Season Recap

MRA  46  (33 - 9)
Hillcrest Christian School  42
Saturday, March 1
MPSA Overall Tournament - Finals

Ryan Goolsby scored the team's first 6 points and MRA started out well jumping to a 9 - 4 lead with 3 minutes remaining in the first quarter.  Hillcrest would shutdown the Patriots for the rest of the half, but MRA would manage to do the same.  The game was tied at 13 at the half.  Goolsby scored 4 quick points to start the 3rd quarter, but Hillcrest would answer and lead by 2 (25 - 23) going into the final frame.  MRA used a 12 - 0 run, including 2 Andrew Howell 3 pointers, over the first 4 minutes of the 4th quarter to take a 10 point lead, but Hillcrest would not go away.  The Cougars started making shots from everywhere, but MRA would make free throws down the stretch.  Zac Hutson, Andrew Howell, and Kyle Grantham combined to go 5 - 6 in the last minute to seal the win.  Goolsby scored 20 for the Patriots, while Andrew Howell added 13 to help MRA claim back to back Overall titles for the first time in school history.

MRA  66  (32 - 9)
Pillow Academy  51
Friday, February 29
MPSA Overall Tournament - Semi-finals

MRA was able to avenge a loss from the Class AAA semi-finals by shooting the ball extremely well from the outside and outrebounding the Mustangs.  MRA outscored Pillow in every quarter and went 10 - 12 from the free throw line in the 4th quarter to ensure the victory.  Ryan Goolsby scored 19 for the Patriots, while Fraser Adams and Andrew Howell added 13 each.

MRA  66  (31 - 9)
Brookhaven Academy  37
Wednesday, February 27
MPSA Overall Tournament - Quarter-finals

MRA won some revenge over the last team to put them out of the Overall tournament.  The Patriots suffered a huge upset at the hands of the Cougars in 2006, but Fraser Adams and Andrew Howell made sure that wouldn't happen this year.  Each scored 12 points and had 2 big 3 pointers each to help the Patriots to a big win.  MRA trailed at the half by a score of 29 - 28, but the Patriots picked up the defensive pressure and held Brookhaven to 8 second half points.  Adams back to back rebound put-backs to open the second half really set the tone for the 3rd quarter, which saw MRA outscore the Cougars by a score of 22 -  3.

Franklin, LA  32
MRA  92  (30 - 9)
Tuesday, February 26
MPSA Overall Tournament - 1st round

MRA completely overmatched their opponent on this night.  The starting five played 11 minutes, and the younger players saw lots of action.  Andrew Howell led the way with 13, while Ryan Goolsby and Matthew Berry scored 12 and 10, respectively.  16 of MRA's 18 players were able to find the scoring column, and Craig Bell highlighted the 4th quarter by pouring in 7 points in the final 4 minutes.

MRA  53  (29 - 9)
Jackson Academy  62
Saturday, February 23
MPSA Class AAA 3rd place game

MRA played with little effort until the Patriots subbed out and allowed the younger players to hustle.  The Patriots scored 3 points in the first quarter, and had added 2 to the board when the sophomores entered the game.  David Hill hit a 3 point shot on the group's first possession, and they would continue to play hard and score.  MRA scored finished the half with 15 on the scoreboard, but they still trailed by 17.  MRA would battle in the 3rd quarter, but the team was unable to cut into the lead.  The Patriots would close the gap to 7 late in the game, but that was as close as they would get.  Andrew Howell scored 12 to lead MRA on the night.

Pillow Academy  64
MRA  52  (29 - 8)
Friday, February 22
MPSA Class AAA Semi-finals

MRA's effort was somewhat lackluster early, and their shooting touch was lacking all night as the Mustangs handled them throughout the night.  Pillow played through foul trouble, executed their offense and made lay-ups for the entire game, while MRA played well in spurts.  The Mustangs led by 5 at the half and by 9 after 3 quarters.  MRA did cut the lead to as little as 4, but the Patriots were unable to close the gap anymore.  Nathan Cox scored 13, Andrew Howell 11 and Ryan Goolsby 10 to pace the Patriots.

Magnolia Heights School  36
MRA  64  (29 - 7)
Tuesday, February 19
MPSA Class AAA opening round

MRA came out and asserted its dominance from the opening tip, not allowing Magnolia any easy looks.  The Patriots were able to force several turnovers throughout the first quarter, and transition buckets were key in opening a big lead.  Andrew Howell led the Patriots with 11, while Ryan Goolsby added 10.  Many of the younger players got to play throughout the second half.

MRA  65  (28 - 7)
Jackson Prep  61
Saturday, February 16
MPSA Class AAA, Division I Finals

The Patriots used a big 1st quarter to gain a lead, but Jackson Prep would battle throughout the game and lead in the third and again in the fourth quarters.  Andrew Howell had huge 4 point play on a made 3 pointer when the Patriots were down 5 in the third quarter, and he also had a couple of big steals moments later to put MRA back in the lead.  Howell led the way with 21, while Fraser Adams added 19, including 3 of 4 free throws in the last minute to seal the win.

Jackson Academy  39
MRA  48  (27 - 7)
Friday, February 15
MPSA Class AAA, Division I Semi-finals

Jackson Academy worked hard to slow down the tempo, and MRA was unable to get things moving at a speed of their liking.  The Patriots led throughout the game, but Jackson Academy was always lurking within a few points.  Ryan Goolsby scored 12 of his 14 points in the first 3 quarters, and Fraser Adams took over in the fourth by scoring 9 of his 14 points in the period.  The Patriots used a 21 point 4th quarter to pull away for the win.

MRA  81  (26 - 7)
Pillow Academy  68
Friday, February 8

MRA played with energy and enthusiasm for all 32 minutes on this night, and the Patriots were able to secure a win over one of the hottest teams in the MPSA.  Andrew Howell's hot hand in the first half, along with Ryan Goolsby's steady play all night led MRA on offense, but the Patriots' ability to hound and pressure Pillow all night long was the story line of the game.  Caleb Miskelly, Andrew Howell, and Fraser Adams pressured the Mustang guards all night long, and didn't allow the ball to get inside.  Goolsby led the way with 29, while Howell and Adams added 19 & 12, respectively.  Nathan Cox also played his best game in a couple of weeks to add 11.

MRA  50  (25 - 7, 10 & 2 conference)
Parklane Academy  52
Tuesday, February 5

MRA came out flat and stayed that way all night.  Parklane was more aggressive, and the Pioneer post players controlled the game from start to finish.  Blake Brown's hot shooting also provided a spark for the Pioneers, while MRA was able to score 3 points outside of the paint in the entire second half.  Ryan Goolsby scored 15 and Andrew Howell added 13 on the night.

MRA  62  (25 - 6, 10 & 1 conference)
Hillcrest Christian School  65
Monday, February 4

MRA started out slowly as Hillcest jumped to a big lead, and MRA would have to fight from behind all night.  The Patriots trailed 36 - 26 at the half and 47 - 39 after 3 quarters.  MRA would dominate the 4th quarter, holding Hillcrest to 7 points, but the Patrtiots couldn't secure the win in regulation.  Hillcrest was able to score first in the overtime, and MRA couldn't regain the momentum to get the win.  Ryan Goolsby scored 30 for MRA, while Fraser Adams added 10 on the night.

Presbyterian Christian School  54
MRA  67  (25 - 5, 10 & 0 conference)
Thursday, Janaury 30

Presbyterian did a nice job of controlling the tempo of the game, but MRA was able to pressure the Bobcats into enough turnovers and bad shots to take a 35 - 24 lead into halftime.  MRA continued to build its lead in the second half with a 48 - 32 lead after 3 quarters, but PCS refused to go away, and MRA won by 13.  MRA placed 4 players in double figures, with Ryan Goolsby's 15 leading the way.  Fraser Adams and Andrew Howell scored 13, while Zac Hutson added 11.

Parklane Academy  54
MRA  83  (24 - 5, 9 & 0 conference)
Monday, January 28

MRA's defense started out the game with full court pressure, and the change paid off.  The Patriots controlled the tempo all night and never gave the Pioneers a real chance to stay in the game.  MRA led 19 - 6 after one quarter and were up 43 - 26 at the break.  Fraser Adams got the Patriots off to a fast start, scoring 10 points in the first quarter and led the team with 20 points on the night.  Matthew Berry also scored 13, while Nathan Cox and Ryan Goolsby each scored 12.

Jackson Academy  54
MRA  55  (23 - 5)
Saturday, January 26

MRA trailed for the entire game as JA took control early and didn't appear to be willing to let MRA back into the game.  The Patriots were able to push the tempo more in the 4th quarter and make a run to get back into the game.  Matthew Berry hit a 3 point shot with 15 seconds remaining to tie the game, and after JA made 1 free throw out of 2 with 9 seconds remaining, MRA's Andrew Howell was able to finish off an incredible night with an incredible finish.  Howell took the inbounds pass after an MRA timeout, and went the length of the floor before pulling up to hit a 15 footer at the buzzer.  Howell was MRA's only scorer in double figures, but he did have 30 on the night.

MRA  54  (22 - 5, 8 & 0 conference)
Jackson Prep  49
Tuesday, January 22

MRA held Prep to 9 points in the first half and opened up a 13 point lead.  The Prep Patriots found their offensive rhythm in the fourth quarter as they picked up the tempo and forced MRA into several turnovers late, but MRA was 6 - 9 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, including 2 big shots by Grant Jones to put just enough points on the board for MRA to hold on for the win.

Hinds Agricultural High School  62
MRA  55  (21 - 5)
Monday, January 21
"Rumble in the South" Showcase

MRA played the undefeated and # 1 ranked 2A public school in Mississippi on Martin Luther King Day at Mississippi College.  The Bulldogs jumped on MRA early and sprinted to a 10 point lead, but MRA righted the ship and was able to stay in the game until the end.  MRA employed a zone defense to slow down the Hinds offensive attack, and the Patriots handled Hinds's pressure defense well enough to have a chance at the end of the game.  Matthew Berry was the team's leading scorer with 14, while Andrew Howell and Ryan Goolsby each added 12.

MRA  48  (21 - 4, 7 & 0 conference)
East Rankin Academy  47
Tuesday, January 15

MRA lost freshman point guard Caleb Miskelly to a broken elbow (out 3 - 4 weeks) midway through the first quarter, and the Patriots struggleed to find an offensive rhythm throughout the night.  MRA did defend well, but the Patriots were unable to pull away in spite of several chances throughout the 2nd half.  Kyle Grantham scored a career high 11 points to lead the Patriots in scoring, while Nathan Cox added 10. 

MRA  59  (20 - 4, 6 & 0 conference)
Lamar School  42
Saturday, January 12

MRA's highly anticipated rematch with the Raiders was somewhat of a blow-out.  The Patriots guarded much better on this night, and the Raiders were unable to find their outside shots.  MRA led by 7 after one quarter, by 6 at the half, and by 13 after 3 quarters.  Fraser Adams led the Patriots with 13 points on the night, including 7 of 8 from the free throw line.

MRA  52  (19 - 4, 5 & 0 conference)
Presbyterian Christian School  25
Thursday, January 10

Presbyterian packed in a zone and dared the Patriots to shoot the outside shot.  Andrew Howell's 3 three pointers high lighted his 19 point effort offensively, but the story was MRA's defensive pressure.  The Bobcats could only muster 25 points on the night with MRA's half-court pressure taking them out of their offense.

Jackson Prep  58
MRA  62  (18 - 4, 4 & 0 conference)
Tuesday, January 8

MRA couldn't stop the hot shooting of the Prep guards in the first half, and Prep led 36 - 26 at the half after hitting 7 of 8 three point shots.  Prep extended the lead to 17 midway through the 3rd quarter, and MRA was able to find another gear to get back into the game.  MRA cut the lead to 6 at the end of the quarter as Zac Hutson hit a buzzer beating three, and the Patriots continued to blitz Prep throughout the 4th quarter.  MRA held Prep to 6 fourth quarter points, and Ryan Goolsby scored 9 of his game high 22 in that frame. 

MRA  55  (17 - 4)
Jackson Academy  54
Saturday, January 5
Finals - JA Classic

MRA's Ryan Goolsby and Nathan Cox carried the offensive load in the first half, but MRA's cause for concern was on the defensive end.  JA's Nathan Dye scored the Raiders first 16 points (all 13 in the first quarter), and finished with a game high 23.  This game was a battle all night, and MRA's Fraser Adams two backdoor layups in the last 2 minutes of the game helped the Patriots secure a 1 point win.  Goolsby led MRA with 14 points, while Andrew Howell and Fraser Adams also found double figures with 12 and 10, respectively.

Marshall Academy  41
MRA  55  (16 - 4)
Thursday, January 3
Semi-finals - JA Classic

MRA returned to MPSA action and defeated a scrappy team from Holly Springs.  MRA never got the ball running up and down the court the way they wished, but MRA did hold Marshall to 41 points.  Ryan Goolsby scored 16, while Nathan Cox scored 13, 11 in the first half.

MRA  38  (15 - 4)
Bogalusa (LA) High School  64
Saturday, December 29
New Orleans Arena

MRA displayed one of its poorest efforts in recent memory as Bogalusa destroyed the Patriots.  MRA played well for a spurt of about 4 minutes in the second half to trail by only 9 at the break, but Bogalusa made shots and got to the rim at will throughout the second half.  Ryan Goolsby scored 11 points to lead MRA.

MRA  74  (15 - 3)
Montbello (CO) High School  75 (Overtime)
Saturday, December 22
Cherry Creek Holiday Tournament (5th place game)

MRA's Andrew Howell hit a 3 pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime, and the Patriots gave one away in the extra period.  2 turnovers in the last minute kept MRA from holding onto a 3 point lead.  Ryan Goolsby scored 22, Andrew Howell 16, and Zac Hutson 14 to lead the way for MRA.

MRA  34  (15  - 2)
Grand Junction (CO) High School  65
Saturday, December 22
Cherry Creek Holiday Tournament (pool play)

The Patriots lacked effort and intensity in this blow-out loss.  Cory Childress and Matthew Berry each scored 6 points to lead MRA in scoring as the Patriots took one on the chin.

Arapahoe (CO) High School  63
MRA  49  (15 - 1)
Friday, December 21
Cherry Creek Holiday Tournament (pool play)

MRA suffered its first defeat of the year to team that shot the ball extremely well and pressed the Patriots very effectively.  MRA's Ryan Goolsby scored 17 and Zac Hutson scored 14, but the Patriots' guards were unable to break the opponent's pressure defense throughout the game.  MRA trailed by 11 at the break and by 15 after 3 quarters before falling for the first time this season. 

Brighton (CO) High School  64
MRA  77  (15 - 0)
Thursday, December 20
Cherry Creek Holiday Tournament (pool play)

MRA's Andrew Howell scored a career high 31 points as the Patriots held on for a good win in the thin mountain air.  MRA led by 15 at the half but saw its lead cut to 4 just before the end of the 3rd quarter.  MRA responded with a 12 - 0 run to end the 3rd and start the fourth to pull away.  Brighton continued to battle and the Patriots were able to make free throws down the stretch to hold on for the win.  Nathan Cox (17) and Zac Hutson (14) were also in double figures for the Patriots. 

Hillcrest Christian School  60
MRA  61  (14 - 0, 3 & 0 conference)
Saturday, December 18

MRA was fortunate to escape with a win on this night as Hillcrest used a great shooting effort to push the Patriots to the brink.  Emmanuel Ezejiofo was virtually unstoppable in the 2nd half, scoring 16 of his game high 21 points for the Cougars.  MRA's Andrew Howell and Fraser Adams struggled to find a rhythm from the outside, but both had a couple of key buckets throughout the 2nd half.  Ryan Goolsby's 18 points and 10 rebounds were big for MRA, as were Zac Hutson's 14 points and 4 rebounds.  Hutson scored 12 first half points, while Goolsby scored 9 of his points in the fourth quarter, including the go ahead bucket with 18 seconds remaining.  The Cougars went to Ezejiofo in the final seconds of the game, and he penetrated and kicked out for a shot from the corner that was no good.  An offensive rebound by the Cougars gave them a last second shot, but Goolsby was able to come across and get the block to preserve the win.

Lamar School  56
MRA  74  (13 - 0, 2 & 0 conference)
Tuesday, December 11

In a game that was ultra-competitive and very interesting throughout, the final score was overshadowed by the surrounding circumstances.  MRA played a very tough team that was ready to pull off a road win.  MRA led by a score of 35 - 28 at the half, but Lamar took a lead in the third quarter, and again early in the fourth.  MRA lead 61 - 54 with 6:37 remaining in the contest when the lights went out in the main gym.  After learning that a transformer in the City of Madison had blown, both coaches agreed to finish the game in the multi-purpose room.  MRA took control of the game downstairs and wound up winning by a considerable margin, but the Patriots were definitely tested on this night.  Ryan Goolsby's 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks led the way for MRA, while Andrew Howell had 17 and Nathan Cox added 13 for MRA.

Jackson Academy  46
MRA  59  (12 - 0)
Saturday, December 8
Finals - MRA Invitational

MRA won its own tournament in nice fashion as the Patriots led by as many as 26 points in the third quarter.  MRA led 36 - 14 at the half behind Fraser Adams 12 first half points.  The Patriots opened up a 46 - 20 lead at one point, but the Raiders refused to go away as they cut into the lead throughout the 4th quarter.  Adams had a game high 21 points, while Andrew Howell's 14 and Ryan Goolsby's 12 helped to pace the Patriots to a victory.

Southern Baptist Educational Center  55
MRA  81  (11 - 0)
Thursday, December 6
Semi-finals - MRA Invitational

MRA entertained an opponent from the Tennessee Secondary Schools Activities Association and pulled out a competitive win.  MRA lacked intensity in the first half but used a 20 - 8 third quarter to pull away for good.  Nathan Cox scored a career high 26 points, while Andrew Howell added 16.

Indianola Academy  18
MRA  75  (10 - 0)
Wednesday, December 5
1st Round - MRA Invitational

MRA completely outclassed the Colonels this night.  The Patriots led 29 - 4 after one quarter, and midway through the 2nd quarter was as long as any of the team's top 6 players would play.  No one scored in double figures for the Patriots on the evening; Zac Hutson led the way with 9.

MRA  78  (9 - 0)
St. Joseph Catholic School  47
Tuesday, December 4

MRA returned the previous week's trip by the Bruins, and the Patriots were able to come home with another win.  The Patriots led 28 - 14 at the break with all 5 starters scoring between 3 and 8 points.  The pace picked up in the second half, but the Patriots still controlled the game and were never in real danger.  Andrew Howell led the way with 21, while Ryan Goolsby scored 12.  Fraser Adams and Nathan Cox each had 10.

MRA  77  (8 - 0)
Jackson Academy  66
Saturday, December 1

MRA started out slow, but used an 18 - 7 third quarter advantage to take the lead for good.  JA led the entire first half by as much as 8 points, but MRA would battle throughout the game to come back.  Caleb Miskelly's season high 17 points (12 in the second half) were a huge boost, while Andrew Howell led all scorers with 29 points, including 12 - 14 from the free throw line.

East Rankin Academy  46
MRA  71  (7 - 0, 1 & 0 conference)
Thursday, November 29

MRA used a 10 - 0 run to end the first quarter up 18 - 10, and the Patriots won the second quarter by five to take a 37 - 24 lead into the break.  MRA held East Rankin to 6 3rd quarter points and continued to build their lead.  Nathan Cox and Andrew Howell each scored 16 to lead the way for MRA.

St. Joseph Catholic School  36
MRA  76  (6 - 0)
Tuesday, November 27

MRA led by 10 after one quarter, but saw their lead slip to 6 at the half as they gave up three 3 pointers and used poor shot selection in the 2nd quarter.  The Patriots picked up their play in the 3rd quarter and outscored the Bruins 27 - 6 in the frame.  Nathan Cox led the way with 16 points, while Andrew Howell (13), Fraser Adams (13), and Zac Hutson (10) all scored in double figures, as well.

MRA  82  (5 - 0)
Indianola Academy  36
Monday, November 26

Matthew Berry was the only player in double figures (15) as the Patriots picked up an easy win on the road.  Caleb Miskelly scored 7 straight points midway through the second quarter, and the starters would be done for the night soon after.  MRA outscored IA 27 - 4 in the first quarter and never looked back.

MRA  65  (4 - 0) 
Riverside High School  48
Monday, November 19

MRA had its toughest test of the young season as they traveled to an unfamiliar gym during a holiday week.  The Patriots' opponent was a team full of athletes that looked to run and gun and block shots.  MRA was able to run with them and make more shots.  An Andrew Howell 3 point shot at the halftime buzzer put MRA up by a score of 31 - 22, and MRA was able to outscore the Bulldogs 16 - 11 during the 3rd quarter to take control.  Andrew Howell scored 18, while Zac Hutson (14) and Fraser Adams (13) were also in double figures. 

Heritage Academy  26
MRA  86  (3 - 0)
Saturday, November 17

MRA led 22 - 8 after one quarter, and the Patriots continued to build on that lead.  The Patriots led 43 - 10 at the break.  Andrew Howell led the way with 14.  Nathan Cox and Fraser Adams scored 12 & 11 respectively.

Christ Missionary and Industrial  49 
MRA  76  (2 - 0)
Tuesday, November 13

MRA played a very athletic team and was able to show some athleticism of its own.  The Patriots scored 21 first quarter points, led by Andrew Howell's 9 and Nathan Cox's 8.  CM&I dominated the offensive glass in the first quarter to trail by only 5, but MRA would pull away for good in the second half.  Andrew Howell led the way with 25, while Nathan Cox (13), Zac Hutson (12), and Ryan Goolsby (10) each found double figures as well.

Simpson County Academy  39
MRA  84  (1 - 0)
Saturday, November 10

MRA's Andrew Howell started on a tear as he scored 12 first quarter points, and the Patriots led 27 - 9 after one quarter.  Howell finished with 27, while Zac Hutson scored 17 and Ryan Goolsby added 12 to lead the Patriots to the big win.