Mississippi Today

When coach becomes cheerleader, and a sad day turns joyful

Published

2 years ago

March 3, 2023

When coach becomes cheerleader, and a sad day turns joyful

by Rick Cleveland, Mississippi Today
March 3, 2023

Just seconds remained. Louisville’s girls led Pontotoc 36-35. The State Class 4A Championship was the prize. Fans on both sides of Mississippi Coliseum were yelling themselves hoarse. Pontotoc had the ball, holding for the last shot.

Your dutiful reporter glanced up in the Louisville cheering section and there was Biggersville coach Cliff Little stomping his feet, clapping his hands and hollering “DEE-fense” right along with the Louisville fans.

Earlier Thursday afternoon, Little’s own Biggersville team had lost 53-38 to powerhouse Ingomar for the Class 1A championship. Most coaches, having lost the biggest game of the year several hours earlier, would have been long gone from the Big House, probably crying in their beer. You didn’t have to bean intrepid reporter to know there’s had to be a story here.

Back to the game: Pontotoc, playing for the last shot, looks to have a winning layup until Louisville’s MVP, Jacylin Houston, bounds in, leaps high and blocks the shot out of bounds. Seconds later, the final horn sounds and Louisville has won. And now Little really is crying — big ol’ tears of joy.

And, yes, there is a story here. Got a couple minutes?

Fourteen years ago this week, East Webster defeated Durant for the State 1A boys championship. It was Little’s first state title as a coach. He has won four more since. Mitchell McCurry, now the Louisville coach, scored 36 points for East Webster that night.

Turns out, McCurry was much more than Little’s star player and tournament MVP that night 14 years ago. He was more like Little’s son. Still is.

Back to Thursday night: As soon as McCurry had the opportunity amid the postgame celebrating, he trotted over to the sidelines where he and Little shared a long embrace, both in tears. Again, Little has won five of these state championships, including two (boys and girls) last year. It’s difficult to imagine any of those meant more than watching McCurry win his first.

Asked about the relationship, Little said this: “I’m not sure I have the words. Mitchell was just such a special, special kid.”

McCurry was a special player, too. Little moved him up to East Webster varsity when he was an eighth grader and he was a key player then. But it was more about what was going on off the court than on it that drew the coach and player so close.

“My father was never part of my life,” McCurry said. “I lost my mother when I was young and my grandmother, who I lived with, died when I was seven.”

For much of his younger life, McCurry lived with other relatives and even with friends of his family. Little, he said, was like the father he never had. “Coach Little showed me true, genuine love. He taught me how to love again. Not that I wasn’t loved, but he taught me how to feel it.

“Coach Little inspired me to be a coach. I saw the way he cared for his players — not just me but all of us. That’s how I want to be for my players. I want to be there for them, just like he was for me and my teammates.”

When the final horn sounded Thursday night, Little embraced Johnthan Banks, another of his former East Webster players. Yes, that Johnthan Banks, the one who became a football All-American at Mississippi State and then played five years in the NFL. In that state championship game 14 years ago, McCurry and Banks scored 56 of East Webster’s 65 points.

Ever since McCurry and Little have remained close. They talk often, and not just about basketball. The Littles were there when McCurry’s first child was born. McCurry has attended all four of Little’s state championships since he helped win the first one.

Said McCurry of Little, “I wouldn’t be here if not for him.”

Said Little of McCurry, “I’m so proud of him, I…” He didn’t finish. He couldn’t.

He didn’t have to.

•••

From last year: Biggersville wins twice

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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UMMC holds free cancer screenings

Published

2 days ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @EricJShelton – 2025-04-30 12:00:00

by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Resident physician Claire Babin, right, performs an oral cancer screening on Ella Holmes during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Physicians prepare for oral, head and neck cancer screenings during a free screening event at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, screens Diane Carter for oral cancer as medical students Mason Nodurft, left, and Eva Kiparizoska observe during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Educational giveaways advocating against smoking are available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Sharon Terry, senior tobacco treatment specialist, waits for patients during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Skylar Robinson, medical office assistant, left, and Kiandria Bruce, registered nurse, review materials at the patient sign-in table during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Head and neck cancer literature is available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Dr. Alex Brooks and registered nurse Angela Noble talk during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Nina Brown, clinical manager, helps Ned Bostic with paperwork during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin performs an oral cancer screening on Ned Bostic at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Ned Bostic receives a neck cancer screening during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, and medical student Hanna Watson examine Ned Bostic during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hosted a free oral, head, and neck cancer screening Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

The event featured quick, noninvasive screenings aimed at catching cancer early — when treatment is most effective. Onyx Care provided free HPV vaccinations, while the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research offered resources on smoking cessation and free services.

“These screenings take about 10 minutes and can save lives,” said Dr. Gina Jefferson, head and neck surgical oncologist at UMMC. “The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better chance we have of curing it.”

Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for these cancers. However, physicians say an increasing number of cases are linked to HPV, especially among younger adults with no history of smoking or drinking. Dentists are often the first to spot early signs, which can include persistent sores, lumps in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.

Oral, head and neck cancers are among the most common globally. When found early, survival rates can exceed 80 percent.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post UMMC holds free cancer screenings appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents factual information about a free cancer screening event without showing a clear ideological stance. It primarily focuses on the health benefits of early cancer detection and the availability of free resources, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation support. The language used is neutral and the content is centered around public health education rather than promoting a political viewpoint. The inclusion of factual statistics, such as survival rates and risk factors, adds to its informative and objective tone. There are no signs of bias or advocacy for a particular political agenda, making this a centrist piece.

Crooked Letter Sports Podcast

Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball?

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2 days ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @rick_cleveland – 2025-04-30 10:46:00

by Rick Cleveland and Tyler Cleveland, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi State didn’t even wait until the end of the season to fire Chris Lemonis, who brought the national championship to Starkville not quite four years ago. Where do the Bulldogs go from here. Robbie Faulk who covers the Bulldogs more closely than anyone else joins the podcast to discuss the situation.

Stream all episodes here.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball? appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Mississippi Today

Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you

Published

2 days ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @MSTODAYnews – 2025-04-30 10:21:00

by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi Today is looking to speak with current and former mobile sports betting users. We’d like to speak with people who spend considerable amounts of time and money betting on sports through online gambling sites.

We’re interested in hearing the experience of people who have suffered from gambling addiction or problems, or friends and family members of people who have. We also would like to talk with people who believe legalizing mobile sports betting would benefit Mississippi and its residents.

We want to hear from you. Please take the survey below or contact Political Reporter Michael Goldberg by email at mgoldberg@mississippitoday.org

TAKE THE SURVEY:

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article from Mississippi Today appears to present a neutral stance, focusing on gathering input from various groups of mobile sports betting users, including those who may have experienced addiction issues. The content does not advocate for or against the legalization of mobile sports betting but instead seeks to gather diverse perspectives, including those of individuals who may support or oppose it. The language used is objective and does not suggest a particular ideological perspective, allowing for a balanced exploration of the issue at hand.