Hounds go 2-0 in tourney, win ninth straight

BOYS HOOPS

  • Marlin Mills brings the ball up the floor against Luella in Thursday’s final day of the Morris Bank Christmas Tournament. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
    Marlin Mills brings the ball up the floor against Luella in Thursday’s final day of the Morris Bank Christmas Tournament. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
  • Jaden Stanley beats Luella to the baseline for a second-half layup. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
    Jaden Stanley beats Luella to the baseline for a second-half layup. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
  • Jaleel Jordan splits Luella’s defensive alignment to drive toward the basket. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
    Jaleel Jordan splits Luella’s defensive alignment to drive toward the basket. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
  • Kaden Douglas waits for the right time to feed the ball inside. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
    Kaden Douglas waits for the right time to feed the ball inside. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
  • Tyler Wold fights off a pair of Lions to hold onto a defensive rebound. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
    Tyler Wold fights off a pair of Lions to hold onto a defensive rebound. BRAD HARRISON/Staff

    As the curtain fell on the 2023 Morris Bank Christmas Tournament on Thursday night, the Greyhounds walked away from the JCHS gymnasium with a pair of wins to run their winning streak to nine in a row.

    That’s not to say it was not heartburn-inducing. After running their offense at a high level early to lead 44-29 at the half, the Lions slowly made the game closer in the end, getting within single digits in the fourth quarter before big shots by Jaden Stanley, Kaden Douglas and Jaleel Jordan as well as gutsy free throws by Tyler Wold near the end locked up a 75-68 win.

    Greyhounds head coach Buck Harris didn’t need to think hard when it came to what may have been the turning point.

    When Harris was hit with a third-quarter technical foul, it seemed to stem Jones County’s momentum, and the Lions took advantage.

    “I got that technical foul, and I think the momentum changed. It was definitely at the wrong time. I was trying to get onto (Douglas), and the ref thought something different and he issued me a tech,” Harris said. “I’ve got to be more careful. I think once I got that tech, the momentum shifted a little bit and they kind of went on a run.”

    Douglas ended up leading the Hounds with 27 points with 20 coming from Stanley with Wold not only having eight points but 10 rebounds as well.

    “We got exposed in some areas that we need to work on in terms of taking care of the ball and breaking the press,” Harris said.

    JCHS opened the tournament on Wednesday by leaning on its perimeter game, hitting six three pointers in the second half on the way to a 72-53 win. Douglas, who had three of them, led with 21 points with Stanley chipping in 13 and Wold adding 16.

    The Greyhounds are off until next Friday in what has turned into a revenge game. They’ll face Houston County, the last team to beat them this season. The Bears won 66-54 on Dec. 1 on Gray.

    “We haven’t been healthy in two or three weeks,” Harris said.

    “For us to put some stuff together with the guys we have, it’s been huge and a total team effort. We need this break. Some guys need to heal up and get better. This break will do us some good.”