Despite splitting a pair of Region 8-3A contests, the Wildcats remain in second place in the competitive district and nearly found themselves tied for first.
Columbia (6-13, 3-2) survived a nail biter on its home floor on senior night against crosstown rival West Marion Jan. 21. The Trojans outhustled the Wildcats early to hold Columbia to just four first-quarter points and went toe-to-toe with Columbia until the very end when the Wildcats pulled away for a 55-51 victory.
Columbia head coach Charlie James said he didn’t think the Wildcats played with any energy against the Trojans, who are yet to win a district game.
“I think we kind of just went through the motions, and we were fortunate enough to get the win,” he said. “I would’ve definitely loved for us to be more assertive than we were. We just didn’t have our focus, but at the end the kids found a way to win. That’s all you can ask for. We made some big shots and some free throws down the stretch to win.”
Jaheim Oatis led the Wildcats with 19 points, while Chandler Carver added 10, Josh Brown nine and Keion Jackson eight. James credited West Marion for playing exceptionally well and making the Wildcats work for a hard-fought win.
While they played less than spirited basketball against West Marion, the Wildcats went on the road Friday night and nearly upset Jeff Davis County that would’ve put them in a virtual tie atop the district standings. However, the Wildcats faltered down the stretch to lose 84-82.
After making a 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter, Columbia held a 70-60 lead, but the Wildcats began to turn the ball over and miss free throws to allow the Jaguars to claw back with a 20-5 run to go up 80-75 going into the final minutes of the game. Columbia did rally back to tie the game at 82-82, but Jeff Davis got the final bucket to seal the comeback.
“My kids fought hard for four quarters, but we just ran out of gas,” James said. “I think that contributed to some of the turnovers. And we missed crucial free throws down the stretch while they were making their run that took some air out of us and kept them going. That one was on us.”
Oatis exploded for 32 points, one point shy of his career high, on 14-of-19 shooting while corralling 12 rebounds, including five offensive.
“He played light on his feet, moved well and did the things I’ve been trying to get him to do all year and it showed for him. When he’s playing like that the other kids feed off him and their games elevate,” James said.
Tyler Quinn followed Oatis with 14 points, and DaQwan Jones added 12 points and seven rebounds. Jackson and Brown each chipped in eight points with Jackson coming up with eight steals and Brown dishing out five assists.
James added that playing Jeff Davis close until the very end, combined with competing with the Jaguars in the previous matchup Jan. 7, shows the Wildcats they are capable of playing with and beating any team in the south of Class 3A. The Jaguars are currently ranked the No. 4 team in the south behind Velma Jackson, St. Andrew’s and Yazoo County.
“Definitely we feel like we can play with them. We just need to do the things that help you win late in games,” James said. “That’s what we’re still learning how to do. Once we do that, I like our chances. The biggest thing is protecting that ball late.”
What really hurt the Wildcats against both Jeff Davis and West Marion was their free throw shooting. They combined to make just 23-of-44 shots from the charity stripe, good for just 52%. James said the Wildcats shoot a ton of free throws in practice and make them in that setting, but he believes it comes down to focus making it translate from the practice gym to games.
While the Wildcats have been patiently waiting for the return of Darius Stewart since he broke his leg the fourth game of the season, James said he’s not sure anymore if the talented wing will return at all this season.
The Wildcats have three games remaining in the regular season, all on the road, beginning with Tylertown Friday night. Columbia will play at Seminary Tuesday and at West Marion Feb. 7.
Pictured Above: Columbia's Chandler Carver scans the floor against West Marion Jan. 21. | Photo by Joshua Campbell
