KIPP improves to 8-2 with "Atlanta Holiday Classic" win over Meadowcreek

KIPP's King Jones #0 surveys Meadowcreek defense at "Atlanta Holiday Classic"

On Friday, the KIPP Warriors earned their fifth straight win as they defeated the Meadowcreek Mustangs 62-53 on the opening night of the annual "Atlanta Holiday Classic". While the win helped the Warriors improve to 8-2 on the season, they found themselves trailing by seven points heading into the second quarter and leaned on their defense to outscore the Mustangs 18-4 in the period to take a 31-24 lead into the locker room at the half as by senior King Jones scored 10 of his game high 24 points in the period.

"I think everybody is starting to see what their role is on this basketball team, I think we're starting to get settled in learning how to win," KIPP head coach, Emanuel Mathis, said of the Warriors' overall performance on Friday as they never relinquished their lead, with the Mustangs only getting within five points of KIPP, the rest of the game as the Warriors would go on to pick up the win.

"Defensively, it starts with preparation in practice," Jones said of the Warriors efforts which led to them holding the Mustangs to just four points in the second quarter. "Just holding each other to a different standard," Jones continued, explaining how the Warriors' hold one another accountable in each game they play. "I think they're learning possession by possession," Mathis added of his players beginning to understand they do not have to try to overcome a deficit in one possession.

"We played against a hell of a team, but we've played big basketball games against top competition, this was just another one of those games and in that, we have to defend and we have to hold ourselves accountable individually on the offensive and defensive end. We play defense, we win, we don't play defense, we make it hard for ourselves and I think they're doing a great job of understanding that and being disciplined to get that done," Mathis said.

KIPP will take on New Manchester Saturday at 1:00pm on day two of the Atlanta Holiday Classic