By Jay Neal
sports@jacksonvilleprogress.com
RUSK — New Summerfield head coach Jason Davis figured his team would be in for a long day Thursday.
After all, his Class A Hornets had the burdensome task of facing the No. 25 ranked team in Class 3A, Rusk, in the opening game of the Hilton Services-State Farm Rusk Classic, without the benefit of New Summerfield’s starting point guard as well as the team’s leading scorer. Both players were unavailable for duty Thursday due to a coaches’ decision.
With that being said, the Eagles (4-1) proved Davis’ reasoning to be spot-on by opening the game on a 40-0 run, eventually defeating the short-staffed Hornets 91-17.
Eagle head coach Tracy Kincade substituted early and often as all 12 members of the Red and Black scored at least two points.
New Summerfield (3-4) finally got on the board with 7:10 to play in the first half when Colt Collins sank a shot from midrange. Collins went on to pace the Hornets in scoring, with eight points.
Rusk took a 62-11 lead into the dressing room and led 72-13 after three periods.
The Eagles placed four players in double figures with Derrick Sanders, Kalen Skinner and Delshawn Session each pumping in 13 points and John David Beard contributing 10.
Sanders had three triples, all coming in the first half while Skinner added a pair, both taking place in the opening quarter of play.
Rusk closed the game on an 8-0 progression as the Hornets’ last basket came with 4:18 left to play.
That’s when Adrian Ornelas made good on a deuce for his only points of the game.
Both teams were slated to play again later Thursday evening, before wrapping up pool play today with a pair of contests.
The Eagles will meet Houston Prep Academy at 12:45 then close the day at 8 p.m. against Mexia.
New Summerfield will face Nacogdoches at 2 p.m. then play Houston Prep Academy at 5 p.m.
Bracket play begins at 12:45 p.m. Saturday with the championship affair set for 6:30 p.m.
Rusk 91
New Summerfield 17
1 2 3 4 Tot.
NSHS 0 11 2 4 17
RHS 38 24 10 19 91
NSHS — Valentia Guerraro, 3; Adrian Ornelas, 2; Cade Wilkerson, 2; Colt Collins, 8; Humberto Rodriquez, 2.
RHS — Kalen Skinner, 13; Blake Fletcher, 9; Derrick Sanders, 13; DeMarrio Richards, 6; Mike Katon, 9; John David Beard, 10; Brandon Downs, 5; Mike Pyle, 7; Xavier Jackson, 2; Delshawn Session, 13; Ray Harris, 2; Taj Cleaver, 2.
Three-point goals — NSHS-Guerraro; RHS- Skinner (2), Fletcher, Sanders (3), Beard, Session.
Next game — New Summerfield vs. Nacogdoches, 2 p.m. today in Rusk Classic; Rusk vs. Houston Prep Academy, 12:45 p.m. today in Rusk Classic.
