The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy boys’ basketball team had to proceed without star senior C.J. Patterson for most of Tuesday’s home game against Denbigh Baptist Christian School, but it did not stop the Saints from improving on their previous performance against the Minutemen with a 56-41 win.

“We were pleased with it,” Nansemond-Suffolk coach Chris Prince said.

The Saints and Minutemen faced off in the NSA Holiday Classic on Dec. 20 when Patterson supplied 24 of the Saints’ points in a 51-39 win.

“C.J. rolled his ankle in the second quarter, and we sat him out the rest of the game because we knew how important the rest of the week was,” Prince said, alluding to Nansemond-Suffolk’s currently busy schedule. “We’re hoping we can get him back for Thursday and Saturday’s games.”

The Saints (4-5) host Norfolk Christian School tonight and Portsmouth Christian School on Saturday, and they visit Collegiate School on Monday.

With Patterson out on Tuesday, junior David Richter and senior Alberto Smith stepped up.

“Drew Corrigan was probably the highlight of the game for us,” Prince said, as the senior guard led the team with a career-high 16 points.

The coach said, in his opinion, it was Corrigan’s best game ever as a member of the Saints as he also did well distributing the ball.

Junior Logan Lokie was the other NSA player who scored in double figures with 14 points.

“Logan Lokie started out shooting the ball really well,” Prince said. “I think he scored probably eight or 10 in the first quarter.”

The Saints also produced strong defense against the Minutemen.

“(In) the second quarter, we held them to two points,” Prince said.