SOUTH MISS 6 SPORTS

February 25, 2026

Prep Basketball: Hawks fall in overtime to Terry 54-48 Wednesday night

Hancock’s Jaxson Knight surveys the scene vs. Terry Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director
POPLARVILLE — The Hancock boys basketball team gave heavily-favored Terry fits all night Wednesday.
But in the end, the Bulldogs came up with some key turnovers when they had to have them late in regulation and then again in overtime, to slip past the upstart Hawks 54-48 here at Marvin White Coliseum on the campus of Pearl River Community College in the Class 6A South State Quarterfinal round.

Hancock’s Peyton Lee and Terry’s Tyler Lyles scramble for a loose ball Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Hancock’s Max Makoka looks for some working room as Terry’s Kaden Shorts defends Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Hancock’s Kasion Koenenn makes a move towards the lane vs. Terry Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Hancock’s Peyton Lee gains a step on Terry defender Xavion Hawkins Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

The win moves Terry into the overall Class 6A Final Four in Jackson at The Mississippi Coliseum next week, and it signals the end of the season for Hancock which winds up 13-20 overall.
The Hawks took a 41-35 lead mid-way through the fourth frame on a free throw by Jakari Lewis. But Terry closed the game on a 10-4 run that included a 3-pointer by Kamal Wiggins to force the extra session.
Hancock lost the ball twice in the final :40 seconds on turnovers, and a last second heave at the buzzer missed the mark. The Hawks would never lead again.

Hancock’s Peyton Lee ponders his option at mid-court vs. Terry Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

A lay-up by Hawk senior standout Jaxon Knight did tie the game up early in OT at 47-47, but a putback by Kadeden Shorts on the third offensive rebound of the possession by Terry put the Bulldogs up for good at 49-47. A few more turnovers by the Hawks down the stretch and some sketchy free throw shooting by the Bulldogs proved to be just enough for Terry to hold on.

“That’s a good team, but I couldn’t be more proud of my guys.” Hancock head coach Conner Entrekin said. “Nobody in that gym thought we could win this game, nobody thought we could get this far. A group of seniors bought into what we were doing, and the younger guys bought into the seniors.

Hancock’s Jaxson Knight makes a pass vs. Terry Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Hancock’s Jakari Lewis looks for some working roon vs. Terry Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Hancock’s Kaison Koennenn makes a cut towards the basket vs. Terry Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Hancock’s Kaison Koennenn reverses direction vs. Terry Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

“Credit them. They hit a big 3 with under a minute left, and sometimes you just have to tip your hats. I thought we guarded well, I thought we handled the pressure well, I thought we rebounded well; I just thought we played a good game. We had a couple of turnovers at crucial times, but that’s part of the game. Jaxson is a special kid; all of our seniors are special, but he really led by example. He left it all out there tonight.”

Knight tallied a game-high 23 points to lead the Hawks, while both Kaison Koennenn and Max Makoka finished with nine points each for Hancock.
Terry, which moved to 24-8 overall with the win, got 16 points from Shorts and 14 from Wiggins in the winning effort while Tyler Lyles added 11 points.

The Hawks were seven-of-14 from the free throw line, while the Bulldogs were 16-0f-33 from the same spot.