By Robert Wilson
Brandon coach Candace Foster said Pearl High transfer Kynnedi Davis is starting to get comfortable with her new team.
After the junior point guard’s performance Saturday, comfortable is a major understatement.
The 5-foot-6 Davis scored a career-high and school record 44 points, including with 11 3-pointers (tying for second most for Mississippi history), to lead Brandon to a 63-39 victory over Hancock at Brandon.
Davis made 14 of 27 shots from the field, 11 of 16 from 3-point range, and 5 of 5 from the line. She also had 4 steals, 3 rebounds and 1 assist.
“Everything is starting to click for her. She is getting more comfortable with our offense,” Foster said. “She scored 26 points against Clinton earlier in the week and then Saturday’s awesome performance. We didn’t score but one point in the first four minutes, called a timeout and made some adjustments. Kynnedi came out and started knocking down shots. She was making them from everywhere, in transition, creating her own shot and from the corner. She would bring the ball down and hit shots and sometimes (guard) Marley Freeman would get her the ball and knock them down.”
Davis’ scoring total is the most in Mississippi since Centreville Academy’s Savannah Hailey scored 50 points last season. The Mississippi record is 68 by Victoria Vivians of Scott Central in 2014 and Felicia Hayes of Harrison Central in 1992.
Davis’ 11 3-pointers ties Marlee Hatcher of Pontotoc in 2013 for second best in Mississippi. Jessica Roberson of Ingomar made 14 in 2001 when she scored 67 points.
Davis – a member of the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Preseason Elite 11 Team – is averaging 16.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.1 steals and is shooting 41.5 percent from 3-point range (22 of 53) this season. Brandon, 9-1, has won nine straight games since a season-opening loss to 2021 MHSAA Class 6A runner-up Germantown. Davis and Freeman missed the season opener to due to injury protocols. Brandon’s next game is Tuesday at Warren Central.
Davis averaged 16 points, 5.2 assists and 4.5 steals last season as a sophomore and helped Pearl to a 12-7 record and the Class 6A playoffs. She was a member of the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson second team last season. Davis made third team on the All-Metro Jackson team as a freshman.
