MA sweeps Bayou

Marshall Academy sent Bayou Academy back to the Delta Friday, Dec. 16, with a pair of losses – one by 22 points and another by 18.

Blake Martin and Julia Nicholson combined for 47 points as the Lady Patriots routed the Lady Colts 66-44, avenging a loss in Cleveland back on November 3.

MA led 16-12 after the first quarter. With 5:56 to go in the second, Martin’s drive and short jump shot upped the margin to 26-14. Sam Wilkins scored off an assist from Nicholson to make it 30-15, and a couple of threes by Martin put the Lady Pats in full control at 38-17. The lead was 40-21 at intermission.

Marshall increased its advantage in the third. A jump shot and free throw by Nicholson put the home team up by 25 (54-29) at the end of the quarter.

Martin opened the fourth with another three, and all the Lady Patriots got to play in the 22-point victory.

Wilkins also scored in double figures for the Lady Patriots. She had 10.

The Marshall boys didn’t get off to the best of starts but pulled away in the second half for a 63-45 win over the Colts.

The Patriots fell behind 6-0. Peyton Taylor got MA on the scoreboard with a three, and a couple of minutes later, Rahmon Rutherford’s long-range shot gave MA a lead that it never relinquished. At the end of the first, it was 18-13.

Eli Pearson got in on the outside shooting with 2:46 left in the second quarter. His three pushed the home team’s lead to 34-25. Jacob Gadd’s drive to the goal upped the margin to 38-27 at halftime.

The Patriots were up 43-33 after three periods.

A three by Taylor stretched the lead to 19 midway through the fourth, and the Patriots went on to win by 18.

Rutherford finished with 19 points, while Taylor scored 14 and Everette Jones nine.

Pats versus New Albany

The Class AA private school Patriots hosted Class 4A public school New Albany Saturday, Dec. 17, and had their chances before dropping a 67-61 decision in overtime.

The Pats led by as many as nine in the first quarter on Pearson’s three from the corner. But the margin was only one, 17-16, at the end of the opening period.

In the second, Marshall fell behind by as many as five but battled back. Back-to-back threes by Taylor gave the Patriots a halftime advantage at 28-27.

New Albany controlled the third. The Bulldogs grabbed a 38-31 lead at the 3:39 mark of the quarter and were in front 45-40 heading to the fourth.

But once again, MA did not fade away. DeKeshion Owens’ steal and bucket put the Pats back on top at 51-50 with 3:32 left. The Pats maintained a narrow lead until New Albany tied the game at 56 with 29 seconds left, and it went to OT.

The extra period was all Bulldogs as they outscored the Patriots 11-5 to take the six-point victory.

Taylor fired in 18 points for Marshall. Pearson added 12 and Gadd 11. The three combined for 11 threes (five by Taylor, four by Pearson and two by Gadd).

For New Albany, Sam McMillin scored 19.

Marshall Academy will host a Christmas Tournament December 29-30 with county schools H.W. Byers and Potts Camp also participating.

Next Tuesday, Jan. 3, the Lady Patriots will host St. Agnes Academy of Memphis, Tenn.