BOONEVILLE, Miss. - The Northeast Mississippi Community College family lost two highly-regarded men that positively impacted the athletic department during the first half of 2025.
Former men's basketball player Johnny Payton died on April 13th and Hal Hughes, who coached multiple teams at Northeast in the 1960s, passed away on June 21st.
"Johnny was a very gifted athlete that played with a lot of heart and determination. That is how he lived his entire life," said Northeast president Dr. Ricky Ford. "I had the pleasure of working with Hal for 20-plus years. He exhibited a true passion for our students."
Hughes will be remembered more so for his roles as dean of students and director of financial aid over a distinguished 40-year career. However, he originally arrived at Northeast as a physical education instructor and assistant to legendary men's basketball coach Bonner Arnold.
They spent four seasons on the bench together from 1960-64. The Tigers won 13 of their first 15 games during Hughes' final campaign alongside Arnold, including a victory over defending state champion Southwest Mississippi Junior College.
The West Point native, who still called Booneville his home after retiring from Northeast, resurrected the baseball program in 1961. His Tigers went 5-6 overall in their debut season with a big 17-8 win against rival Itawamba Junior College along the way.
Hughes led the Tigers to their inaugural state title on the diamond one year later. He also served as assistant athletic director before moving into Northeast's administration by the fall of 1964.
Payton followed his high school coach, Harvey Childers, to Northeast in 1985. The duo together brought the Tigers back to prominence with three championships and a trip to the national tournament over the next two years.
He posted 18.1 points per game as a freshman to help Northeast secure division and state titles. Payton recorded a career-high of 38 points, including a 16 of 22 showing at the free throw line, that year against Shelby State (Tenn.) Community College.
Payton's average dipped slightly to 14.7 points during his sophomore campaign, but his defensive skills were just as important according to Childers. He had a season-best 25 points in a victory by the Tigers over Itawamba.
The New Albany product scored 14 points in the region championship game against Jones County Junior College. Payton had a pair of double-digit performances for Northeast at nationals, including 17 points versus the College of Southern Idaho.
Payton's 6.4 assists per contest remains tied for the second most in a single season in program history. He totaled 855 points across 55 appearances with the Tigers, which averages out to 16.1 points.
He signed a basketball scholarship with the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). Payton was inducted into the Northeast Sports Hall of Fame as part of its class of 2023.