In their rematch against the Harris County Tigers, Starr’s Mill varsity boys basketball won 74-53. They dominated in terms of control of the flow of the game.
After their last game against Harris County resulted in a 83-44 win in their favor, this game shows that the Panthers have a sturdy foundation to continue to build off of going into the state tournament.
“We wanted to make sure tonight is about preparing for our bigger games,” head coach Josh Reeves said. “We need to make sure we do it right there.”
The Panthers top scorer was senior Jory Williams with 20 points. Right behind him was senior Scott Stevens with 19 points.
From the beginning of this game, it was clear that Williams and Stevens were the strengths of the team, which is to be expected as seniors.
Leading the defense, sophomore Jason Hill used his height to box out any potential shooters. The first quarter showcased how solid their base game plan is. Starr’s Mill led 27-11 after the first quarter.
“We need to continue our momentum with every win,” Stevens said. “Continue to win and keep stacking the wins.”
Second quarter showcased more of this sturdy game plan and how quick the team works off each other. Every shot missed had a Panther ready to rebound and make a shot. This game plan left Harris County without many opportunities to score.
However, the opportunities they had to score were mainly self-inflicted by the Panthers. This game had numerous fouls which were then followed by free throws, allowing the Tigers to close the gap slightly.
“I think I bring a level of experience to the younger guys,” Stevens said.
Coming out of half time, the Tigers had a more aggressive approach to scoring which did benefit them, scoring 15 points within the quarter. On the Starr’s Mill side, the foundation laid in the first half stood firm as the Panthers continued to keep up their lead in this quarter, leading to a 62-35 score.
The fourth quarter allowed other players to show their skills. With younger players like sophomores Coleman Hellgeth and Tyler Griffin, the team’s skills go to a deeper level than just the more experienced players, allowing the future of Starr’s Mill basketball to be in good hands.
“We have to win games like this and get some rest for our starters for games like Jonesboro,” Reeves said.
Varsity boys basketball travels to Jonesboro on January 31.