The Pearl River Central boys basketball team added to the win column with victories over Lamar Christian 53-21 and Presbyterian Christian 41-34 over the weekend.

The games took place on Dec. 27 and Dec. 28 and were part of a tournament hosted by Presbyterian Christian.

While neither game affects the Blue Devils’ district standing, Head Coach Scott Stephens said there were numerous positives to be taken from the performances over the weekend.

“I thought we guarded well and rebounded well. We did a lot of things right and that helped us be successful,” Stephens said.

PRC will have numerous district games in the second half of the season, which means tournament seeding will be on the line.

In order to be prepared for the upcoming games Stephens wanted to make sure his players got plenty of game experience.

To avoid losing sharpness Stephens said it’s important to play a plethora of games and that more time on the court can only benefit the team against their district opponents.

January and February is where the playoff race is decided, so playing the best basketball possible heading into those match ups is a must.

“The more you play the less likely you are to have a letdown and get rusty. You can’t take off a number of days and expect to be sharp, focused and ready to play,” Stephens said.

The Blue Devils’ seniors have been integral in the teams success so far this season.

As the games get more intense the importance of the upperclassmen’s leadership will increase and Stephens said having players who have been in these positions before helps the team.

“I think it’s important because a lot of the guys have been here before and have experience playing in games like this. Everybody has to be pulling their own weight and in the right direction,” Stephens said.

However, there have been some younger players stepping up and providing valuable minutes for Stephens and the Blue Devils.

Sophomores Trevor Stromeyer and Tyaon Terrell were both key participants in PRC’s wins over the weekend.

Stromeyer had 18 points and five steals against Lamar Christian, while Terrell had nine points and four assists against Presbyterian Christian.

Not only does this bode well for the program’s future, but it also gives Stephens more depth heading into the all important district games.

Both players have been getting extended floor time and Stephens said the more the younger athletes are on the court the more consistent they become.

“Playing them as much as we have and getting them valuable minutes early on, I think the game is starting to slow down for them and they’re making better decisions,” Stephens said.

Now PRC will have a short layoff before a tough home game against Greene County on Jan 3.

Stephens said the Wildcats have some talented athletes, which means rebounding and ball handling will be key for the Blue Devils.

However, Stephens said no matter the competition he wants his players to have the same mindset each time they step on the court.

“I’d still like us to get more consistent in our approach and play the same way regardless of if we’re up or down,” Stephens said. Tip off will be at 7 p.m. against the Wildcats.