Bulldogs' hoops streak now up to six games

Franklin County High school’s varsity boys basketball team remained unblemished in the start to the 2022-2023 hoops season after thumping two opponents last week.

The Bulldogs hosted Tylertown on Tuesday, Nov. 15 and blew past the visiting Chiefs, 52-22, and then traveled on Thursday, Nov. 17 to Loyd Star with Franklin County upending the Hornets, 81-53.

The two wins lifted the Dawgs to 6-0 on the season before heading into the Thanksgiving hiatus.

FC 52, TYLERTOWN 22

Franklin County pushed its offensive accelarator to the floor in taking a 41-11 first-half lead over Tylertown and never looked back in taking its fifth win in as many games.

The Dawgs went on a 21-5 run in the first quarter followed by a 20-6 onslaught in the second.

FC’s Derrick Wilson drained a pair of three-pointers in the first frame while also going 2-of-2 from the charity stripe for eight total points.

Kentrez Bonds hit a trey, a field goal and also went 2-of-2 from the line for seven points as Jamie Green slid in a trey, Daylen Thomas recorded a two-pointer and Michael Covington was 1-of-4 from the stripe to round out scoring in the first eight minutes of the affair.

The second quarter saw Quez Rancifer, Thomas and Bonds hit on a pair of two-pointers each with Devin Coleman and Tyler Walton coming off the bench for a field goal apiece.

Walton and Wilson both went 1-of-2 from the free throw line during the period.

The game settled into a defensive mode through the third quarter with Franklin County outpacing Tylertown, 9-2.

Bonds accounted for six of the Dawgs’ points on a trio of two-pointers while Wilson tacked on two field goals and Covington went 1-of-2 from the stripe.

The Chiefs charged back in the final quarter with a 10-2 run as FC’s Rancifer had the only bucket in the final eight minutes of the contest.

Two Dawgs hoopsters finished in double figures with Bonds leading the cause with 17 points with Wilson adding 13.

Thomas and Rancifer ended up with six points each, Walton was credited with three and Coleman and Covington each had two points.

FC was 8-of-17 (47 percent) from the line against Tylertown.

FC 81, LOYD STAR 51

A seemingly slow start for Franklin County quickly intensified against Loyd Star with the Hornets outgaining the Dawgs, 18-17, in the first quarter.

From there, FC’s offense and defense combined to pace the visiting team with 25-14 and 24-14 runs through the second and third quarters to help set the tempo in Franklin favor when the dust settled.

Notably, the Hornets were held without a field goal through the final eight minutes of the affair and were limited to 11 free throws — with Loyd Star making just six of those — down the stretch run of the contest as FC rolled with a 15-6 showing in the quarter.

Thomas had a solid night leading Franklin County with 19 points — 11 of those before intermission — while finishing 1-of-2 from the stripe.
Additionally, Covington chipped in 16 with a 2-of-4 effort from the free throw line for the Dawgs and Rancifer along with Wilson finished with 10 apiece.

Wilson was also credited with a pair of three-pointers against Loyd Star.

Others contributing to the FC victory and their points totals were: Bonds, nine; Jailen Hunt, nine; Coleman, two; Reshon Baker, two; Jazavier Malone, two; and Kepatrick Nimox, two.

The Dawgs, as a team, hit 7-of-13 (53.8 percent) in free throws.

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JUNIOR VARSITY

FC 36, TYLERTOWN 27

While Tylertown held a 14-13 first-half lead, Franklin County’s junior varsity boys basketball team came back to outlast the JV Chiefs, 23-13, after intermission on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

The 36-27 victory boosted the JV Dawgs to a 2-0 record on the season.

In the first half of the contest, FC’s Quentin Logan drained a three-pointer and had a field goal to pace the Dawgs with five points.

Johnathan Shell hit a two-pointer and a bonus shot with Derrick Wilson also sinking a field goal and Tyson Windom going 3-of-6 from the free throw line.

The second half saw Logan, Donovan Wilson and Detrick Starks knocking down a single trey apiece with Jailan Hunt dropping in a pair of two-pointers.

Derrick Wilson and Windom both sank a single field goal each down the stretch with Wilson going 3-of-4 on free throws and Windom hitting 1-of-3.

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UPCOMING GAMES

The Bulldogs will play in a pair of road contests — at McComb on Tuesday, Nov. 29 and at Brookhaven on Friday, Dec. 2 — after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Franklin County is then scheduled to travel to face Morton on Tuesday, Dec. 6 before returning home on Friday, Dec. 9 to face Loyd Star.