In front of a packed home gymnasium, the O’Bannon High School boys basketball team defeated Greenville High School 77-68 Saturday night. It was the first victory for the Greenwaves over the Hornets since 2019, and O’Bannon head coach Torrione Carter said the victory over their crosstown rival means even more than just bragging rights.
The Greenwaves (5-5) win over Greenville came a day after the Greenwaves defeated Leflore County in their first district game of the season. O’Bannon is now on a 3-game winning streak heading into its big road game against Coahoma County Tuesday night.
“The key to our win over Greenville was playing consistent and hustling,” Coach Carter said. “I just think we wanted it more. This game gives us a lot of confidence knowing that we can play a Class 5A school and come out on top.”
The Class 2A Greewaves took control of Saturday night’s game in the third quarter. The score was tied 32-32 with 6:38 left in the third quarter when O’Bannon’s Quinterrius Lovett and Keshawn Kingdom drained back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Waves up 38-32.
Greenville High School (7-9) leading scorer Le’Kinton McNeil Jr. had another strong performance with a game-high 27 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. Hornet De’marion Gibson scored 16 and teammate Gymanuel Wells scored 13. Isaiah Thomas led Greenville with 11 rebounds.
O’Bannon’s victory Saturday avenged a 75-52 loss the Greenwaves suffered to the Hornets back on Nov. 12 at the start of this season.
“I knew we could compete with them because in our loss to them in November we had only a day and a half to prepare for that game,” Coach Carter said. “The kids on our team listen and they hustle and that is all you can ask of them.”
O’Bannon led by at least five points the entire fourth quarter.
Coach Carter credited his ‘Big 3’ players — Keshawn Kingdom, LeKedric Sutton and Maurice Thorton — for each stepping up Saturday. Kingdom led O’Bannon with 25 points. Thorton scored 16. Sutton scored 11. O’Bannon’s Derrion Dillard added 12 more for the Waves.
In the fourth quarter, Thorton helped seal the victory by scoring seven of his teams last nine points in the final 1:20.
Like the Greenwaves, the Greenville Hornets also came into Saturday’s game after a victory Friday night. The Hornets defeated district foe Lafayette 77-68 Friday in a game where McNeil Jr. led the Hornets with 20 points.
The Hornets are scheduled to travel to Cleveland Central Tuesday night.
