Missouri Military Academy basketball has lost its first two games by a combined seven points.

MMA vs Wright City Photo Gallery

MMA trailed Wright City by one point with a little more than a minute left in the game Wednesday night but lost its home opener 48-43. Wright City knocked down 7-of-9 free throws in the fourth quarter to secure the game.

Head coach Gil Hooker said Gihana Favour Nziza is MMA’s “best scoring threat” and showed by leading the floor with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The problem has been that Nziza has been in foul trouble and needs to be taken off the floor. Nziza had 10 points in the fourth quarter when MMA (0-2) cut a 42-33 Wright City (1-3) lead to 42-41 with 1:15 left in the game.

“He ended up having 17 points even with limited time,” Hooker said. “That just shows the potential of what he brings to our offense.”

On top of being without the 6-foot-7 post Nziza for some of the game, Hooker said MMA didn’t have post Sebastian Manzur for all of the game along with Mateo Eaton and Khas-Erdene Sod-Erdene. The seven-man rotation MMA had to use this game did “the best they could.”

MMA did lead 26-23 at halftime after a Kennedy Barchigei 3-pointer at the buzzer. That was Barchigei’s third shot from deep as part of his 11 points, which was just ahead of another point guard Levi Foster’s nine points. Hooker said the Colonels just couldn’t hit some shots, including some that they typically make.

“We had full-court layups blown, and we had missed 3-pointers by our best 3-point shooter Carson Mulvaney — he hits those shots all day in practice,” Hooker said. “It’s just making shots and getting to the free-throw line, making them foul you.”

For most of the second half, MMA had seven points before Nziza re-entered and reintroduced Wright City to his overwhelming inside game. If the Colonels didn’t make their shots, the Wildcats were pulling down the misses, led by Duan McRoberts’ 10 rebounds and Kaiden Pilcher’s nine boards.

Pilcher led Wright City with 14 points, and McRoberts followed with nine points. Other Wright City threats Jersiah Higgins and Grant Lehmen finished with five points and four points, respectively. Higgins went down and left the game with a knee injury in the second half.

“Coming in, I thought (Higgins) was a little shifty guard that was going to be more of a scoring threat,” Hooker said. “We knew (Lehmen) was pretty decent so what we did was we just said, ‘Hey, we’re not going man against them because they’re pretty quick.’ (McRoberts) and (Higgins) are pretty fast.”

Hooker thought MMA’s best defensive strategy was a 2-3 zone instead of a man-to-man defense against a faster opponent than Silex to begin the season on Nov. 22. The Colonels lost another tight game 46-44 at Silex.

Considering MMA hasn’t had its full roster for many practices due to the state runner-up soccer season and didn’t have all of its players anyway on Wednesday, Hooker likes how the Colonels have had a shot to win both of its first two games. MMA can be that “dangerous” team Hooker knows they can be.

“We’re not losing. We’re learning,” Hooker said. “First, it comes with character. I have a saying called COE  — Character Over Everything. I say the chant all the time and also before they play.”

Hooker said MMA hands out personal awards to its players after the game, including the normal offensive player of game picked by coach Traevonne Smith and defensive player of the game selected by Verlyn Johnson. The COE player of the game is chosen by Hooker and was given to Nziza after the Wright City game.

“Nziza was my COE because his response to adversity was a lot better this game than it was last game,” Hooker said. “Basketball skill is one thing, but their character is always going to be there. If I can help mold their character, I’m winning at this point.”

MMA hosts Tuscumbia (0-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.