LEARNED — Last year’s trip to the MAIS Class A State Tournament was a new experience for Porters Chapel Academy. The Eagles made an unexpectedly deep run to reach the semifinals before falling to Trinity Episcopal.

This week, the Eagles make a return trip to the state tournament, albeit a much longer one. PCA (23-5) opens play in the 16-team tournament on Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 against Humphreys Academy (8-17) at Delta Academy in Marks.

PCA senior guard Kawayne Gaston said the team’s goal is different this time.

“Our mindset is to win it all,” Gaston said. “We have a more focused team. Last year, we kind of had a little doubt, ‘can we do this?’ This time, everybody has the belief we can.”

Porters Chapel bounced back from a tough opening game against the No. 4 seed from District 8-A, Heidelberg, to crush District 5-A rivals Russell Christian and Newton Academy to claim the South Central Tournament title.

PCA junior forward Ted Brisco was a big factor in the last two wins. He had 14 points, 12 rebounds and three assists against Russell, then followed it up with a 24-point effort against Newton.

Brisco said a new spread formation offense put in during the past week helped the Eagles dominate two foes that had given them problems in the regular season.

“We put in a new offense that is designed to get the big elephant (Talbot Buys) the ball down low,” Brisco said. “I liked it.”

Buys, a 6-foot-8 senior center, responded with his best game of the postseason, scoring 15 points against Russell. Although the new offense was designed to open things up for Buys, in reality all the Eagles are involved. Against Russell, six players scored at least seven points and the team shot 52 percent (26-of-50) from the field.

It was more of the same against Newton. Even with Buys on the bench with two fouls for most of the first half, it was either Brisco or P.J. Lassiter who got the isolated look. The Eagles made 11 of their first 16 shots to hand Newton a 17-point deficit it never recovered from.

The Eagles had a 34-point lead, 55-21, after three quarters. All five starters finished with at least nine points and the team again shot over 50 percent (27-of-53).

Now it’s on to the state tournament and a new slate of teams. If the Eagles get past Humphreys they’ll get a Thursday afternoon date with either Greenville Christian or Claiborne Academy. Greenville Christian is the defending Class A champion.

PCA coach E.J. Creel is excited about the Eagles’ chances because they have so many options. They can be a big, half-court team with Buys on the block or a quick, slashing team when point guard Peter Harris comes off the bench.

“The thing that is different with this team is we can create two totally different things to prepare,” Creel said.