coach Crain has not only impacted our basketball team, but also all our students. A great example is he dressed up as Santa Claus at Christmas and visited our elementary classes. We are so thankful to have him at Central Hinds.”
Central Hinds got off to a slow start, losing its first three games and five of the first eight games, but the Cougars gradually bought into Crain’s old school techniques of playing hard, working hard, believing in themselves, and playing gritty defense.
“Our players played hard and got after it,” Crain said. “We played pretty well once the playoffs started. We had a few guys like (Southern Miss signee and 6-foot-6 senior) Wesley (Lindsey) and (senior guard) Price Foil to step up and be vocal leaders. We got after on defense and didn’t give in. Some teams might have thrown in the towel when we got down 14-5 in the first half in the championship game (against Greenville Christian), but we kept plugging, got ahead at halftime, and stayed ahead in the second half.”
Central Hinds was led by Lindsey, who averages 21 points per game. Foil, Clinton Christian transfer and 6-7 senior center Cooper Loftin, senior forward Tyler Flynt, and senior guard Conner Purvis were the starters. Senior guard JR Hall, senior forward Landon Harvey and senior center Hayes Germany were the top subs.
“One thing I learned from playing for Coach Crain is defensive intensity,” said Flynt, who played for Crain as a seventh grader at Simpson, moved to Florida and came back to Mississippi this year and whose brother, Josh, won an Overall playing for Crain at Simpson and was an assistant coach on this year’s team. “When we first got to Central Hinds, Coach Crain’s main goal was building a winning culture. One thing he would always say to the team is ‘How do you spell fun? W-I-N.’ I think that really sums it up.”
Brad Smith – an All-State player at Mendenhall in the late 1980s and a starter at Mississippi State and one of the best players who played for Crain – knew Crain would win at Central Hinds.
“Playing under Coach Crain was fun,” said Smith, who is an assistant coach at Simpson where his sons, Gage and Toby, play. “He would bring lots of energy every day and our practices were always very intense. That type and style of play during practice would roll over to our games. That’s one reason why he has always been so successful. I feel like he gets the best out of his players. I think if he coached water polo he would win. Coach Crain is a winner. When I heard he was taking the Central Hinds job, I knew they were getting a great coach. Even though he hadn’t coached in four years, coaching is like riding a bicycle to him. I knew Coach Crain was taking over a good and talented team and would make them a great team. Once his teams bought into his coaching and playing style, they would be winners. Attributes that I took from Coach Crain were discipline, hard work, and passion for the game. I knew that my days were numbered on the basketball court and learning these things from him helped me to play each day to the best of my ability.”
Crain’s championship win over Greenville Christian was historic and brought back memories for many long time Central Hinds basketball fans.
“After we won the state championship, a lady came up to me who played for (the late) Coach (Shelby) Watts at Central Hinds and said Coach Watts was smiling from Heaven,” Crain said.
“James’ teams are always competitive, and he demands that they work hard and played hard on defense,” said Duease, the winningest basketball coach in Mississippi history and the second winningest active boys basketball coach in the country. “That’s been his trait for years. We played them the first game of the year and we were down 20-9 early and won by nine, but it was a battle. He had all seniors and had a good group. I’ve played against his teams when he was at Hillcrest and Simpson. James’ teams are always fun to play against and you better play hard if you want to beat them.”
Crain has already had a team meeting about next year.
Said Crain: “We lost a lot of seniors, but we had a good group coming up and I’m looking forward to working with them. I sort of got off to a late start when I got the job with the last group. We should be better prepared for next season.”
Click the link below to see the full team.
