2024 Lighthouse Classic
Day 2 Recap
The stats are provided by Blake Long and his Northeast MS CC crew. They are the best in the business at keeping stats and can’t be thanked enough for the great job that they do.
Lighthouse Classic
Saturday November 30, 2024
From Corinth HS
Corinth, MS
(B) Alcorn Central Bears 3-3 (3A Glen, MS) 72
Hamilton Lions 3-2 (2A Hamilton, MS) 47
Notes: We can start this section with Wilson McDonald (6-2 ’26 G Alcorn Central). He was only able to manage 6 steals in this game. Yeah, I know that is really a lot but since he snagged 7 in 2022 and 9 in 2023 we thought he was going to hit 10 this year. In fact, he had 5 steals at the half. He did score a very efficient 24 points. College coaches, he needs to be seen and should be on every juco radar in the state. He can play and he continues to prove it.
Now on to Chris “Scooter” Willis (6-2 ’27 G Hamilton). I said in the post game interview that I think he is the best small school player since DJ Stewart of Riverside and I firmly believe that. This guy can go. He scores easily on all levels and can also make next level passes. He just has that “it” factor that shines when he’s on and off the court. He has potential to be a HM player but I can also see him going to a MM program and being All-Conference early in his career as the go-to guy on his team. I’m excited to watch him develop over the next couple years to see just exactly how high he can go. I was trying to find a good comparison for him of the recent players we are familiar with and I was kinda thinking he’s Ja’Borri McGhee 2.0. He’s very similar to the UAB star with his game, athletic ability and skill set. He is a MUST SEE talent in our state. STOP SLEEPING ON HIM!
Alcorn Central (traveled 6 miles) 72
’25’s
Matt Oaks 5-9 G 7 pts 1 three 6 reb 8 ast 2 st
JT Potts 6-3 F 9 pts 2 reb 2 blk
’26’s
Wilson McDonald 6-2 G 24 pts 9-15 FG 2 3’s 6 reb 2 ast 1 blk 6 st
Jayse Johnson 6-0 G/F 2 pts 1 reb 3 ast 1 blk
Dylan Davis 6-3 F 17 pts 6-7 FG 4-4 3’s 7 reb
’27’s
Ty Whitten 5-10 G 10 pts 4-6 FG 2-2 3’s 2 reb 2 ast 2 st
Eli Kirkland 5-11 G 5 reb 3 ast 1 st
Hamilton (traveled 99 miles) 47
’25’s
Jayden Troupe 6-2 G/F 5 pts 6 reb 1 ast 1 st
’26’s
Myles Self 6-2 G/F 4 pts 6 reb 1 ast
’27’s
Seth Burnett 6-0 F 7 pts 7 reb
Chris “Scooter” Willis 6-2 G 29 pts 5 3’s 7 reb 2 ast 2 blk 2 st
Lighthouse Classic MVP
Wilson McDonald
Alcorn Central
6-2 ’26 G
24 pts 9-15 FG 2 3’s 6 reb 2 ast 1 blk 6 st
(B) Trinity Christian Academy Lions 4-1 (II-A Jackson, TN) 69
Wenonah Dragons 4-4 (5A Birmingham, AL) 55
Notes: What caught my eye here was Kaleb Williams (6-2 ’25 G TCA). This cat can play and the only offers he holds are track offers??? How are we missing out on these kids like this. He has good size for a point with length and he runs track so you know he has the speed to match it. Coaches please check him out, he will do your program good. They also have a big shot maker in Zack Niven (6-7 ’26 G TCA). He knocked down 4 3’s and will be worth checking out while you are there trying to offer Kaleb.
TCA (traveled 64 miles) 69
’25’s
Kaleb Williams 6-2 G 22 pts 10-15 FG 2 3’s 3 reb 5 ast 1 blk 2 st
Drake Craddock 5-11 G 7 pts 1 three 4 reb
Brayden Waller 6-3 G 11 pts 5-8 FG 8 reb 5 ast 2 st
Cole Craddock 5-11 G 2 pts 3 reb 2 ast
’26’s
Gabriel Lee 6-1 G 9 pts 1 three 2-2 ft 3 reb 5 ast 1 st
Zack Niven 6-7 G 16 pts 4 3’s 2-2 ft 3 reb 2 ast 2 blk 1 st
Wenonah (traveled 170 miles) 55
’25’s
J’Sean Bailey 6-3 G 5 pts 6 reb 5 ast 1 blk 3 st
Isaiah Jackson 6-2 G 8 pts 4-6 FG 3 reb
Korey Floyd 6-4 F 5 pts 5 reb 2 ast 2 st
’27’s
Devontae Penn 5-8 G 7 pts 1 three 4 reb
Brendon Davis 6-4 G 23 pts 2 3’s 7 reb 3 ast 1 st
Lighthouse Classic MVP
Kaleb Williams
TCA
6-2 ’25 G
22 pts 10-15 FG 2 3’s 3 reb 5 ast 1 blk 2 st
Lighthouse Classic Challenge Consolation Game
(B) Winston-Salem Christian Lions 9-2 (Winston-Salem, NC) 85
Hamilton Heights Christian Academy Hawks 5-2 (Chattanooga, TN) 76
Notes: What got my attention in this game was a battle between Vito Perkovic (6-10 ’25 F Hamilton Heights) and Alex Pissis (6-5 ’25 G Winston-Salem Christian). This was a battle of two full grown men going at each other.
Hamilton Heights (traveled 225 miles) 76
’25’s
Christopheur Munyika 6-5 G 9 pts 3 reb 1 ast
Vito Perkovic 6-10 F 23 pts 9-14 FG 5-8 3’s 6 reb 3 ast 1 st
’26’s
BJ Bradford 6-0 G 22 pts 4 3’s 4 reb 4 ast 2 st
Reid Conley 6-0 PG 9 pts 1 three 3 reb 3 ast 1 st
Bosah Onwuta 6-9 F/C 2 pts 9 reb 1 st
Valliance Luketa 6-2 PG 11 pts 3-5 3’s 3 reb 6 ast 1 st
Winston-Salem Christian (traveled 596 miles) 85
’25’s
Alex Pissis 6-5 G 13 pts 2 3’s 5 reb 3 ast 2 st
Darnerian Gibson 5-7 PG 5 pts 3-4 ft 1 reb 3 ast 3 st
Nayte Spargo 6-9 F 8 pts 3-5 FG 2 3’s 3 reb 1 ast 2 blk
’26’s
Bradley Floyd 6-5 G 5 pts 4 reb 2 ast 1 blk 3 st
Elton James 6-8 G/F 14 pts 7-10 FG 3 reb 1 ast 1 st
Tyson Thompson 6-9 F 13 pts 6-6 FG 5 reb 1 ast 2 blk 1 st
’27’s
Josiah Johnson Freeman 6-5 SG 11 pts 3-4 ft 4 reb 3 ast 1 blk 2 st
Lighthouse Classic MVP
Elton James
Winston-Salem Christian
6-8 ’26 G/F
14 pts 7-10 FG 3 reb 1 ast 1 st
Lighthouse Classic Challenge Championship Game
(B) Moravian Prep Lions 6-0 (Hudson, NC) 82
DME Academy 8-2 (Sunshine Independent Daytona Beach, FL) 65
Notes: Buckle your seat belts for this wild ride. This was the game of the weekend? You had the battle of two OTE guys going at it in Eli Ellis (6-1 ’25 PG Moravian Prep) and Mikel Brown Jr. (6-4 ’25 PG DME). It was intense and electric from the tip. It had plenty of trash talking, pushing, shoving and hard nosed play. These two teams went after each other. They had the near scuffle during the half and that seemed to really fire DME up but it wasn’t enough for the comeback win.
Moravian Prep (traveled 490 miles) 82
’25’s
Abu Yarmah 6-7 G/F 10 pts 2 3’s 2-2 ft 4 reb 1 ast 2 blk 2 st
Eli Ellis 6-1 PG 33 pts 1 three 12-16 ft 6 reb 6 ast 4 st
Hayden Assemian 6-7 G/F 11 pts 5-8 FG 15 reb 1 ast 2 blk 2 st
’26’s
Isaac Ellis 6-1 PG 14 pts 2-2 ft 5 reb 5 ast 1 st
Kohl Rosario 6-5 G 14 pts 6-9 FG 2 3’s 7 reb 1 blk 1 st
DME Academy (traveled 711 miles) 65
’25’s
Mikel Brown Jr. 6-4 PG 16 pts 2 3’s 4-5 ft 5 reb 4 ast
Robert Lewis Simpson III 6-7 F 9 pts 1 three 2-2 ft 11 reb 1 ast 1 blk 1 st
Eishun Naito 6-2 PG 10 pts 4-6 FG 2-2 3’s 3 reb 2 ast 1 st
’26’s
Nathan Kirk 6-0 PG 18 pts 8-15 FG 2 reb 5 ast 1 st
Chrinovic Kitenge 6-5 F 9 pts 2 3’s 3-4 ft 3 reb 1 ast 2 st
Lighthouse Classic MVP
Eli Ellis
Moravian Prep
6-1 ’25 PG
33 pts 1 three 12-16 ft 6 reb 6 ast 4 st
Lighthouse Classic Challenge Champs
Moravian Prep
(B) Ramsay Rams 6-5 (5A Birmingham, AL) 48
Southwind Jaguars 3-2 (4A Memphis, TN) 47
Notes: This game was you typical Memphis Metro vs Birmingham Metro defensive dawg fight. Both of these teams played with great defensive intensity. This game didn’t technically come down to who hits the last shot but who has the last defensive stop. Cameron Ruffin (6-1 ’25 SG Ramsay) hit the three with :19 seconds remaining to give Ramsay the lead and the Rams were able to provide the defensive stop at the end to hang on to the victory.
Southwind (traveled 79 miles) 47
’25’s
Dallas Berkley 6-1 G 4 pts 1 reb 2 ast 1 blk 1 st
Kristopher Carrol 6-6 G/F 10 pts 4-7 FG 2 3’s 7 reb
’26’s
Austen Price 6-7 F 8 pts 4-4 FG 7 reb 1 ast 2 blk
Ron Towns 5-10 G 14 pts 4 3’s 1 reb 2 ast 1 st
Justin Edwards 6-0 G 5 pts 1 three 3 reb 5 ast 2 st
Kris Smith 6-8 C 2 pts 5 reb 1 ast 3 blk
Ramsay (traveled 165 miles) 48
’25’s
Jayden Williams 6-6 G 7 pts 4 reb 2 ast
Cameron Ruffin 6-1 SG 11 pts 4-6 FG 3-4 3’s 1 reb 1 ast 2 st
’26’s
Jay Green 6-0 PG 15 pts 3-4 ft 5 reb 2 ast 1 blk 2 st
Ethan Thomas 6-6 F 5 pts 4 reb 1 ast
Lighthouse Classic MVP
Jay Green
Ramsay
6-0 ’26 PG
15 pts 3-4 ft 5 reb 2 ast 1 blk 2 st
(B) Huntsville Panthers 9-0 (7A Huntsville, AL) 54
Jackson Academy Raiders 4-1 (MAIS 6A Jackson, MS) 48
Notes: Everybody knows I’m a Mississippi guy but Huntsville is my favorite Alabama team. I always root for my guys to win but JA had a steep hill to climb in this one. I’ll say they climbed the hill pretty well by hanging with the nationally ranked Rocket City Panthers. This game was tied around the 2 minute mark and Huntsville was able to pull away with the victory. Huntsville is loaded with talent and college players. The coaching staff is top notch. I would love to see them play Hoover this season.
For JA, their coaching staff did an amazing job as well as they players executing on the court. They out rebounded the much larger team. Austin Richards (6-6 ’27 SF JA) got my attention for JA with his double-double against the much larger opponent. He is a long, lanky prospect with really good potential in the next few years.
Jackson Academy (traveled 235 miles) 48
’25’s
Caleb Gaitor 5-10 PG 12 pts 2 3’s 3 reb 3 ast 1 st
Kendell Davis 6-2 F 2 pts 4 reb 5 ast 1 st
’26’s
Marcus Goodloe 5-10 SG 9 pts 3 3’s 4 reb 1 st
Tyler Lyles 6-2 SF 7 pts 3-4 ft 6 reb 1 st
’27’s
Austin Richards 6-6 SF 14 pts 4-6 FG 1 three 5-7 ft 10 reb 2 ast 3 st
Huntsville (traveled 121 miles) 51
’25’s
Simon Walker 6-5 G 11 pts 1 three 4 reb 2 ast 1 blk 2 st
Brayden Rivers 6-7 G 8 pts 2-2 ft 4 reb 2 ast 3 blk
John David “JD” Gossett 6-5 G 10 pts 3-4 FG 4 reb 2 ast 1 blk 3 st
Josh Bowman 6-9 F 19 pts 7-12 FG 5-6 ft 6 reb 1 ast 4 blk 1 st
’27’s
Hudson Gossett 6-0 PG 3 pts 1 three 3 reb 2 ast
Lighthouse Classic MVP
Josh Bowman
Huntsville
6-9 ’25 F
19 pts 7-12 FG 5-6 ft 6 reb 1 ast 4 blk 1 st
(B) Booneville Blue Devils 8-2 (3A Booneville, MS) 60
Evangelical Christian School Eagles 0-3 (II-A Cordova, TN) 45
Notes: Booneville looked really good in this game with the outside shooting of Elijah Dukes (6-7 ’26 G/F Booneville) and Kedrick Simmons (6-7 ’25 G/F Booneville). They connected on 10 three’s for the Blue Devils. Dalton Jackson (6-0 ’25 PG Booneville) looked really good in his double-double with 10 dimes. A few of them come on alleys to Simmons.
Booneville (traveled 22 miles) 60
’25’s
Dalton Jackson 6-0 PG 10 pts 2-2 ft 2 reb 10 ast 2 st
Kedrick Simmons 6-7 G/F 24 pts 5 3’s 3 reb 2 ast 2 blk 1 st
Jekemry Bell 6-2 G 2 pts 5 reb 1 ast
’26’s
Elijah Dukes 6-7 G/F 20 pts 5-7 3’s 8 reb 1 ast 1 blk 1 st
ECS (traveled 88 miles) 45
’25’s
Nick Owens 5-10 G 10 pts 4-7 FG 2 3’s 2 ast 1 st
Ryan Scott 6-3 G 10 pts 1 three 5-8 ft 3 reb 3 ast 1 st
Mike Wilson 6-5 F 11 pts 1 three 2-2 ft 8 reb 1 ast
’26’s
Nick Scher 5-8 G 3 reb 4 ast 1 st
’27’s
Knox Bourland 6-3 F 7 pts 3-5 FG 1 three 5 reb
Lighthouse Classic MVP
Elijah Dukes
Booneville
6-7 ’26 G/F
20 pts 5-7 3’s 8 reb 1 ast 1 blk 1 st
(B) Madison Academy Mustangs 3-3 (4A Madison, AL) 61
Corinth Warriors 0-2 (5A Corinth, MS) 45
Notes: Corinth had a daunting task of playing Alabama perennial powers on back-to-back nights. The Warriors began the season learning early lessons from the competitors from across the border.
It was also great seeing Coach Tom Berryman on the high school sidelines. He has been in the college ranks and will now lead Mustangs. He will do great with this team down the road.
Corinth (home team) 45
’25’s
Cayden Harris 6-0 G 19 pts 1 three 2-2 ft 6 reb 1 ast 2 st
’26’s
Braedyn Buress 6-2 F 13 pts 4-7 FG 1 three 4 reb 1 ast 2 st
Preston Crump 6-3 F 4 pts 8 reb 3 ast 1 st
Xavier Young 5-10 G 9 pts 3-5 FG 3-4 ft 4 reb 1 blk 2 st
’27’s
Jamir Barton 5-11 G 3 reb 1 ast 1 blk 2 st
Madison Academy (traveled 112 miles) 61
’25’s
JR Howard 6-4 F 8 pts 3-4 FG 2 3’s 3 reb 1 ast 2 st
Tony Wilson 6-2 G 12 pts 5-8 FG 2 3’s 7 reb 5 ast 1 st
Gianssen Valdez 6-0 PG 13 pts 4-7 FG 3-5 3’s 2-2 ft 3 reb 5 ast 1 blk 2 st
Bryce Curtis 6-0 G 12 pts 6-9 FG 2 reb 1 ast 1 st
Shane Duke 6-4 F 7 pts 2 reb 1 st
’27’s
Tahj Phillips 6-2 G 6 pts 4 reb 1 ast
Lighthouse Classic MVP
Gianssen Valdez
Madison Academy
6-0 ’25 PG
13 pts 4-7 FG 3-5 3’s 2-2 ft 3 reb 5 ast 1 blk 2 st
Magnolia Hoops 