JACKSON — A 35-point second quarter lifted the underdog Hinds AHS War Dawgs into the Grand Slam championship game.

Grand Slam final

Hinds AHS vs. Callaway

Today, 3 p.m.

Mississippi Coliseum

The War Dawgs (34-2) blitzed past Class 3A champion Pass Christian 87-74 Friday afternoon in the semifinals of the MHSAA Grand Slam Tournament at the Mississippi Coliseum. Hinds, the Class 2A champ, will face Callaway today at 3 p.m. for the overall championship.

“Today we got to show our style of play, which is run and gun,” Hinds junior guard Keeslee Stewart said. Stewart was one of five War Dawgs in double figures with 19 points. He also had five steals and seven assists.

Nicholas Myles came off the bench after two Hinds starters got in foul trouble to score all 20 of his team-high points over the middle two quarters.

“They (Pass Christian) found out they couldn’t outrun us. We play with a lot of high energy,” Myles said.

“Nicholas Myles and Trevis (Thomas) both stepped up big tonight. We showed we’re more than just Keeslee Stewart and the twins (Erik and Derek Burks),” Hinds coach Keith Williams said.

Pass Christian coach Buddy Kennedy said his team felt the Grand Slam was too anticlimatic.

“For two years, our goal was to win a state championship and we got what we wanted last week. Today, our focus wasn’t there,” Kennedy said.

The Pirates played well enough to lead 17-16 after one quarter. When Cornelius Harris and Derek Burks each picked up their third fouls, Hinds appeared to be in big trouble. Williams had to put in two subs who haven’t played since the Class 2A South State Tournament.

A turnover by one of them led to a basket by Michael Dedeaux to hand the Pirates a 23-18 lead, their biggest of the game early in the second quarter.

Willliams yanked out both subs and put Harris back in. The move reignited the War Dawgs.

Trailing by two at 27-25, Myles hit a 3-pointer to put Hinds in front to stay.

Stanley Magee of the Pirates led all scorers with 25 points. Hinds had Derek Burks with 16 points, Erik Burks with 14 and Thomas with 13.

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Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com.