Porters Chapel showed in its first game back after the holiday break that it still has some rust to shake off.

Dylan Fry scored 17 points and Mason Conerly added another 16 as Amite School Center beat PCA 54-15 Tuesday night in its first game of 2016.

Baylen Warnock led the Eagles with six points and grabbed one rebound. Jake Arias and Glen Alan Kittrell each hit a three-pointer.

The first field goal for the Eagles came from behind the arc with 43 seconds left in the first quarter and ended a 13-0 scoring run by Amite.

Eagles’ coach Stacey Sykes said the long period of time off the court hurt his team, and took responsibility for the loss. It was Porters Chapel’s first game since a loss at Central Hinds on Dec. 17.

“We all have off nights,” Sykes said. “I didn’t have the boys prepared, just didn’t have them prepared to compete at a level that you need to compete to win.”

Porters Chapel grabbed a total of 19 rebounds, which wasn’t up to par for Sykes, despite the open looks his players missed during the game.

“We got some open looks, we just didn’t have the shots down when we needed to,” Sykes said. “They outrebounded us bad, we didn’t rebound well at all. Those combinations when you don’t make open shots and you don’t rebound good, you’re going to get beat.”

Sykes said this loss will help him better prepare the Eagles for their next game Thursday at home against Benton Academy. PCA will also play on the road Friday at Clinton Christian.

“You learn from it by looking back and fixing the things you didn’t do that you needed to do to win,” Sykes said. “We’ll try to make those corrections. It’s my job to make those corrections and we’re going to try to do it and give it 100 percent.”

(G) Amite 43, Porters Chapel 13

Porters Chapel coach Amanda Yocum isn’t allowing her team to use the break as an excuse for Tuesday’s double-digit loss to Amite.

The Lady Eagles only made five field goals against Amite as Gracie Felker led the team with five points, five rebounds and two steals.

“I felt we lost the game on basic rebounds and we could not get the ball inside. We pretty much did nothing under the goal tonight,” Yocum said. “I know that sounds harsh but we didn’t.”

The one thing Yocum wants her team to learn is how to box out while fighting for rebounds.

“If they do nothing else in the games on Thursday and Friday, I’m hoping they box out,” Yocum said.” We’re not real big inside and we’re still young, but one of the things they do well is if they can come down with those rebounds they can put them back up for those easy layups for those 10 or 12 points inside.”

Hannah Embry scored PCA’s first points with just under five minutes left in the first quarter and hit 1 of 2 free throws to end the quarter down 14-3.

Anna Grace White hit the second field goal with 2:43 remaining in the first half for a 27-6 deficit at halftime, and Brittnee Martin scored midway through the third quarter.