Basketball is back, North Mississippi. Clear a few more nights on the calendar.
Tuesday, November 3, opened the MHSAA regular season, and the first results already gave fans in Ecru, Mooreville and Jumpertown something to talk about. North Pontotoc delivered a sweep. Mooreville’s boys started with a win. Mantachie and Jumpertown split their games with two decisive performances.
Now comes the part basketball fans have been waiting for: a winter of hometown matchups, new players earning their minutes and teams finding out how far they can go. The road to March starts in these local gyms, one possession and one game at a time.
North Pontotoc gave its home crowd two wins to start the season. The Vikings beat Nettleton 63–55 in the boys game, while North Pontotoc’s girls won 51–28. The eight-point boys margin was the tighter finish, with the girls completing their opener with a 23-point victory.
Mooreville’s boys also started on the winning side, defeating visiting Ingomar 57–38. The Troopers’ 19-point win put them at 1–0 and sent the Falcons into their next game looking for their first victory.
At Jumpertown, Mantachie’s girls wasted little time building a lead. The Lady Mustangs outscored the Cardinals 23–5 in the opening quarter and led 38–13 at halftime. Another 22-point quarter after the break pushed the advantage to 60–18 entering the fourth, and Mantachie finished with a 68–24 road win.
Jumpertown took control in the boys game. The Cardinals led Mantachie 16–7 after one quarter and 28–10 at halftime, holding the Mustangs to five points in each of the final two periods to close out a 50–20 victory.
Those first wins matter. So does what happens after them. November gives coaches time to find the right combinations and gives players a chance to turn an opportunity into a role. For teams that opened with a loss, the next game brings another chance to get moving.
The MHSAA calendar sets February 6 as the regular-season finish, with the state championship rounds scheduled for March 1–6. There is a full winter between opening night and that final week, and plenty of basketball to be played before anyone earns a place there.
NMSN’s basketball broadcast season will begin at the conclusion of the football playoffs. Once the football postseason wraps up, North Mississippi Sports Network will turn its live coverage to the hardwood. Keep watching WatchNMSN.com for the basketball broadcast lineup.
In the meantime, follow your school through NMSN’s basketball hub, with team schedules and available current-season rosters in one place. Pick out the next matchup, make plans with your people and get behind the boys and girls representing your community.
The season is here. Let’s fill the gyms.
