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Head Coach Drake Flowers gives instructions to senior guard Ella Smith. She finished the game with 27 points leading the Cougars in scoring. (Hunter Cloud | The Daily Leader)

Anne Rylea Thurman drives to the goal. She had four points in the win for Brookhaven Academy Monday night. (Hunter Cloud | The Daily Leader)

BROOKHAVEN — Head Coach Drake Flowers and the Brookhaven Academy Lady Cougars won their first basketball game of the year 56-36 over Copiah Academy. The win came as a nightcap to the annual Pink Out tip-off where breast cancer survivors are recognized. 

Students from Copiah Academy and Brookhaven Academy spent much of the second half chanting back and forth. One of BA’s last chants reminded Copiah Academy that Flowers, who previously coached at Copiah Academy, was finally home. 

“Drake is ours,” the BA students chanted. He is the school’s new girls basketball coach and athletic director. 

Flowers is a Brookhaven Academy alumnus. His passion is clear on the sideline and was amplified by the dozens of screaming students behind the Lady Cougars bench. 

“The atmosphere tonight was unbelievable. They did a great job coming out and supporting us,” Flowers said. “I thought our crowd gave us a lot of energy. It is great to get a win. It is kind of surreal as an alumni. When I got out of high school I wanted to coach college. When I saw the impact you can have coaching high school, I wanted to come back here. I seized an opportunity to come here and represent this amazing school.”

It was Flowers first victory as the head coach of the Lady Cougars. His team played hard for him and hustled up and down the court. Flowers said he liked the team’s intensity and learning on the fly. 

BA pulled away from the Lady Colonels in the second half. In the fourth quarter, Flowers was able to mass sub players from the bench and hold Copiah Academy defensively to close out the game. 

Brookhaven Academy’s Ella Smith, a senior guard, led the team in scoring with 27 points. She is transitioning to a primary scorer role. Flowers said there is a lot more pressure on her this season. 

“We are trying to work out some things. She progressed as the game went on, she settled in and adjusted her game to what they were doing,” Flowers said. “I thought Caroline Case coming off the bench gave us a spark. She pressured the defense and got us some steals.”

Anne Rylea Thurman stayed calm in the game when Copiah jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter. Her demeanor helped the Lady Cougars rally back into the lead to close out the first quarter. BA maintained a lead through the end of the second quarter and the rest of the game. 

Senior forward Ainsley Orr was present on the bench as she coached, encouraged and cheered teammates on. The Daily Leader may have jinxed a hopeful early return for the senior from a knee injury sustained this summer. 

“She got really into the game. You miss her experience with her out,” Flowers said. “We are playing with two girls who have major experience playing at this level. We are adjusting and adapting and it will make the team better. Orr will hopefully come back and be able to step in. We will be a better team for it.”

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