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Bogue Chitto’s Shomari Jenkins (0) shoots against Ingomar during MHSAA Class 2A Boys Basketball Finals (Photo by Bob Smith)

Bogue Chitto’s Shomari Jenkins (0) breaks the trap against Ingomar during MHSAA Class 2A Boys Basketball Finals (Photo by Bob Smith)

Bogue Chitto’s Shomari Jenkins (0) shoots against Ingomar during MHSAA Class 2A Boys Basketball Finals (Photo by Bob Smith)

Bogue Chitto’s Shakell Jenkins (1) shoots against Ingomar during MHSAA Class 2A Boys Basketball Finals (Photo by Bob Smith)

Bogue Chitto’s Randy Crisper (13) shoots against Ingomar during MHSAA Class 2A Boys Basketball Finals (Photo by Bob Smith)

The fourth quarter would be the one that wrote the story for Bogue Chitto in the MHSAA 2A boys’ basketball championship Friday at the Mississippi Coliseum.

The Bobcats had been in control of the game for the first two and a half quarters, leading 26-21 at halftime and by six midways through the third quarter, but a chaotic close to that quarter put Ingomar High even with the Bobcats at 35-35 heading into the final eight minutes of action.

The fourth was a see-saw battle with the teams, both known throughout the state for small school basketball excellence, trading the lead.

The Bobcats went ahead 46-45 with 17.8 seconds remaining on a layup boy sophomore forward Tripp McCaffrey.

The Falcons from Ingomar responded with a possession that saw them go inside to senior forward Jack Denton. Denton scored in the paint and was fouled. He made his free throw to put Ingomar up 48-46.

A last second game-winning 3-point attempt by Bogue Chitto fell short, setting off a massive celebration amongst the Ingomar side of the “Big House.”

Ingomar head coach Jonathan Ashley had touted Denton’s strength after the Falcons beat Bay Springs in the semifinals and his work on the boards was a difference as he pulled down 15 rebounds to go with 11 points.

Ingomar didn’t gain its first lead until there was 5:30 remaining in the game when Charles Faulkner hit a 3-pointer that put his team ahead 39-37.

The Falcons then went increased that advantage to 41-37, but the Bobcats pulled back within two on a Noah Magee layup that came on an assist by junior guard Devonta “Bam” Thompson.

Senior guard Shomari Jenkins hit a corner 3-poointer that put the Bobcats back up 42-41, setting of a roar from the Bobcat faithful on the west side of the stands.

Jenkins scored a team high 15 points for the Bobcats and was the only Bobcat to hit double figures. Magee finished with nine points, Thompson scored eight points, McCaffrey scored eight points and Randy Crisler scored six points and pulled down nine rebounds for the Bobcats.

“We had it and then it just got away from us,” said Jenkins after the game.

A varsity starter since his freshman year, Jenkins has been a huge part of Bogue Chitto ending its season at the “Big House” for the last two seasons. The Bobcats were knocked out of the 2A semifinals last season by Northside High.

“I hate it for all my guys, but for Shomari most,” said BC head coach and alum Marc Howard. “He’s maybe the most passionate kid I’ve ever coached.”

Ingomar got 18 points from Joesph Petty, who was named MVP of the game. Faulkner also hit double figures with 12 points.

Ingomar had more turnovers, committing 18 against 12 for the Bobcats. The Falcons were 3-of-12 from the 3-point line while the Bobcats finished 4-of-21 from deep.

Ingomar last won a state title in 2020 and played in the title game in 2021. The Bobcats last played for a state championship in 1993 and last won a state title in 1952.

The game got physical in the third quarter as is often the case in a state championship, the officials let them play. Ingomar was whistled for 12 fouls in the game and BC was called for 11 fouls.

“They put their whistles in their pockets for a long time, but then we got what I felt like was a bad call on that go-ahead basket,” said Howard. The game winner by Denton was called a block, but the BC fan base felt it should have been a charge on the Falcons big man.

Ingomar shot .46 percent from the floor while the Bobcats shot .35 percent from the floor.

The win gave the Falcons from Ingomar two state championships on the day as their girls’ team beat their rivals from New Site handily in the girls’ title game.

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