Vols host first round of MAIS Overall State Tournament
There is a benefit from being a top-seeded team in the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools Overall
State Tournament in the age of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
In the case of the Starkville Academy Volunteers, it means they get a home game in the first round for being the No. 2 seed out of Class 4A.
Instead of the usual central location at Mississippi College this year, the Overall State Tournament will be played at campus sites for the first two rounds with the semifinals and finals to be held at Hartfield Academy.
The Vols (21-4) look forward to continuing the postseason after losing in the finals of the Class 4A State
Tournament to Hartfield and will host Greenville St. Joseph tonight. The tip is set for 6 p.m.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to still be playing,” Starkville Academy boys coach Bill Ball said. “We got a draw to play St. Joe out of Greenville. We played them early in the year and were able to beat them.”
The Vols defeated Greenville St. Joseph 52-38 in the second game of the season.
Ball said both teams are certainly different now since that first meeting.
“I know they are much improved and we will be too,” Ball said. “All of the teams to this point can certainly play so every game will be tough. We just want to keep taking it one game at a time. Every game from here on out is a one and done so we want to make sure we’re ready to play our best.”
Starkville Academy had a tough result last Saturday in the 45-20 loss to Hartfield, but Ball was pleased with the way his team played on the defensive end.
“We didn’t make any shots, but I was so proud of the defensive effort to hold a team of Hartfield’s caliber to 45 points,” Ball said. “We didn’t hold the ball. We tried to play fast, but we guarded the whole game and I was real pleased with our kids effort because a lot of times when you can’t score, you let that effect your defense and then you really get blown out.
“We kept playing the whole game and I think that’s a testimony to our kids and the culture we are trying to build. It shows when you play hard and defend, you can go a long way.”
Ball certainly believes that can be possible for the Vols at the Overall State. He will look to players like Class 4A State All-tournament team members Jawon Yarbrough, Reese Jackson and Randall Futral to make that happen.
If Starkville Academy can defeat St. Joseph tonight, it advances to the second round on Saturday against Clinton Christian.