MA teams sweep Tunica Academy

Both Marshall Academy teams left the Delta happy Tuesday night, Dec. 1, after snatching close wins over Tunica Academy.

The Lady Patriots, utilizing defensive pressure and key buckets down the stretch, knocked off the Lady Blue Devils 40-37.

The game was tied at 17 at halftime, and MA trailed 29-25 entering the fourth. Coach Jeremy Ervin said

he was proud of his girls for battling through adversity.

“We had a small lead in the fourth quarter when one of our girls was given a very undeserved technical foul,” he said. “Tunica capitalized on the free throws and scored on the possession right after.

“We could have easily folded and said `this isn’t even a district game’ and just went through the motions the rest of the final quarter. Instead we were mentally tough. We buckled down hard on defense and executed on offense very efficiently to get some key buckets.”

Evelyn Greer nailed four free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

Karah Nicholson led the Lady Pats in scoring with 13, including two big threes in the fourth. Kailyn Smith and Greer scored nine each.

One starter, Hallie Turner, was injured and did not play in the game.

“It was a tough game for a variety of reasons,” Ervin said. “Tunica is a wellcoached team, and they play very fundamentally sound man defense. I was very proud of that win given the circumstances. It showed this team has come a long way and matured.”

The Marshall boys got what coach Craig Dailey called “a very quality win” at Tunica, 46-42.

“The players they picked up from Rosa Fort (public school) made this year’s Blue Devil group extremely athletic, and Coach Dalton (Jeff) does a great job.”

Marshall hit three threes in the first, two by Walker Sanders and one by Rod Moore, to go up 12-10.

The lead was 22-18 at halftime.

Each team scored 24 in the second half as MA hung on to win by four.

Dee Howell scored 10 of his 18 points in the second half to lead the way. Moore followed with 14 points, and Sanders had 12.

“Rod (Moore) is establishing himself as our stopper, holding their star player to just 10,” Dailey said. “Dee had his best offensive game. When it all clicks for him, he is going to be an extremely tough match-up and will make the rest of us better.

“Walker hit some huge threes, and Jordan (Bonds) had a great game on the boards, shutting their big athlete off the offensive boards.”

MA-Rossville The Lady Patriots traveled across the state line into Tennessee Friday night and coasted to a 60-16 win over Rossville Christian Academy.

Leading the way for Marshall were Nicholson with 17, Smith with 11 and Greer with nine.

MA surged ahead 23-5 in the opening quarter.

The Patriots weren’t as fortunate at Rossville, losing 71-58 to the Wolves.

They fell behind by 15 at the half and could only put a small dent in that deficit in the next 16 minutes.

Howell had 15 points for MA. Larkin Bowman and Bonds added 11 each. Nic Henry added nine.

“We really struggled to match up with Rod (Moore) at the football all-star game,” Dailey said.

“Foul trouble early got everything rolling downhill, and we couldn’t ever correct it.

“We will get them again in a couple of weeks at the Lee Marianna (Ark.) Tournament, and we will make a better showing.”

The Lady Patriots (6-2) and Patriots (3-6) travel to Winona Christian Thursday and then go to Magnolia Heights Friday.