STARKVILLE — The Heritage Academy boys basketball team dropped three last-minute decisions to archrival Starkville Academy last season.
Juniors Walker Brown and Hunter Sykes made sure there was no drama Tuesday night in the fourth quarter.
Brown scored 20 points and Sykes added 16 as Heritage Academy kicked off this season’s installment of the rivalry with a 58-35 victory at the Starkville Academy Gym.
“(On Monday night), we really struggled with our shooting (at Tuscaloosa Academy) and just got destroyed,” Brown said. “Tonight, we shot the ball to our potential. Once we made some early shots, it got everybody going and we just went on from there.”
Sykes and Brown hit back-to-back 3-pointers early in the first quarter as the Patriots sprinted to a 10-2 lead. In the early stages of the second quarter, Hayden Peel scored all eight of his points for the Patriots in succession, including two 3-pointers, to run the advantage to 24-8.
“We couldn’t throw it in the ocean at Tuscaloosa Academy (Monday night),” Heritage Academy coach Gary Harris said. “I think we shot right at 10 percent. I told the guys some nights you can’t buy a basket. Other nights, it will come and it will seem like you are making everything you throw up there. Tonight was a night like that.
“Hunter Sykes was the catalyst on defense. First possession of the game, he jumps a lane, steals a pass, and hits a layup. I was concerned about a carryover from Monday night because we did not play well. You knew early tonight would be different.”
After watching his team struggle on offense Monday night, Sykes knew defense might be the key to victory.
“We just really got after it, unlike last night,” Sykes said. “We got pressure on them. We really forced some turnovers, and that is what we had to do to build a lead.”
Starkville Academy (3-4) scored on back-to-back possessions once in the first half and trailed 35-16 at halftime.
“We did not compete with a lot of intensity,” Starkville Academy coach Mark Alexander said. “Once we got down early, it was over. We were lazy on defense and didn’t put up much of a fight.”
Heritage Academy (2-5) relied on Brown and the defense to seal the deal. Brown scored 12 of his points in the final half. A night-long struggle for Starkville Academy continued at the free-throw line and hampered the Volunteers’ efforts.
“Our guys were patient on offense, attacking the basket and waiting for some threes,” Harris said. “When the wide-open three presented itself, we shot it and made a lot of them (8 of 14 from 3-point range). I am really proud of the offensive execution because this is how we have to play to win games. We don’t have a lot of size, so what we did tonight will be how we will have success.”
The Patriots were a veteran team last season. Even though Brown and Sykes were in reserve roles, they understand the importance of the rivalry.
“We had a really good group of seniors last year,” Brown said. “Every time we played them, it seemed like we got off to a slow start. That is what coach told us right before the locker room. He told us to get off to a fast start. He told us if the shots fall early to keep shooting, and that is exactly what we did.”
Sykes added he felt like his squad took a huge step forward with its first district win.
“We will look for this every game,” Sykes said. “This is our potential. We are finding the right passes and the right shots. This is a new team in a lot of areas, but we are getting it together.”
Brandon Lane led Starkville Academy with 14 points. and 10 points from Caleb Merchant added 10.
n In the girls game, Starkville Academy earned a 61-38 victory.
The Lady Volunteers continued their dominance in the rivalry after shaking off a sluggish first half.
Starkville Academy coach Glenn Schmidt was eager to see her team respond after a loss at Madison-Ridgeland Academy on Monday night.
“We made a huge comeback from Monday night’s game,” Schmidt said. “We had a tough time defending (at MRA) and scoring. When you have a team this young, to see them come back and play that aggressively on the defensive end when it mattered, well that is very encouraging.”
Starkville Academy (6-3) only had three offensive rebounds and led 29-19 at halftime. In the second half, the Lady Volunteers held the Lady Patriots scoreless for more than five minutes in the third quarter and for more than four minutes in the fourth quarter.
“We shot a little better tonight. The free throws were better today,” Schmidt said. “We rebounded much better in the second half. We take a team full of sophomores with a couple of juniors and a couple of seniors and we play a really good Madison-Ridgeland team on the road. That was hard, so to be able to forget that and come back out here the next night is very pleasing.”
Seniors Sallie Kate Richardson (25 points) and Nora Kathryn Carroll (18 points) paced Starkville Academy. Richardson also had 14 rebounds, two steals, and two blocked shots. Junior Anna McKell added seven points, six rebounds, and four steals.
“Sallie Kate and Nora Kathryn are our senior leaders,” Schmidt said. “They will have to carry us this year. The good news is they know that and embrace that. Tonight, they complemented one another very well on the offensive end.”
Heritage Academy (4-5) trailed 11-4 but hung tough throughout the first half, clawing within four points in the final minute of the half.
Starkville Academy ended the half with a flurry and started the second half on a 12-2 run. Already battling heavy foul trouble, that burst was too much for Heritage Academy to overcome.
“We had some success getting the ball into the paint area and to the rim in the first half,” Heritage Academy coach Chris Ball said. “In the second half, third quarter especially, we tried to force it too much. Starkville Academy made a great halftime adjustment and packed the paint more. Instead of doing some things, we tried to force the ball in there too many times.”
While the drought in the rivalry remains, Ball likes how his squad has improved in his second season as coach.
“What I like most about my team is we are bunch of athletes,” Ball said. “We have some height, but we can also guard in the perimeter with that height. When you have athletes, you can do a lot of different things.
“What we are trying to do is become a basketball team instead of just a group of athletes playing basketball. We are grinding, and I am really looking forward to the rest of this season.”
Harli Sesser led Heritage Academy with eight points, while Kristen Phillips added seven and Shiloh Ellis had six. Anna Kilarski had a team-high eight rebounds.
Follow Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.