By Robert Wilson
RAYMOND – The Madison-Ridgeland Academy girls had one of their best seasons in school history with 36 wins and only four losses but lost in the MAIS Class 6A state championship game and the Overall Tournament title game last season.
If the Lady Patriots continue to make clutch plays in the last few minutes like they did Tuesday night – especially senior guard Allie Redding – they could bring home both of those titles this year.
The 5-foot-11 Redding hit a 10-foot bank shot from the right baseline with 14 seconds to play and then blocked and altered Central Hinds star player Kathryn Strong’s two shots in the final seconds as MRA bounced back from a 6-point deficit in the last 2 minutes, 40 seconds for a 44-43 victory in the season opener between two of preseason contenders for the Overall title in the Central Hinds Shootout before an estimated 300 at Central Hinds’ gym.
MRA – which played without 6-foot starting junior guard and Division I prospect Presley Hughes (recovering from an ankle procedure in mid-August) – has four returning starters from last year’s 6A runner-up and Overall runner-up team.
The top returnee is 5-9 sophomore point guard Anna Morgan Anderson – a member of the Tatum and Wade/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Preseason Elite 11 Team – who averaged a team-high 12.5 points last season. She had a team-high 14 points Tuesday.
In addition to those four returning starters, 6-1 senior forward and University of North Florida volleyball commitment Fallon Humphries is playing basketball for the first time since her freshman year and 5-6 junior guard and Madison St. Joseph transfer Gabby Gray are expected to make contributions this season. Both Humphries and Gray started Tuesday against Central Hinds and combined for nine points. Humphries had a team-high five rebounds. Gray tied a team high with two steals.
Central Hinds – which was missing 5-9 starting senior forward Amory Grzanich (suffered a knee injury last week) – has three returning starters from last year’s Class 4A state championship (first one in school history) and 2024 Overall semifinalist team (the best finish in school history).
The top returnee is Strong, like Anderson is a member of the Tatum and Wade/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Preseason Elite 11 Team who averaged a team-high 13.8 points last season. Strong played tough Tuesday, finishing with a team-high 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. She came out of the game in the fourth quarter for few minutes – Central Hinds coach Henry Gantz said from exhaustion, got nauseated, got hydrated and came back in – and she made a 3-pointer for a 43-27 Central Hinds lead with 2:40 to play.
In addition to the returning starters, junior guard and Callaway High transfer Amiyah Taylor will be a huge addition, Gantz said. Taylor had 5 points and 4 rebounds in 13 minutes Tuesday.
Force won has 747th career game in his 29th season, 607 wins in 23 seasons at MRA, and three Overall championships. He was happy to get out of Raymond with a one-point win.
“We finally had a practice Saturday with everyone there,” Force said. “Because most of my girls play other sports in the fall and been busy with volleyball, cheer, softball, cross country and soccer. We didn’t have any chemistry tonight because we hadn’t had a chance to practice together. It was a cold shooting night for us. But Allie came through at the end with some big plays. She missed the majority of her sophomore year with an ACL injury and missed some of last season with an ankle sprain. She plays soccer so she’s still working to get into the rhythm of playing basketball. She played all but two minutes of the game tonight and made those big plays at the end.”
“The last play wasn’t for me but when I got the ball, I felt I was in a good position to take the shot,” said Redding, who finished with six points and a team-high three assists. “I knew Kat (Strong) would one of their two options for the final shot. I was able to get a hand of her first attempt that went out of bounds. When she got the ball for the final shot, I was right there, and she couldn’t get off a good shot.”
Unfortunately for Force and MRA, the final minutes of the 6A state title against Jackson Prep and the Overall championship against East Rankin Academy, didn’t go their way like Tuesday night. But this is a new year.
“We found a way to win tonight, and I hope this continues to make big plays late in our games,” said Force, whose team will face more stiff competition next week when it plays traditional MAIS powerhouse Leake Academy Monday and defending Overall champion East Rankin Wednesday in the Madison Madness Preseason Basketball Classic at MRA. “We have two girls who are still learning how to play man to man defense and the best defensive player I’ve ever had (Hughes) is not out here yet. And we did this against a very good team, so I’m pleased we won.”
In addition to Humphries and Gray, two more new players to MRA’s varsity roster – 5-3 freshman guard Anne Wylie Moore and 5-7 sophomore forward Sienna Smith (daughter of former Hillcrest Christian, Ole Miss and 11-year major league outfielder Seth Smith) – combined for 11 points off the bench (Moore had seven points and Smith four points). They are both coming up from last year’s junior high team.
Gantz won a school-record 28 games last season, including 17 in a row before losing to East Rankin in the Overall semifinals. Despite Tuesday’s loss, he is excited about this team.
“I found out tonight we belong again,” said Gantz, who is starting his ninth season at Central Hinds. “We didn’t have Grzanich tonight and she will be a difference maker when we get her back. We played great man to man, and we fought hard. We were smaller at all five positions, and we boxed out well. We are gritty. We had some bad turnovers that we will correct.
“We had several chances to win, we just missed free throws (four in the final two minutes) and failed to finish. MRA took advantage and Coach Force did a great job under 15 seconds to making us feel uncomfortable. I’m proud of how we competed. We will learn from it and be better.”
In addition to Strong’s 11 points, sophomore guard Paylin Maw – sister of former Central Hinds star and current Millsaps player Maddy Maw – had 10 points.
