[12/28/04] JACKSON Nearly a quarter of a century ago, when he was an assistant coach at Vicksburg High, Thomas Billups convinced an OK football player named Jesse Johnson to give basketball a shot.

Billups took the youngster under his wing, helped him get a junior college scholarship, and taught him everything he could about the game. If it weren’t for Billups, Johnson doesn’t hesitate to say, he wouldn’t be where he is now as Warren Central’s head coach.

In all the years since Johnson and Billups first met, however, they’ve never faced each other as opposing coaches.

Until tonight.

Johnson’s Warren Central squad obliterated Wingfield 77-40 Monday afternoon in the first round of the Jackson Public Schools Tournament to set up a showdown with Billups’ top-ranked Lanier team in tonight’s second round. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 at Lanier.

“That’s going to be the teacher against the tutor, because all of my basketball career started with Billups,” Johnson said. “He taught me half, if not all of what I know. So I’m just looking forward to giving him a tough game and seeing if we can come out with a win. It’ll be a big win for us if we can get them.”

Lanier appears to have a decided edge on paper. The Bulldogs are perennial state championship contenders whether they’re in Class 4A or 5A, and are off to an 11-2 start this season after Monday’s first-round win over Piney Woods. Lanier’s two losses came to Forrest City, Ark., and Oak Hill Academy, ranked No. 6 in America.

“We’re going to have to bring it against them,” said WC (7-6) guard Shaun Walker, who scored 11 points in Monday’s win.

WC started the game with a 21-2 run, never trailed, and didn’t allow Wingfield to score more than eight points in a period until the fourth quarter. Chico Hunter led WC with 14 points and Cody Grant had 12.

Randy Bullie had nine points for Wingfield (4-7), which committed 37 turnovers in the game and shot just 29.5 percent from the field.

“We’re real young. I’ve only got two seniors on the team. We just played ugly today,” Wingfield coach Herman Sanders said. “(Warren Central) played really good, and we didn’t execute on offense or do a good job on the fast breaks.”

(G) Wingfield 63, WC 62

Cookie Johnson scored a game-high 25 points, but Wingfield hit enough free throws down the stretch to upset Warren Central in the first round of the JPS Tourney.

Shondalyn Rogers added 12 points for WC (10-4).

Warren Central will face Lanier in a consolation game tonight at 7 at Wingfield.