Conway, SC – The Atlantic Collegiate Academy basketball teams will be looking to bounce back from a tough weekend when the Armada squares off against sister school Oceanside Collegiate Academy tonight at "The Flight Deck".
 
The JV boys' basketball team will face OCA at 6 p.m. with the varsity boys' teams slated for a 7:30 p.m. tip. The ACA girls will travel to Mt. Pleasant to face the OCA girls on Tuesday night. That game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start.
 
All three ACA squads traveled to face off against Region foe Mullins High on Friday night, and all three contests went right down to the wire, but the Armada fell short in each game.
 
The JV boys got off to a great start in their game, building a 12-point lead by halftime and holding on to that cushion going into the fourth quarter. Mullins turned things around in that final quarter, outscoring the Armada 21-6 to take a 45-42 victory.
 
"We played a hard game and led until the fourth quarter," ACA JV coach Brandon Alston said. "We just weren't disciplined enough to finish, and that is my fault."
 
Sophomore Jeffery Williams led the Armada with 12 points and 12 rebounds in the game.
 
The ACA girls opened a busy weekend next and found themselves having to battle from behind after a sluggish opening quarter that saw Mullins take a 14-8 lead. The Armada stayed within striking distance but trailed 29-22 at halftime.
 
"The team played hard and competed against a very aggressive team," Armada coach Bill Zatulskis said. "We needed to rebound better and finish at the rim."
 
The ACA girls had a quick turnaround, playing in the Carolina Clash at Wilson High on Saturday and Sunday. The Armada faced off against South Florida on Saturday and, after leading 19-18 at the half, fell victim to fatigue in the second half, scoring just five points in dropping the game 50-24.
 
The Armada faced the host team from Wilson high on Sunday and fell behind early, taking a 51-29 loss.
 
Mullins continued to extend its lead in the third quarter, pushing the ACA deficit to 47-32, but the Armada battled to make a comeback over the final eight minutes, but ran out of time in a 51-45 defeat.
 
"Our energy and fight were there in the second half," Zatulskis said. "If we make a few more of our layups and rebound better, the outcome could have been different. We are still growing as a team and developing at both ends of the floor.
 
Sophomore guard Zaniya Blackmon led the Armada with 10 points while freshman Ashyra Willis grabbed a team-high six rebounds.
 
The boys' varsity game turned into another tight contest, with Mullins outlasting the Armada 66-64 in overtime.
 
Like the ACA girls, the Armada found themselves in an early hole in the game thanks to a hot start by the host team. Mullins led by nine (15-6) at the end of the first quarter, but ACA rallied to trim the deficit to just one point, 22-21, by halftime.
 
The second half of the game was back-and-forth throughout. The Armada took a 37-35 advantage into the final quarter, but the Auctioneers forced overtime with the score tied at 54 at the end of regulation. Mullins was able to edge the Armada in the extra frame to take the win.
 
"I am proud of the toughness our players showed throughout the game," ACA coach Tanner Massey said. "For us to come back in overtime and have a chance to win showed me a lot. This is a learning experience for us all and I can't wait to get back on the court with our guys again."
 
Senior guard Jaylen Bellamy and freshman guard Anton Daniels led the Armada with 15 points each in the game. Senior forward CJ Hemingway chipped in with 12 points and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds. The Auctioneers were led by sophomore Dakarai Worley with 20 points and 11 rebounds while junior Deyon Ford added 19 points.
 
Massey said he is looking forward to getting back on the court tonight against Oceanside.
 
"We will be facing a team that is well coached and well put together," Massey said. "Oceanside will be a handful, but we will regroup to give them our best game."

About Atlantic Collegiate Academy: Atlantic Collegiate Academy (ACA), located in Myrtle Beach, S.C., serves high school students in a safe, small and family-centered setting. Our students seek the opportunity and challenge of rigorous curriculum, high academic standards and elite athletics while also earning up to two years of college credit. ACA serves students in grades 9-12 using an honors curriculum in 9th and 10 grades with a dual enrollment curriculum in 11th and 12th grades. Learn more about ACA by visiting our website at AtlanticCollegiate.Academy and by following us on social media on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.