Basketball 2020-21 Season Recap

The 2020-21 basketball season will be remembered as the season that survived COVID. With a record of 13-5, this year’s Owls achieved the program’s highest winning percentage since 2007 despite continual schedule adjustments, a three-week extended quarantine in January, and a record-level snowstorm in February.

The season began with the Owls charging into the new year with a record of 9-2 and notable victories over Bartlett, Goodpasture Christian (TSSAA DII A State Champions), Madison-Ridgeland (Mississippi Private 5A State Champions), Evangelical Christian, Pope John Paul II, and Olive Branch. The team’s January 3^rd victory over Olive Branch would be their last game until January 26, when the Owls finally returned to action in a victory over St. Benedict after an extended three-week COVID quarantine.

Second year head coach David Willson ’99 was pleased with his team’s resilience during the January quarantine, “Among other things, our time away from the court taught our team the value of creativity and adaptability.” According to Willson, the quarantine and the snowstorm led to the creation of individual home workouts, online team film sessions, virtual team competitions such as “Virtual HORSE” and “Name that Play”, and valuable team conversations via Microsoft Teams. “I thought the boys made the most of what we gave them while they were away from campus which helped us to quickly return to form once we were allowed back in the gym.”

When the team returned to campus in late January, the schedule was adjusted so that only regional games remained. The Owls completed their regional schedule with a 4-2 record, a season sweep over rival Briarcrest Christian, and a second-place finish to nationally ranked Christian Brothers. Their second seed gave them a bye through the first round of the TSSAA state playoffs and a quarterfinal matchup vs. Montgomery Bell Academy. The Owls fell to the Big Red in a heartbreaking 48-47 loss. MBA proceeded to dominate their next two opponents in route the winning this year’s state championship.

Willson reflects, “The MBA loss was a tough pill for all of us to swallow because we believed that our team could compete for a state championship. This loss does not diminish the many achievements of our players and lessons learned along the way. I am proud of our team and grateful to our seniors for their impact on our program.”

Multiple MUS players garnered post season honors. Ayman McGowan ‘21, Henry Nickey ‘21, Curtis Givens ‘24, and R’Chaun King ‘24 earned All-Region honors and Gavin Murrey ’21 earned honorable mention All-Region. Givens, King, McGowan, and Nickey were also named to the Commercial Appeal All-Metro team. Additionally, the team’s two freshmen were named to the MaxPreps Freshmen All-American team with R’Chaun King garnering first team honors and Curtis Givens earning third team honors. The team will see seven special seniors graduate in May (Stephen Cates, Jack Jabbour, Ayman McGowan, Gavin Murrey, Henry Nickey, Edwin Shy, Wes Vanderslice).