After a 4-5 start, John Milledge Academy (JMA) recently turned a corner and is now on a hot streak, winning eight of its last nine games since Jan. 5, including the last four in a row.
JMA head coach Mitch Risley is happy to see his team peaking at the right time of the season.
“The past few games we’ve finally started to buy in as a team and commit to playing defense,” Risley said. “I think we are close to playing the brand of basketball we want to play going into February. We have a lot of different guys contributing, which is always good to have this time of year.”
In that timespan, JMA has beaten several teams twice, including First Presbyterian Day, Deerfield-Windsor, and Tattnall Square Academy. The Trojans have knocked off Bethlehem Christian Academy as well.
JMA is currently 12-6 overall and 5-1 in GIAA Class AAA Region 6 after Tuesday’s win over FPD. The Trojans blasted the Vikings 79-47 in Macon for a fourth-straight victory.
The contest was never in doubt as John Milledge had four scorers in double-figures, led by senior Isaiah Womble, who scored 16 points. He also had three rebounds and three steals in the win.
Fellow seniors Derrick Lundy (15 pts, 5 rbs) and Solomon Burley (11 pts, 6 rbs), as well as a sophomore Isaiah Johnson (12 pts, 5 rbs, 4 asts), also finished in double digits. Senior Bud Veal contributed nine points, six assists, and a team-high nine steals against FPD.
JMA heads into Friday night’s matchup against Stratford Academy with a huge chip on its shoulder. The Eagles edged the Trojans 52-48 in Macon on Jan. 16, so they’re looking for revenge.
Following Friday’s game, JMA heads into the final week of the regular season, with two games left. The Trojans will host Trinity Christian on Tuesday and Mount de Sales next Friday.
“We’ve got three more regular season (games) and we are looking to build off the last few games and keep our momentum going into tournament time,” Risley added.
The region tournament follows the week after, with John Milledge having a chance to bring home a title. The GIAA Class AAA state playoffs start with the first round on Feb. 20 and Feb. 21.