Coach Gene (Moochie) Britt’s youth movement showed some maturityTuesday night in Loyd Star’s gymnasium. His Hornets held off thevisiting St. Andrews Saints 62-50 in Division 6-2A basketballaction, sparked by guard Matthew Henderson and center Rickey Barneswith 15 points each.

In the varsity girls game, St. Andrews dominated the backboardsand escaped with a 44-37 win over the cold-shooting LadyHornets.

Loyd Star resumes play Friday night at Wesson, meeting thearchrival Cobras in a division doubleheader

The Hornets (9-5, 1-1), with no seniors on thesquad, went with 3 freshmen and 2 juniors in the starting lineup.Ron Jones, a 6-2 junior, added 13 points and 12 rebounds to thetriumph.

“Matthew Henderson is our sparkplug at point guard,” said CoachBritt. “I was pleased with our performance after the holidays,especially Matthew’s.”

Henderson, a 5-7 junior, also had 9 assists and 5 rebounds inthe victory. Freshman Glenn Thomas had 7 points and 6 rebounds.Barnes, a 6-4 junior, had 7 rebounds and scored 6 of his points inthe fourth quarter.

“Our kids hustled and really got on the boards with them,” saidBritt. The Saints had a tall front line but couldn’t match LoydStar’s quickness.

SA’s Daniel Parry, a 6-5 forward, sacked 3 second-half treys.His final trey reduced Loyd Star’s lead to 6 points, 51-45, with5:41 left to play.

The Hornets got a short jumper from freshman Ashton Fox. After atechnical foul on SA coach Frank Mazer, Henderson netted 2 freethrows for a 55-45 advantage. Barnes followed with back-to-backjumpers and the Hornets led by 14 points, 59-45.

The Saints (5-9, 0-2) were led by guard Michael Holford’s 17points.

The Lady Saints (7-7, 1-1) dominated the insidegame. They got 11 points and 7 rebounds from 6-foot junior centerOlivia Wells. Carrie Sweet, a 5-10 freshman, added 10 points and 9rebounds.

SA girls coach Burney King said he was happy to escape with avictory. “Anytime we can win on the road is good. This is a toughplace to win. We played well in spurts.”

Loyd Star (10-4, 0-2) didn’t play well and head coach JanDelaughter scheduled a 7 a.m. practice today. The Lady Hornets shota frigid 27 percent, making just 16 of 60 field goal attempts.

“We had no rebounding and we shot the ball poorly,” saidDelaughter. “You won’t win when you play like we did.”

Delaughter got 14 points and 5 rebounds from point guard LauraBritt. Dakota Brooks added 9 points and 6 rebounds. Brittany Brownbagged 6 rebounds and 6 points.

Two of Loyd Star’s leading scorers were unable to connect fromthe field last night. Sophomore center Haley Sones was limited to 1point. She picked up her fourth personal foul with 2:31 left in thethird and the score tied 26-26. Forward Shannon Chester, recoveringfrom an ankle injury sustained in the Wesson Invitational Dec. 22,was held to 3 points.

The Lady Hornets took their last lead at 35-34 on a putback byBrooks and 5:43 remaining in the game. SA responded when 5-10junior post Maggie Floyd sacked back-to-back field goals, givingher team a 38-35 lead.

Delaughter’s team missed 3 field goal attempts in the finalminute. By comparison, SA netted 4 of 6 at the charity line and gota putback from Sweet to secure the win.