02/02/2026
BY JACK BULLOCK
ULLIN - Ironically on the trip home from Monday night's game between Mounds Meridian and Century a classic rock song played on a local radio station that has a key lyric in it that describes both the outcome of an important South Egyptian Conference game and also the overall league dominance in boy's basketball by the Bobcats in the history of this league.

Rock icons The Who, in their song “Won't Get Fooled Again”, contains the classic line “meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”

It was a fitting lyric considering all that has happened with head coach Malcolm Larry and his Meridian program.

Dealing with transfers out of the district before the school year and a plethora of injuries to key players this season, the Bobcats have struggled and are just 8-16 overall as they have waded through a difficult out of conference slate of games.

Heading into the season, and during the campaign, there have been question marks on whether or not Meridian was ripe for surrendering their SEC title and that Century could be the one that dethrones the defending champs and stop their long conference winning streak.

Neither of those things happened on Monday as Meridian proved that they're still the “boss” in this league.

The Bobcats jumped out to an early advantage and never let the Centurions have much of a breather.

A big start, and an even better beginning of the second half, pushed the Bobcats to a 63-45 victory that was actually not as close as the final score would indicate.

Meridian improved to 6-0 in the league as they're the lone undefeated SEC team left after dropping Century to 5-1 in the standings.

“I’ve heard a lot of chatter around the county that this was the year that Century was going to get us and it was always in reference to our win/loss records. I used that as “bulletin board material” for us going into this game,” said Coach Malcolm Larry. “I feel like the tough non-conference schedule that we play prepared us for these conference games and it lets the teams know that, despite our overall record, we are still the team to beat in the SEC.”

Meridian has a 5-10 sophomore guard named Ahmad Jackson who is one to keep and eye on the remainder of this season and the next two years.

Jackson, who came in the game averaging over 12-points a night, ripped the nets for 27 on Monday night in the road win.

He helped the Bobcats get off to a commanding start with 10 early points and added another 14 in the final two quarters.

Another sophomore, 5-10 guard Richard Nelson, added 11-points in support, nine of which came in the second half as Meridian led by as many as 27-points before a window-dressing late flourish by Century made the final margin more respectable.

Six-foot senior Cassius Woodson added nine-points for Meridian with seven-points coming from senior Rhi'Chard Nelson.

Freshman Jeremiah Glover pitched in six-points (all in the second half) including a key 3-pointer in third quarter as the Bobcats distanced themselves from the upset minded hosts.

Senior Marcus Hines, Jr. rounded out the Meridian point production with a 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter that began a 15-3 run to make 57-30 with 4:40 left.

Century saw its overall mark slip to 19-5, as they have dropped their last three contests.

Senior guard Adam Taake and senior forward Drew Dillow each scored 10-points for the Centurions.

Two other players; junior guard Landyn Walshon and freshman Izzy Sampson, added six-points each and freshman forward Noah Wittaker scored four.

Freshman Dalton Hartline and junior Mason Renfro added a bucket each.

Needing to get off to a good start on their home floor in a huge conference game, Century dug themselves a hole and Meridian threw dirt on it.

Jackson scored the first points of the game and the final basket in the first quarter.

In between, the Bobcats turned seven Centurion turnovers into a 14-4 advantage.

The fact that Century and head coach Jake Parr were only down 10 at the end of the opening eight minutes was a blessing as the Centurions also missed their first six field goal attempts.

The slight margin allowed the hosts to inch closer before halftime.

Dillow scored eight of his points in the second quarter, all on the inside.

His basket just before the second quarter horn left Century down just 22-16 at the break.

A score by Taake to open the second half was as close as the Centurions would stay with Meridian the rest of the way.

Thirteen of the next 15-points were from the Bobcats.

Woodson nailed down a 3-point shot from the right wing to get the run rolling.

Jackson converted a Century turnover into points and Woodson added a rebound and put-back.

A Glover 3-pointer and a drive inside by Richard Nelson made it 36-20 at the 3:08 mark.

Jackson added two more baskets on an inbounds play and then a rebound score.

One free throw each from Woodson and Glover close the third quarter at 42-27 Meridian.

Hines connected from outside for three-points and Nelson added to his totals with another score near the goal.

A back door cut to the basket for points by Jackson came from an assist from Nelson and was followed by another steal and fast break score from Woodson.

Two more Jackson scores and a lay in by Nelson finished the run and put the Centurions in the rear view mirror.

“Credit to them. I felt like the moment was a little to big. We came in here thinking that if we can win this one we could flat out win the conference,” said Coach Parr. “I didn't feel like we executed, which has been an issue all year. We turned the ball over and it led to easy points. I thought we did a good job defensively in the first half but we struggled to score.”

Meridian coaxed 23-turnovers out of the Centurions, 15 in the first half.

Century hit just 19-of-62 overall (30.6 percent) and just 2-of-19 beyond the 3-point line.

The Bobcats ended up 26-of-61, 3-of-18 from outside.

Century finished up with a 40-32 rebounding edge, which was small consolation.

The Centurions will host Egyptian on Thursday in their next contest.

Meridian can wrap up their fifth consecutive conference championship with a win at home against Agape Christian on Thursday and then a victory at Cobden on February 11th.

The Cobden game is a rescheduled matchup from being snowed out on January 26th.

A victory over the Appleknockers would mark the 21st SEC regular season title for Meridian in its 31-years in the league.

Meridian increased its South Egyptian Conference winning streak to 48-straight games dating back to the Covid19 2020-21 season when the lost to Cobden twice and Agape Christian to finish the year at 13-3.

The last time the Bobcats suffered a loss to Century was February 17, 2004.

The Josh Tabb/Ray Nelson led Centurions defeated Meridian, 90-88.

Since then the Bobcats have won 42-consecutive games against Century.

“The emphasis tonight was to make them uncomfortable from start to finish with trapping when possible. I told them to make it easy on ourselves by getting easy buckets close to the rim and not rely on the 3-point shot. The guys gave it their all tonight and I couldn’t have been more proud of the effort they put forth,” said Coach Larry.