Germantown girls, Northwest Rankin boys win 6A state championship

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - The highly anticipated battle for Rankin County ended with the golden ball travelling to the north side of I-20, as Northwest Rankin defeated Brandon 66-52 in the Class 6A Boys’ State Championship Saturday night.

Despite losing both games in the regular season to the Bulldogs, the Cougars won when it counted. Senior guard Brendan Brown led the Cougars with 20 points, and was named the game MVP.

“It feels good, it’s a once in a lifetime feeling,” Brown said of the win. “It ain’t going to come around no more. You know, we never had all of our people when we played them, and this time we had all of our people, and it felt like they just couldn’t keep up with us. This was the battle of Rankin County, so it was big, and now we own Rankin County.”

The championship is the first boys’ basketball title in Northwest Rankin history.

Earlier in the evening, another local team won its first state championship, as the Germantown girls’ basketball team defeated Tupelo 64-43.

Maverick senior forward, and Texas Longhorn commit, Madison Booker, recorded a double-double, with 26 points and 12 rebounds.

Two seasons ago, the Mavericks lost by just four points in the title game, falling to Olive Branch 66-62.

“I’ve been here at Germantown since the school’s been open,” said head coach Jamie Glasgow. “From the first year we started to this year, we’ve come a long way.”

Booneville High School swept the 3A championships, with the girls’ defeated Forest 58-31, and the boys defeating Southeast Lauderdale 70-51.

After the loss, Forest head coach Teont Boyd called the game a lesson for his players.

“We never got a rhythm started, and once we did, it was a little too late,” he said. “I mean, first time [playing in the championship] in 24 years, so I’m proud of them; I mean, that’s what I told them. In life, it’s going to have adversity... you’re going to have times where things don’t go right. How you bounce back from it though, that’s the life lesson.”

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