Provine Upsets Lanier In Tourney Final!!!


"NOISE TALKA"

"NOISE TALKA"

Mr. Hatedandloved
PROVINE - 52
LANIER - 38
Class 4-4A Final

:dizzy: :what: :what: :eek: :eek:

I don't know what happened to my boyz. But we all know how rivalry games are. Lanier fell to #18 in the USA Today poll after losing to Provine in the 4-4A Final. I hate i missed the game. lol. I said i was going to wait to see Lanier again in the State Championship. The Rams handled the Bulldogs this time though. Provine had lost to Lanier 4 times this year...all by less than 3 points. smh. The 5th time was a charm. I thought this was an elimination game, but both teams will advance to the North State Tournament. Look for Lanier to KILL from here out. I think the Provine game will serve as an excellent wake up call for the Bulldogs who aren't used to seeing a real challenge on the court. Not IF, but WHEN Provine and Lanier face off again...I WILL BE THERE. lol.
 
February 15, 2003

Provine shocks No. 1 Lanier
r01i.jpg

Lanier hoop star Monta Ellis drives past a Provine defender during Friday night's Division 4-4A Tournament final at Northwest Jackson Middle School.


By Bill Spencer
[email protected]

There may be folks in Mississippi hoops circles who assumed nationally ranked Lanier was invincible inside the state and a lock for a second straight Class 4A state championship.

Don't include the Provine Rams in that group.

Friday night, Provine found a chink in No. 1-ranked Lanier's armor and took full advantage.


Chris Todd / The Clarion-Ledger


Jeff Webb scored 18 points before leaving with a broken nose as the Rams stunned Lanier 52-38 for the Division 4-4A Tournament title at Northwest Jackson Middle School before an estimated 1,200.

Provine, ranked No. 5 in The Clarion-Ledger boys basketball poll, moved to 21-4 and ended Lanier's 39-game winning streak against Mississippi opponents that spanned a year. The Rams also avenged two earlier single-digit losses to the Bulldogs.

Lanier, rated 14th nationally by USA Today, slipped to 27-3.

Both teams advance to Tuesday's North Mississippi 4A playoffs ? Provine hosts Kosciusko and Lanier travels to Noxubee County in an intriguing father-son coaching matchup, Thomas Billups vs. T.J. Billups.

Provine led by as many as 17 points in the first half and built its advantage to 22 in the second half, the last time on Webb's driving lay-in for a 44-22 lead with 6 minutes, 28 seconds remaining.

Webb was injured with 4:42 to play and didn't return. Provine coach Luther Riley visited Webb after the game at a local hospital.

Jeremy Young added 14 points for Provine, while Rams point guard Charlie White was named the tournament MVP.

Provine's game plan wasn't complicated. "It's real simple ? we wanted to play tough defense, allow them one shot, get the rebound and be patient on offense," Riley said. "We didn't want to get into a run-and-gun game. We wanted to set the tempo.

"We played tough man-to-man defense. We didn't play a lot of one-on-one basketball. We played team basketball."

"We wanted to play hard, play smart and play together," White said. "We played a complete game for four quarters. We came out playing hard because they're the No. 1 team in the state."

Lanier never got untracked. Dandy Dozen sophomore Monta Ellis led the Bulldogs with 10 points but also had seven turnovers.

"Tonight, you have to give it up to Provine," Lanier's Billups said. "We didn't run one offensive play. We stood around. At halftime, all I heard were excuses. Provine played some good defense and we got our butt beat. We're not going to lose anymore, though. We're going to win the state championship. I'm going to see to that."
 



"We're not going to lose anymore, though. We're going to win the state championship. I'm going to see to that."
- Billups

Billups is a bigger SH*T TALKA than me. LOL.
 
Lanier just didn't show up. Period! Provine just wanted it more. They used stiffling defense and put on a ridiculous shooting display. They were way more aggressive, and Lanier never got untracked. They had about 6 points in the first period and around 14 or so at half. I've always said that Provine easily had the second best team in the state this season. Lanier fans shouldn't be worried though. Games like this just happen. Billups promised afterward that they'd still win the championship. Everything that could have possibly gone wrong for Lanier did. There was a plethora of missed lay-ups and turnvovers. Monta was the only Lanier player in double digits with 10, and six of those came in the final two minutes on 2 bank shot threes. And he offset those 10 points with 7 turnovers. It was just one of those days for Lanier. They should meet again Saturday in the South State championship.
 
Lanier has great athletes and plays an aggressive style that suits those athletes, but I got the impression they didn't have many pure basketball players. It was only a matter of time before someone forced them to win with something other than dunks and wide-open threes. It was only a matter of time before they faced a team with guards that could not only handle pressure, but apply it as well.


Tha' Vine simply locked that azz down like it was football season. And Luther Riley didn't even need transfers to do it.
:flamethro
 
Originally posted by HBCUs
Lanier has great athletes and plays an aggressive style that suits those athletes, but I got the impression they didn't have many pure basketball players.
Click to expand...

I totally disagree. They have basketball players. I wish that you could see Charles Thomas and Isaac Wells play. (And I won't even mention Monta.) But the other two are true post players. That's becoming rare in big men these days. They usually just wanna hang out on the perimeter and shoot jumpers. But these guys won't to post you up, drop step and tear down the rim. Believe me, they are "athletic" basketball players. Heck, I wouldn't mind Wells coming on over to the yard and playing some tight end!
 
Originally posted by Prodigy
Heck, I wouldn't mind Wells coming on over to the yard and playing some tight end!
Click to expand...


My thoughts exactly.

This may be sad, but when I saw Lanier play I couldn't help thinking about converting some guys to football. I saw corners, safeties, and tight ends..... or maybe that's what I wanted to see.
:cool:

I wish every month were September.
 
Originally posted by HBCUs
This may be sad, but when I saw Lanier play I couldn't help thinking about converting some guys to football. I saw corners, safeties, and tight ends.....
Click to expand...

What's sad is that Lanier's football team is always one of the worst in the city... maybe even the state! Maybe some of the hoopers should go out on the gridiron.

Johnnie Neal send help fast! :lmao:
 
I told ya'll that Provine was going to be the only school in Mississippi to beat Lanier.

RAM CITY!!!!!!
 
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