BAY SPRINGS – Finish what we started.
These were the four words Dillon Johnson and his St. Joseph Catholic School teammates used to motivate themselves moments before the MAIS Class 2A State Championship game began Saturday night inside the gymnasium of Sylva-Bay Academy.
Johnson began playing basketball for the Fighting Irish as an eighth grader. On Saturday night, after five years of steady improvement, Johnson and his teammates finished as state champions, the first boys basketball state title in school history.
On Saturday night in front of a hostile crowd, St. Joseph controlled the championship game from the tip as they cruised to a 64-43 victory.
“Each year we progressed and got better, and we just wanted to finish,” said Johnson. “This title is such a blessing. I cannot describe how much this victory means.”
The victory earns Johnson and the Fighting Irish his fourth state title in the last three seasons. In November, Johnson and his dynamic duo teammate Trey Benson, helped the Fighting Irish cruise to their third straight state championship. Benson and Johnson have both signed Division 1 scholarships to play football next season. Johnson is headed to Mississippi State. Benson is headed to the University of Oregon.
Because of Johnson’s recent and career accomplishments on the basketball floor, he has been named both the Delta Democrat-Times Player of the Year and the Planters Bank Player of the Week.
Johnson led St. Joseph with 22 points in the championship game. Freshman Jerrian King scored 16 points. Sophomore Mekhi Norris scored 14, and Trey Benson scored nine.
St. Joseph (20-5) head basketball coach James Hunter said the championship pedigree of players like Johnson and Benson was apparent in their victory Saturday.
“Our kids came out thirsty for blood,” Coach Hunter said “They came out really excited, and I told them before the ball game they have been in championship games before so they have the advantage. They came out and showed why they are champions. I did not see any nerves.”
The Fighting Irish came out on fire Saturday. Johnson scored the game’s first five points, and then junior Mekhi Norris added a bucket to put the Irish up 7-0.
The Saints did manage to keep up with the Irish for the rest of the first quarter and only trailed by two points, 12-10, going into the second period. However, St. Joe opened the second quarter on a 13-2 run and then led by double digits for the remainder of the game.
Along with the steady play of upperclassmen like Benson, Johnson, Kaleb Lockett and Norris, St. Joseph freshmen C.J. Moore, Donnie Smith and Jerrian King also proved that the stage was not too big for them.
“Those freshmen are the next big thing for St. Joe,” Johnson said “They are hard workers and are dedicated to the game. I can’t say enough about them.”
Coach Hunter also gave special thanks to the many Irish fans who made the three-plus hor trip to Bay Springs to help St. Joseph capture the title.
The Fighting Irish’s season ended on Monday with a 50-44 loss to Presbyterian Christian in the first round of the MAIS overall state tournament at Mississippi College.
