NATCHEZ — Tip McKenzie and Givonni Dent combined for 33 points for the Trinity Episcopal varsity boy’s basketball team as they easily handled Silliman in a 78-35 win Saturday.

McKenzie led in scoring with 17 points, and Dent added 16 points. Tanner Cage also scored in double digits, finishing with 10 points.

Trinity assistant coach Richy Spears said the boys team has been slowly improving since the season began.

“I thought the defensive pressure was better today,” Spears said. “We’re just trying to get the football out of them. They converted on some opportunities, and that’s what you have to do. I thought they covered the floor pretty well.”

Spears didn’t downplay how much of an adjustment it is for the players going from football to basketball, saying there’s a big difference between how you play the two sports.

“It’s a different kind of running than there is in football,” Spears said.

“You have to get them into that controlled kind of running (from basketball), instead of that 10-second burst (in football). We want them to be aggressive, but not go overboard.”

Trinity led just 18-13 at the end of the first quarter, but began to pull away in the second quarter. The Saints went on a 12-0 run in the first two minutes before Silliman got on the board with a two-point basket at the 5:57 mark.

The Saints held Silliman to 14 points in the second quarter, and led 53-27 at the half.

With the backups in most of the second half, Silliman tallied just eight points in the third quarter, and none in the fourth quarter.

Trinity (4-2, 1-0) will host Chamberlain-Hunt Monday.

Trinity girls 62,

Silliman 45

The dynamic duo of Madelyn Cross and Bethany Ogden continued to dominate the court as the Lady Saints improved to 9-3 on the season, 1-0 in district play.

Cross led the Lady Saints with 26 points, while Ogden added 23 points of her own. Rosie Woods scored five points, Sarah Bryan tallied four points and Abbey Ashmore finished with three points.

Head coach Richy Spears said Trinity was able to capitalize on a strong first half.

“I though we played well defensively in the first half,” Spears said.

“We got into a little bit of foul trouble, so we had to pull some of our starters out. A lot of people got playing time today, and they’re going to need it.”

Trinity led 38-18 at the half and 49-31 at the end of the third.

For Silliman, Sydney Songs was the leading scorer with 18 points. Kylee Dempsey had 10 points.

Trinity will host the Centreville girls Dec. 17.