Head coach Calvin Brown and the East Marion basketball teams entered the new year on a high note, with both the Eagles and Lady Eagles securing road wins over Richton in their final outings of 2022 on Dec. 29. Now the goal is to carry that momentum over into 2023, where both teams will dive into district play to make a push for spots in the playoffs.
For the Lady Eagles (1-9), the last contest of 2022 was not only their most complete performance of the young season but also their first victory. They delivered their best defensive performance to date, paired with their second biggest shooting performance, to leave Perry County with a 36-30 victory over the Lady Rebels.
Brown said the win represented another step in the right direction for the young Lady Eagles, who have slowly but surely progressed throughout the season with a lineup that's learning to pick up the slack from last year's departed players.
"I wouldn't say that anything necessarily changed for us on that one night, but our girls have done a better job of putting points on the board over the past few games," Brown said. "It definitely felt good to finally get that monkey off our backs with that first win. They've been working hard to get better, and the work is starting to show in the results, so I'm really excited and proud for them."
Seven different Lady Eagles registered rebounds in a strong performance under the rim for East Marion, and five added to the points total. Junior Jakeria McCloud led the team offensively, finishing with 13 points, five steals, three rebounds and a pair of assists. Sophomore Adrinae Aikens shined brightest on the defensive end of the floor, racking up a game-high 12 rebounds to go with four points.
As for the Eagles (8-2), their 67-34 road win over the Rebels represented their eighth win in nine contests since opening the season with a road loss to Columbia. They jumped out to a significant early lead, thanks in large part to a tremendous shooting performance by Jacob Johnson. The senior guard made four of nine shots from beyond the arc, propelling him to a game-high 16 points to go with four assists, four steals, three rebounds and a block. Junior Donny Anderson chipped in 13 points, along with eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks, and Caden Mingo tacked on 13 points and four rebounds in yet another dominant night on the hardwood during a momentous run for the Eagles.
Brown said he was pleased with what the team accomplished through the first couple months, but the games that lie ahead against district foes will ultimately tell the tale of just how good this year's Eagles team really is.
"As for their potential, the potential is unlimited," Brown said. "They got off to a great start, but in high school basketball, you're judged by what you accomplish in district play. Everything else was just preparation for what's ahead, so we really can't afford to pat ourselves on the back because we haven't really accomplished anything yet."
The Eagles and Lady Eagles were originally scheduled to begin district play at home Tuesday night against Bogue Chitto, but the game was postponed due to inclimate weather. Brown said both teams will pick things back up on Friday with a district game at home against Amite County, with the same goal of carrying December's success into January and making a productive run through their Region 7-2A schedule.
