If there were an award for the most improved basketball team in the state during the course of the season, Grace Christian boys would be a candidate. After starting 4-11, the Eagles won 16 of 19 to finish 20-14.
“This team was a real pleasure to coach,” said Jason Morgan. “They worked hard at practice, listened to coaching and improved every week. GCS is very supportive of basketball and our program will only get better.”
The Eagles concluded the regular season last week with a 53-34 victory over Delta Streets Academy of Greenwood, then won the Grace Christian School Invitational Tournament.
The victory over Delta Streets illustrates how much the team improved. When the teams met Nov. 25, Delta Streets won 75-43.
Bonner Brownlee led the Eagles in the rematch with 23 points and five rebounds, Jacob Phillips had 12 points and eight rebounds.
At the tournament, Grace Christian defeated Starkville Christian 41-30, Victory Christian of Columbus 29-25 and Victory Christian a second time in the championship game 50-41.
Phillips led the Eagles in the win over Starkville Christian with 13 points and nine rebounds, Brownlee had 11 and seven.
Micah Ballard had a team-high eight points in the first win over Victory Christian, including two free throws with eight seconds left to clinch the victory. Phillips added seven points and nine rebounds,
Brownlee had another big game in the championship game with 26 points and seven rebounds. Asher Hogue contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.
GIRLS
The Lady Eagles were runners-up in the tournament with two wins and two losses. Grace Christian defeated Meridian Home School 23-19, lost to Starkville Christian 25-21, defeated Meridian Home School 27-20, then lost to Starkville Christian a second time in the title game 38-29.
The championship game was tied at the half before Starkville Christian pulled away for the victory.
“We basically ran out of gas,” said coach Talor Troyer. “That was our third game that day. We were exhausted. When we got tired, we started making mistakes. We didn't take care of the ball like we should.”
Caroline Robbins and Carly Peterson led the Lady Eagles during the tournament. Robbins had a team-high in the first two games with nine and 10 points, Peterson in the last two with 12 points in each game.
Troyer noted the team's improvement, with a winning record. “Considering that we won only four games total last year, that says something about their tremendous work ethic, how hard they worked and how much they learned. I'm extremely proud of them. The amount of improvement from year to year has been phenomenal.”
Robbins graduates, but Peterson and point guard Aspen Harris are sophomores who are expected to lead the team the next two years.
