PHEBA — Bruce Franks hoped a tougher schedule would pay dividends for the Hebron Christian girls and boys basketball teams.
But coaches will tell you challenging schedules can be double-edged swords because they never know if a slate that is too difficult is going to ruin their team’s confidence.
That didn’t happen for either of Franks’ teams. Instead, a tougher schedule for both teams produced a history-making season that will take its next step today.
“If we would have played ‘A’ schools, I don’t think we would have had a loss,” said Franks, who is in his third season as coach of both teams at the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools member school in Clay County. “But (playing a tougher schedule) helped us learn to get over not scoring that night, and it was their defense and not our offense. We learned to dig down a little bit more, and it gave everybody an identity what they were going to do.
“It seemed like the last five games they peaked. It wasn’t just two of them. It was all of them.”
On Saturday, the Hebron Christian girls and boys basketball team made history when they won the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class A State titles for what is believed to be the first state titles in school history. The championships came on the heels of Class A North State titles for both teams.
The reward for both teams is a trip to Mississippi College in Clinton for the MAIS Overall State tournament, which brings together the top three teams from all four classifications.
The Hebron Christian girls (22-8) will face Kirk Academy (32-7) at 10 a.m. today, while the Hebron Christian boys (20-7) will take on Simpson Academy (36-3) at 11:15 a.m. today at Mississippi College in Clinton.
Simpson Academy defeated Canton Academy 68-44 on Tuesday in the opening round.
The Oak Hill Academy girls will take on East Rankin Academy at 12:30 p.m., and the Columbus Christian Academy boys will play Jackson Prep at 4:30 p.m. to round out a day of Golden Triangle champions.
East Rankin Academy beat Tensas Academy 61-30 on Tuesday, while Jackson Prep defeated Riverdale Academy 58-32.
With a boys team that has six seniors and a girls team that has only two and is led by a talented junior class, Franks envisioned a slate of games against Mississippi High School Activities Association teams like East Webster, Vardaman, South Pontotoc, and Tremont and larger Mississippi Association of Independent School opponents like Starkville Academy and Heritage Academy helping to prepare his teams for deep runs into February.
The move paid off last week as the Hebron Christian girls defeated Central School and Riverdale Academy to reach the Class A title game. A 52-30 victory against Tensas Academy wrapped up the championship.
The boys had an equally impressive run, beating Sharkey-Issaquena and Kemper Academy to set the stage for a 70-47 victory against Riverdale Academy in the Class A title game.
Franks said the final games were fun to be a part of because each team supported the other and had great crowds of friends and family members.
“It seemed like it worked out almost perfect,” Franks said. “They are really proud of winning (the two state championships).”
Franks admitted he wasn’t sure if either team would get to this point because both programs have had success throughout the years but he said it has felt like they haven’t been able to “get over the hump.” He said both squads realized late in the season that they could take the next step and win state championships.
“I am proud for them,” said Franks, who now has five state titles as a head coach. “I like to see kids succeed, but I like for them to have to work for it because then they will think a whole lot more of it later on.”
On the girls side, Franks said junior Rebekah Falkner and Holly Hudson had been the “go-to players” all season. He said sophomore Eliana Carter came on strong in the state tournament and worked hard to complement the play of junior Brooke Griffin and senior Victoria Ferguson. Senior Laura Smith and junior Millie Hudson are the only other upperclassmen on the 15-player roster.
On the boys side, Franks said seniors Landon Hill, Channing Tapley, and Clay Faulkner have led the team in scoring. He said Hill and Tapley provide a great balancing act in the post, while Faulkner provides valuable contributions from the perimeter.
Seniors John Thomas Weaver, Payton Griffin, and Jessie Moore and junior Rodger Pratt are the only other upperclassmen on the 11-player roster.
“It is an honor to go down there,” Franks said. “I told mine (Monday) that you’re playing one class against another, so you really want to see if the Class A teams can compete with the other ones and if the Class AA teams can compete with the Class AAAA teams.
“I just want us to have fun. I want us to play together. Whatever happens, it will happen.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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