Canton girls fall in 5A title game
Canton girls basketball saw their season come to an end in heartbreaking fashion for the second year in a row, falling 51-49 in the MHSAA 5A state championship game against Pontotoc.
After falling to Laurel in last year’s 5A state title game by four points, it was heartbreak once again for the Lady Tigers, as they have now lost the last two 5A state championship games by a combined six points.
“Even though it’s tough to lose two years in a row, a lot of people never even get to this point, so I’m so proud of our team for what they have done this season,” Canton Head Coach Melissa Word said. “It’s a sad feeling, but I know we have the nucleus to come back and get here again.”
Canton put forth a phenomenal effort in this one, despite coming up just short in the end. The Lady Tigers put themselves in position to win in the fourth quarter multiple different times, but fell short in the end.
“One thing about us is that this group has never quit from beginning to end,” Word said. “I’m just as proud of these kids as I can be for these kids and their effort this season.”
Even with the loss, it was a phenomenal performance for Canton, including from 5A Ms. Basketball winner Shamira Morton, who scored 22 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in the loss, despite facing double and triple teams in the paint throughout the entire game.
“She has been the rock of our team all season,” Word said. “She has always been a leader, I know she is going to continue to work hard.”
Morton, only a junior, will be a critical piece for Canton going into next season, as the school will transition to Class 6A for the 2025-2026 year. Morton will enter next season as one of the state’s top basketball recruits and overall players, as she already holds offers from schools like Auburn, SMU, Southern Miss, Memphis, and Jackson State.
Despite the loss, Canton finished with a 26-6 record, along with a perfect 10-0 record in region play. The Lady Tigers were dominant against 5A competition and that showed throughout region play and even into the first two rounds of the state tournament.
This Canton team was on the younger side and had a number of new faces on the roster this season in comparison to last year’s state runner-up team, which is a promising sign for the future of the program.
“We’re going to get in the lab, get stronger, and work on the little things for the players we have coming back,” Word said. “Even with players we have coming back, we are going to have some younger players step up into key roles next year, so just getting back to work will be key.”
Canton will return a number of key players next season and the Lady Tigers will look to get back in position to win a state title next season, as they transition to 6A.
Cutline: Shamira Morton meets three defenders at the basket in Canton's 51-49 loss to Pontotoc in the MHSAA 5A state championship game.