Creech has high expectations for Patrick Henry girls basketball team

Estill – With four starters back from a team that went 12-8 and reached the second round of the

SCISA AA state playoffs, Patrick Henry Academy girls basketball head coach Anthony Creech has

high expectations.

“No, we haven’t played to what I expected,” said Creech, whose team was 6-4 after the first week

of January. “We have too much talent on this team and at times my girls get complacent.”

The Patriots are playing at AAA this season and are off to a 2-0 in Region 4. The returning

starters are senior Lillian Lucas and Laney Futch and juniors Saquoia Sexton and Emily Stanley.

Lucas is the leading scorer at 15.2 points per game, assists at 4.2 and steals at 5.2 She’s also

averaging 5.8 rebounds. Futch is the leading rebounder at 11.4 and is just missing a double-double with a

9.8 scoring average. She’s also averaging a team high 1.8 blocked shots to go with 2.2 assists and 3.2

steals.

Sexton is averaging 7.3 points and 6.8 rebounds, while Stanley is averaging 7.7 points, 4.3

rebounds and 4.2 steals.

The other starter is senior Adair Fowler, who is averaging 1.0 points and 2.3 rebounds.

Other key players are sophomore Mills Lucas, senior Emma Lynch and freshmen Maura Mathis

and Abbie Isham. 

Creech said PHA needs to focus on defense.

“Defense is the key if this team is successful,” Creech said. “Playing great defense turns into

great offense. Defense wins championships, offense sells tickets.”

PHA BOYS START OFF 2-10

The Patrick Henry boys owned a 2-10 overall record but was 1-1 in region play a week into the new year.

Head coach Claude Terry isn’t surprised with the start.

“So far we have played to what I’ve expected,” Terry said. “We have a few returning starters and

some new young players. We play a tough schedule but look forward to improving as a team this season.”

The returning starters are seniors Rowen Croft and Mikell Tucker Mathis and junior Dai Dai

Glover. Croft is the point guard and leads in scoring at 16.8 and has a 35-point game under his belt. He’s

also averaging 6.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.8 steals.

Mathis is averaging a double-double with 12.7 points and a team high 10.0 rebounds to go with

4.2 assists. Glover is the assists leader at 5.0 while averaging 9.7 points.

The newcomers to the starting lineup are junior Trayveon Atkins and sophomore Scoot Mizzell.

Atkins is averaging 14.7 points and 8.0 rebounds, while Mizzell is averaging 5.6 points and 3.4 rebounds.

Key contributors off the bench are senior Garrett Herndon, senior Tristan Peeples (6.4 ppg),

junior Warren Williams and sophomore Quinn Lawton.

“The keys to us being successful this season are shooting well and protecting the ball,” Terry said.

“We don’t have a lot of height inside, but our players work hard to box out and get rebounds.”