The Magnolia Blue Eagles on Friday evening January 2nd hosted the unbeaten Bridgeport Bulldogs and handed the visitors their first blemish of the season 54-51. The Eagles avenged an earlier loss to the Bulldogs on December 19, 54-50, a game the Eagles let slip away in the final minutes. However on Friday it was the Bulldogs who let it slide as they fell to (7-1) on the season, and the Blue Eagles evened their record to (3-3) on the season.

The Bulldogs would lead 15-12 after the first quarter and 29-24 at the half in a game that was tight throughout. At the end of the third period the visitors still held a three point lead 38-35, however Magnolia came back strong and determined in the final eight minutes as Kingston Christen would put the Eagles in front for the first time 38-37 on a three-pointer with 6:28 left in the game.

Jaleel Vincent scored a layup to put the Bulldogs back up 39-38, but Christen would score to make it 40-39 and Noah Hood would add a jumper in the lane with 3:15 left for a 42-39 lead. Evan Clark would score inside to make it 42-41 Eagles before Vincent hit a three-pointer to put the visitors up 44-42. Finn Loy would drive the lane and score to tie the game at 44-44. Vincent added another basket for a 46-44 lead, but Noah Hood converted a three-point play to put the Eagles up for good at 47-46. Magnolia would push the lead out to 53-48 and hold on for the victory.

Leading the way for the Blue Eagles was Christen with a game high 22 points, including a trio of 3-pointers. Noah Hood, a 6-7 sophomore had his best game of the season scoring 20 points, including a three-pointer, while pulling down 17 rebounds, Jessup Higgins added six, Carson Wade knocked in four, and Finn Loy added a basket.

“They got a real nice team, they were undefeated when they came in here and pressure mounts a little bit when that’s going on. I just thought our guys played an excellent game. They hustled, and they finally played the way we’ve been wanting them to play. I’m so proud of them, I really am, it was a great win. I’ve got to give coach Shuman a lot of credit for this one, I mean he runs the offense and it was pretty much error free tonight, he had a real tough 2025 and it was a great way to start 2026,” said Magnolia Coach Dave Tallman.

For the Bulldogs Jaleel Vincent hit two 3’s and finished with a team high 18 points, Evan Clark added 14 to give the visitors two double figure scorers, and Jameil McKeen netted eight points for the once beaten Bulldogs.