Adams County Christian School’s varsity boys’ basketball team achieved a crucial victory on January 3, 2024, overcoming a challenging start to defeat Riverfield Academy 38-36 in their MAIS District 3-3A matchup. The Rebels rallied from a nine-point deficit at halftime, securing their first win of the district season at the Bub Ulmer Gym on the ACCS campus.
The first half presented difficulties for Adams County, with the team struggling offensively. By the end of the first quarter, they trailed Riverfield 5-2, and the Raiders extended their lead by outscoring the Rebels 9-3 in the second quarter, concluding the half with a 14-5 advantage. Rick Fife, head coach of the Rebels, noted that despite several open looks, the shots simply did not fall in the first half.
The tide turned in the second half as the Rebels made strategic adjustments. They scored 15 points in the third quarter, although Riverfield maintained a slight edge with 13 points, leading 27-20 heading into the final period. The fourth quarter saw a significant defensive effort from the Rebels, allowing them to outscore the Raiders 18-9. Fife remarked, “Our defense led to some easy transition baskets in the third and fourth quarters. We stayed with our 2-3 defense, but we covered better.”
Key performances came from Trevin Barnes, who led the team with 13 points, and Landry Tyson, who contributed 12 points. Other notable scorers included Lane Pirkey with seven points, Sai Panchel with four points, and Desmond Hammett with two points. With this victory, the Rebels improve their overall record to 2-7 and hold a 1-2 record in District 3-3A. Fife emphasized the significance of this win, stating, “It was big coming back from Christmas. It was also important because the district only takes the top four teams for South State.”
Next, the Rebels will face St. Aloysius High School in Vicksburg on January 5, 2024, at 19:30.
In the girls’ game, the ACCS Lady Rebels faced a tough challenge against the Riverfield Academy Lady Raiders, ultimately falling 43-32. The Lady Rebels remained competitive for three quarters, entering the final period just one point behind at 30-29. However, they struggled in the fourth quarter, managing only three points while Riverfield added 13.
Head coach Marcus Walton acknowledged the shortcomings, saying, “We started out well, but we kind of wore down and didn’t execute well. We had too many turnovers.” Leading the Lady Rebels was Isley Walton with eight points, followed by D’Kiyah Davis with seven points. Maddie Donaldson and Sophia Carter contributed five and four points, respectively.
With this defeat, the Lady Rebels’ record falls to 4-7 overall and 1-2 in district play. They will also face St. Aloysius High School on January 5, 2024, at 18:00, seeking to bounce back from this setback.
