The Tallulah Academy boys and girls varsity basketball teams logged home wins Friday night versus Tensas Academy as the teams’ seasons move toward district play this week.
The Lady Trojans knocked off the Lady Chiefs 46-17, while the Trojans defeated the Chiefs 68-51 in varsity boys action.
Boys varsity Head Coach Kelvin Newton said his team has played well through it’s first five games, earning a 2-3 record ahead of its first district matchup of the season Friday on the road at Prairie View.
“I like the way they’re hustling and they have great chemistry with each other,” Newton said. “We get to the rim pretty good and we just have to keep getting better.”
Working with a team of veteran players that includes four seniors in Todd Etheridge, Austin Mosley, Kemper Lively and Johnson Zheng, Newton said what his team lacks in size, it makes up for in speed and experience.
“We have three seniors starting, so that helps,” he said. “We have two kids that have been playing together a while and our point guard is really coming on strong. But, we also have speed and we run up and down the court well.”
Newton said all of the boys’ skill and experience will be needed when the team faces Prairie View in its first district matchup Friday.
With last Friday’s win, the TA Lady Trojans move to 4-5 on the young season. Lady Trojans Head Coach Scott Watson said his team itself is also young, but has already been growing as the season moved along, notching three straight wins along the way.
“We had a very tough schedule early on,” Watson said. “I knew it was going to be hard for them to fight through, but we do press a lot and really use our athleticism and it’s let us win three in a row now.”
With only one senior in Gracyn King leading the Lady Trojans in experience, Watson said his roster also includes two juniors, four sophomores and seven freshman.
“We’re really a pretty young team, but we are athletic and we’re gaining experience and improving, which is what I knew we were going to have to do,” Watson said.
The Lady Trojans will also kick off district play Friday on the road at Prairie View.
Abby Martin blocks a shot during Friday's win over the Lady Chiefs of Tensas Academy.
