Preview: Leake Central Gators at Newton County Cougars — Friday, Jan. 23 in Decatur

SBLive Report,

Newton County -

Leake Central (Gators) travels to Newton County (Cougars) on Friday, Jan. 23 for a league matchup at Newton County High in Decatur, Miss. Tip is set for 7 p.m. Central (game time listed as 5 p.m. PST on the scoreboard, converted to local time). Follow the official game page on SBLive: https://scorebooklive.com/mississippi/basketball/games/5672708-leake-central-vs-newton-county

Quick facts

Teams: Newton County Cougars (home) vs. Leake Central Gators (away)

Date/time: Friday, Jan. 23 — 7 p.m. Central

Location: Newton County High, Decatur, Miss.

Game page: https://scorebooklive.com/mississippi/basketball/games/5672708-leake-central-vs-newton-county

Newton County on SBLive: https://scorebooklive.com/mississippi/basketball/teams/216341-newton-county-cougars

Leake Central on SBLive: https://scorebooklive.com/mississippi/basketball/teams/175190-leake-central-gators

Why this one matters

Newton County will look to build on momentum from the teams’ last meeting, when the Cougars rallied for a 67-60 victory on Jan. 17, 2025. That game ended with Newton County outscoring Leake Central 24-21 in the fourth quarter to pull away. Leake Central — which drew more SBLive followers the last time with 67 fans to Newton’s 45 — will aim to flip the script on the road.

Streaming and tickets

Newton County streaming (NFHS Network): https://nfhsnetwork.com/schools/newton-county-hs-decatur-ms/basketball?referrer_name=scorebooklive&utm_campaign=scorebooklive&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=scorebooklive

Leake Central streaming (NFHS Network): https://nfhsnetwork.com/schools/leake-central-high-school-carthage-ms/basketball?referrer_name=scorebooklive&utm_campaign=scorebooklive&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=scorebooklive

Only use the official NFHS links above for live streams. No ticket links were provided; contact the host school for gate information.

Fan notes and engagement

SBLive shows modest follower counts for both clubs (Newton County: 45; Leake Central: 67). Those numbers and any pick’em or win-chance projections can change — follow the teams on SBLive to boost the fan tally and make picks if you want to join the fun (picks are for entertainment). For more coverage and updates, follow the game page and each team on SBLive.

Upcoming for both teams

Newton County’s next scheduled game: at West Lauderdale, Friday, Jan. 30 (listed 5:30 p.m. PST on SBLive, local 7:30 p.m. Central). See Newton County: https://scorebooklive.com/mississippi/basketball/teams/216341-newton-county-cougars

Leake Central’s next scheduled game: West Lauderdale at Leake Central, Tuesday, Jan. 27 (listed 5:30 p.m. PST on SBLive, local 7:30 p.m. Central). See Leake Central: https://scorebooklive.com/mississippi/basketball/teams/175190-leake-central-gators

Stick with SBLive for final rosters, starters and live updates as tip approaches.