Basketball Recap: Northwest Rankin's Victory on Thursday Extends Winning Streak to Three

After losing to Neshoba Central the last time they met, Northwest Rankin decided to demonstrate that turnabout is fair play. The Cougars snuck past the Rockets with a 53-48 win on Thursday. The victory was just business as usual for the Cougars, who after three games remain undefeated this season.

Malia McCelleis

Rebounds (Career)

11/06/25 @ Neshoba Central	7
11/08/24 vs Foley	6
11/07/24 vs Murphy	6
12/20/24 vs Meridian	5
12/17/24 @ Petal	5

Northwest Rankin's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Malia McCelleis, who posted 15 points along with seven rebounds and six steals. Those seven boards gave McCelleis a new career-high. Jordyn Crumedy was another key player, putting up 13 points and eight rebounds.

Northwest Rankin smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 19 offensive boards. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Neshoba Central only pulled down 11 offensive rebounds.

Despite the loss, Neshoba Central had strong showings from Kyli Truss, who scored 15 points and five boards, and Shastyn Lewis, who earned six points in addition to eight rebounds and four steals. Truss is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in each of the last 12 games she's played dating back to last season. Another player making a difference was Kaleigh Moore, who put up ten points.

Northwest Rankin's win bumped their record up to 3-0. As for Neshoba Central, their defeat was their fourth straight at home dating back to last season, which dropped their record down to 1-1.

Northwest Rankin has already played their next contest, a 61-23 victory against Germantown on the 13th. As for Neshoba Central, they also didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next matchup, an 84-19 win against Jefferson Davis County on the 8th.