Columbus High School senior point guard C.J. Scott really likes the pieces on his basketball team this season.

Now it’s a matter of putting it together.

“This team is playing hard and they are playing for each other,” Scott said. “We got some new guys and they are buying in what to we are doing. They are seeing how hard we like to play on the defensive end.”

Columbus improved to 7-2 Friday night with a 38-33 victory against Starkville in its Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A, Region 3 opener at the Falcon Lair.

With the departure of Devin Berry and Roshad Meeks from last season’s team, a dropoff would have been expected. However, the Falcons have several fresh faces in the lineup playing the rugged, tenacious defense coach Sammy Smith demands.

“This is the type of game we need to build off of,” Smith said. “We have a lot of depth this year. We are just looking for the right person to make the right play at the right time. Everybody tonight made a play. We have the types of players you need to be excited about a season.”

After winning only seven games last season, Starkville also is on the upswing. The Yellow Jackets won five games in November this season. However, Columbus won the tempo battle Friday night.

“They really took us out of our game,” Starkville coach Greg Carter said. “I don’t think we were patient as we needed to be with our shot selection. They make everything hard on the offensive end. In the first quarter, we had control. We lost it and never got it back.”

Starkville (5-1) scored eight-straight points to build a 14-11 lead late in the first quarter. Zeb Rice hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the run, but Starkville made only four treys in the game.

“They started off pressing and that really sped us up,” Scott said. “In the second quarter, we made some adjustments and the main thing was not turning the ball over. When we kept the ball that meant they couldn’t get on their runs.

“In the second half, we grinded the possessions out like we needed to. The thing is we have to make more shots. If we do that, we can be a dangerous team.”

Starkville was held to two field goals in the second quarter — on back-to-back possessions. A 25-foot 3-pointer by Joshua Turner as the horn sounded lifted Columbus to a 19-18 lead at halftime.

“In the second half, we played hard and we got the tempo where we wanted it,” Columbus guard Brandon Porter said. “Everybody locked in on defense and played hard. The new guys are buying into the program. They know our motto is to play great defense. That is how we have won games around here.”

After a basket by Dontavius Self gave Starkville a 23-21 lead, the Columbus defense went into a lockdown. Starkville managed three field goals in the final 12 minutes, 15 seconds.

The teams were tied at 27 when Porter got a critical putback with 2 minutes, 45 seconds left to give the Falcons the lead for good. On the next possession, Antravious McDyess and Porter combined to get a steal on the defensive end. Scott fed Porter for a basket in transition and suddenly the Falcons held a 31-27 lead.

The Yellow Jackets were in a stretch of 11 straight misses from the field. On the other end, Scott hit 5 of 6 free throws to put the game away.

“We have the size to rebound. We just got to make sure we do it,” Smith said. “We have some ninth-graders we are counting on. The main thing is we have to keep taking steps forward.”

Porter and J.J. Swanigan each had nine points for Columbus, while Scott added seven. Rice had nine points and Dontavius Self had eight for Starkville.

n Starkville girls 62, Columbus 38: In the opener, a blistering fast start carried the Lady Jackets to victory in the region opener for both teams.

Starkville (3-2) scored the first 15 points and led 24-4 after one quarter. Blair Schaefer had 14 of her game-high 26 points and three assists in that quarter.

“I was really trying to get focused because it was our first district game and I wanted to come out with bang,” Schaefer said. “I wanted to do my thing, but I also wanted to get my teammates involved. When they left me open, I’m going to take advantage of that.”

The senior point guard was not the only Schaefer in action, either. Blair’s father, Mississippi State women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer, was pressed into duty as a towel boy near midcourt. A roof leak delayed the game for 45 minutes. After the rain finally stopped, the action resumed, but the elder Schaefer made sure the playing surface stayed safe for all parties involved.

Columbus (3-5) pieced together a 9-0 run early in the second quarter to close within 26-13. Starkville held a similar advantage at 36-23 at halftime.

“I was afraid we would come out flat because we had not played since the weekend before Thanksgiving,” Starkville coach Kristie Williams said. “I think the idea of this being our first district game and it being against Columbus really fired up the intensity inside of us. It came out on the court.”

Columbus was held to one field goal in the first quarter and two field goals in the third quarter. It had two field goals in the fourth quarter before scoring twice in the final 24 seconds.

“We were so excited from the first quarter and I think that affected us in the second quarter,” Williams said. “We have been striving to get better and better on defense. Our defensive pressure will be the cornerstone for us to win the really big games on our schedule.

“We have been practicing real hard. We have been getting after them in practice. The players we ready to step up and tell me that they were ready for this kind of challenge.”

Imane Montgomery added 20 points for Starkville. Bri Edinburgh and Bethany Jones each had seven for Columbus.

For the Starkville girls, the trip home took place later than expected but was well worth it, thanks in large part to a pair of Schaefers.

“It was really funny,” said Blair Schaefer, of her father’s contributions. “He wanted us to play. He was like ‘I don’t want this game to be postponed. I will wipe the floor if I have to.’ He’ll do anything.”

Follow Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott.

Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.