This is where the rubber meets the road for the Eagles, who finished out their regular-season schedule Tuesday and are now preparing for a shot to make a successful run through the Region 7-2A tournament.
The regular season seemingly came and went in a flash for the Eagles and Lady Eagles, both of whom celebrated senior night Tuesday (results were unavailable at press time) between their final matchups of the regular season against Loyd Star. Now they've turned their attention to the district tournament, where both will have a chance to secure a spot in the Class 2A playoffs.
Head coach Calvin Brown said he was proud of what the Eagles (14-4, 5-2) had accomplished up until Tuesday's regular-season finale, having won eight of their last 10 matchups to earn a No. 2 seed for the district tournament. But he believes what they do from this point forward will ultimately determine how the team gets remembered, and neither he nor his players are taking that opportunity lightly.
"I'm really pleased with the season we've had up until this point, but this is where we have to prove that we're really better," Brown said. "This is where the bottom fell out last season, so it's really up to us to put our best foot forward and show that we truly are better than we were last time around."
The chance to secure the No. 1 seed slipped away Jan. 23 with a 70-57 loss to Bogue Chitto, who won its final six games to remain undefeated in district play and clinch the regular-season district title. Junior forward Ladarien Haynes led the Eagles with 15 points in the contest, followed by senior Jacob Johnson with 10, but their efforts ultimately fell short in the double-digit loss. Brown said it was the Bobcats' sharpness and intensity that ultimately made the difference in both contests against them, and the Eagles will have to match those efforts in order to get the best of them next time around.
"Bogue Chitto was able to separate themselves from the rest of the district because they have two guards who have the ball in the hands the entire game, and both of them know exactly what to do with it," Brown said. "They can score, they can pass and they're good free throw shooters. We've tried to wear them down, but they do a great job of playing through fatigue as well, so that's really what's made them different."
However, as Brown pointed out, in order to earn another shot at the Bobcats, the Eagles would first have to go through Loyd Star, who defeated them twice down the backstretch of the 2021-22 season. Results for Tuesday's contest against the Hornets were unavailable at press time, but Brown said prior to the game that his team couldn't afford to make the mistake of looking past them to the district tournament.
"First off, we've got Loyd Star, who gave us all we could handle the first time around, and we expect the same on Tuesday," Brown said. "They were one of the teams that left a bitter taste in our mouths last year, so we definitely can't overlook them."
Tuesday's pivotal matchup also served as the Eagles' senior night, in which three Eagles (Jacob Johnson, Jack Johnson and LJ Andrews) and one Lady Eagle (Kaliyah Green) were honored for their contributions to the program. Brown said he believes this year's seniors will be remembered for a long time by the effort and passion they displayed, not only on the hardwood but in everything they strived to achieve during their time as students at East Marion.
"This group will be remembered as the total package. They've been solid on the court, off the court and in the classroom," Brown said. "They really represented the program well in all facets. That's what I'll remember most about this group."
Likewise, those seniors will never forget the time they spent together competing at East Marion, where Jacob Johnson said they were able to create bonds that will remain long after they've stepped off the court for the last time.
"What I'll remember most about playing for East Marion is how much I love this team and the bond we have," Johnson said. "I've been kicking it with the same guys since I came from Columbia, and we grew from boys to men together. Nobody will take that love I have for them away from me."
"What I'll remember most about this team is how I know that, if anything happens, my teammates will have my back," his twin brother, Jack Johnson, added. "It's not just a team, it's a family."
"What I'll remember most is that we're all we've got, and we're all we need," LJ Andrews shared. "The bond this team has can't be broken."
Jacob Johnson reiterated Brown's statements about the Eagles' ultimate goals, saying on Tuesday that it would be imperative to finish strong with a win over Loyd Star before looking ahead to what they want to accomplish in postseason play.
"We're a solid No. 2 seed right now, but if we don't apply energy against Loyd Star on Tuesday, we'll be a No. 3 seed," he said.
Regardless of Tuesday's outcome in the girls game, the Lady Eagles (2-16, 1-6) will enter the district tournament at West Lincoln as the No. 5 seed, which will pit them against either Bogue Chitto or Amite County on Feb. 6 in a first-round matchup to determine which will receive the chance to advance and compete against the top three teams from the district.
For the Eagles, their postseason run will begin Feb. 7, likely with a rematch against Loyd Star, with the winner getting another crack at top-ranked Bogue Chitto for a shot at the district title. Jacob Johnson said it'll be a tall task, but it's nothing the Eagles can't accomplish if they put their best foot forward.
"What makes Bogue Chitto so tough is that they have confidence and solid role players," he said. "Similarly to them, we just needed our confidence back. With that being said, they will have to see us in the tournament."
