NATCHEZ — More than just bragging rights are on the line tonight when the Adams County Christian School boys’ basketball team hosts Trinity Episcopal.

The Saints come into tonight’s game at 2-1 in MAIS District 5-AA and looking for another win to help give them a push toward competing for the regular season title.

“The bottom line here is we have to win our district games to give ourselves a chance to fight Brookhaven off for first place (in the district),” Trinity head coach David King said.

ACCS, on the other hand, has struggled this season to a 1-17 overall record and has lost each of its four district contests. The Rebels hope to end that streak against the Saints tonight and get some momentum heading into the final few games of the season.

“I think it would be very important (to get a win over Trinity),” ACCS head coach Rick Fife said. “We were coming into the year with a young team, and I think we are making strides every day. I’m seeing improvement, and it would be a big win for the team.”

Both teams are coming off blowouts in their previous district matchups on Friday. ACCS struggled on both ends of the floor in a 75-16 loss to Brookhaven, while Trinity took care of Columbia Academy 69-42.

King said Trinity’s win over Columbia was one of the best games he has seen his squad play this season.

“I saw signs of what we can be last Friday versus Columbia,” he said. “We put almost a complete game together. We had good practices last week, and I think we are about ready to get this thing going.”

Both coaches said the cross-town rivalry aspect of the game would also be a factor in addition to the implications the game has on the district standings.

“We’ll definitely get their best game,” King said. “I know they are fired up to play us, and we are excited about playing them.”

Fife said there is no bad blood in the cross-city rivalry, however.

“It’s a good friendly rivalry, and it brings out the best in both schools,” he said.

Fife said Trinity would provide another tough matchup for the Rebels.

“They are very athletic and have numerous guys that can score,” Fife said. “They have a good inside and a good outside game. I think Friday night prepared us against Brookhaven, because they are a similar team.

“We have to cut down on turnovers and play good defense to try to make them go to some other guys other than their primary scorers.”

King said the key to the Saints making the short trip back home to Trinity tonight with a victory under their belt would be making sure they stay focused and continue their improvement because he knows Fife will have the Rebels ready to face the Saints.

The varsity boys’ game will be the nightcap of a full evening of basketball between the Saints and the Rebels, which begins at 3 p.m. with the seventh-grade girls’ game. The seventh-grade boys, junior varsity girls and boys and varsity girls will also play before the varsity boys’ game.