BRCC Rally Falls One Point Short as Carlos Sample’s First Season Takes Shape
BRCC erased much of an 11-point halftime deficit but fell 68–67 to Southwest Mississippi as new coach Carlos Sample begins his tenure.
By Derek Payne | The Weekly Press
BATON ROUGE, La. — Baton Rouge Community College nearly turned a difficult first half into a comeback victory Thursday, falling 68–67 to Southwest Mississippi Community College in an early-season test for new head coach Carlos Sample.
BRCC trailed 35–24 at halftime before outscoring Southwest 43–33 after the break. The rally brought the home team within one point, but Southwest held on for its first road victory of the season Nov. 5.
Southwest established an early 18–6 advantage. Devin Moore finished with 15 points, Kam Brown added 13 and Brian Foxworth scored 12 for the visitors. Brown supplied four of Southwest’s final six points to help preserve the victory.
Southwest coach Corey Schmidt said afterward that his team needed to improve its execution when protecting a lead, despite playing well for much of the contest. Southwest improved to 2–2.
For BRCC, the game unfolded at the beginning of a new chapter under a coach whose career connects several generations of Baton Rouge basketball.
Named head coach July 20, Sample arrived with eight state championships from his 16 seasons leading Scotlandville Magnet High School. His teams reached 14 consecutive state championship games and compiled a 482–83 record.
He succeeded Byron Starks, whose work Sample acknowledged when the college announced the coaching change. Sample said his priorities included discipline, accountability, academic achievement and competitiveness.
Sample’s local basketball roots extend to Southern University. A two-time All-Southwestern Athletic Conference selection, he scored 1,399 career points and helped the Jaguars reach two NCAA tournaments and one National Invitation Tournament.
His college playing career also included three consecutive SWAC regular-season championships and two conference tournament titles.
That background brings substantial experience to BRCC’s sideline. Thursday’s second-half rally offered an early example of the team’s ability to recover from a slow start, even as the final margin left the Bears just short of a victory.
