(This is a column of opinion by Curtis Rockwell, Sports Director for SouthMiss6 Sports)

JACKSON — In all likelihood, the Class 6A girls’ state basketball championship was decided here at The Mississippi Coliseum a little before seven o’clock Wednesday night..

I mean, sure, Neshoba Central still has one game left to play against Terry on Saturday afternoon to make it official, but at this point that seems to be just a formality.

In a Clash of Titans, the Lady Rockets knocked off Hancock 48-30 here at The Big House in the Class 6A Final Four Semifinal round in a battle of perennial state powers.

Both teams came into this highly anticipated match-up standing at 30-1 overall, and no matter what happens Saturday in the title tilt these are the two best Class 6A girls basketball teams in the state of Mississippi this season.

It would have been fitting if the brackets would have cooperated and this one would have been the finals pairings on Saturday. But instead, Hancock and NCHS met in the semifinal with a trip to the title tilt on the line, and with the win the Lady Rockets are a prohibitive and heavy favorite to beat Terry Saturday and pick up its second state crown in three seasons as well as its third crown in seven years.

The game was decided in a furious 10-0 run for NCHS to end the first half. The Lady Rockets trailed 14-11 with right around three minutes to go in the second stanza, but they closed the quarter on a 10-0 run that ended with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from deep in the left corner by Kylie Truss to make it 21-14 as the squads headed into the old and antiquated locker rooms here at halftime.

Hancock committed nine crucial turnovers in the first half, including seven steals by NCHS. The Lady Rockets controlled the boards as well, with 21 total rebounds that created numerous second-chance shots including that dagger by Lee to end the second period which was actually the third shot on that trip down the court by NCHS. 

Hancock hurt itself also, repeatedly missing clean lay-ups as well as being off target on a few 3-pointers in the larger arena that usually would fall for the Lady Hawks in most high school gyms.

Hancock did not make a field goal in the decisive second stanza, as NCHS outscored them 12-5 in the period after finishing the opening period knotted up at 9-9.

The short-rimmed shots continued to be an issue as the second half unfolded for Hancock, but by then the Lady Rockets weren’t having the same issues as the rally to end the first half spilled over to start the second half.

“We missed a lot of a shots we normally make,” Hancock veteran head coach Jamie Sisco said. “I think the backdrop may have affected us, but it was the same for them. I just know what the percentages were for us.”

Caitlyn Lee drilled a 3-pointer for the Lady Rockets right off the bat to start the third frame, and NCHS had its first double-digit lead at 24-14. Another quick pair of field goals by NCHS doubled up the Lady Hawks at 28-14 less than 90 seconds into the second half and wrapped up a 17-0 run. And Hancock was only able to cut the deficit to single digits once, at 33-24, the rest of the way.

The presence of Anslee James was missed heavily by Hancock Wednesday night. The junior standout, arguably the second most vital cog in the powerful Hancock attack on both ends of the court, was injured in the first week of the new year in early January with less than two minutes to play in a big win over Biloxi.

The knee injury ended her season early for the second straight season, and she could have been a key factor in Wednesday’s loss. She would have been invaluable on the boards and definitely against the Lady Rockets, as well as helping out offensively in the lane and from the perimeter.

Hancock only lost two games in 32 outings this season, but both came after the injury to James. A lay-up by senior standout Brooklyn Cuevas with just :36 seconds to play in the season finale gave Hancock its final count of 30 points, the lowest of the season for the Lady Hawks.

In fact, it marked just the second time Hancock had scored less than 40 points all season long.

The Lady Hawks came into the contest Wednesday with dreams of capturing the first state championship in 20 years for the program. But, it wasn’t meant to be.

An outstanding season ended with yet another solid effort by the Lady Hawks, but it came in a losing effort. The Big House has been the burial ground for many title dreams for prep hoops squad over the past 50 years or so, and it proved to be just that for Hancock on Wednesday night.

(This is a column of opinion by Curtis Rockwell, Sports Director for SouthMiss6 Sports)