The Saints improved to 4-1 with a home win Tuesday evening over Hampton Roads Academy.

Coach Chris Fuhrmann saw a familiar opponent. Fuhrmann was the head coach just last year for HRA and now is on the opposite bench, coaching NSA to a 55-24 win.

“Before the game, it was big awkward just with the circumstances,” Fuhrmann said. “We wanted to get some pressure and do some different things. I know they are kind of in a rebuilding phase over there, so it was good to see some of the guys I used to coach and assistants I knew.”

Jaden Freeman, George Pettaway and Kemauri Spencer led the way for NSA, as all three were in double-figures. Freeman led with 13, while Pettaway added 12 and Spencer 11. After allowing 10 points in the first quarter, NSA didn’t allow HRA to score more than six points in a quarter the rest of the way. They created a lot of pressure, totaling 26 turnovers.

Five games into the season, Fuhrmann feels good about how he has adjusted to his team and vice-versa.

“We are slightly ahead of where I thought we would be,” Fuhrmann said. “Those guys are playing together, and they are playing hard. Our only loss was to a Virginia Episcopal team that was pretty good, and even then, we only lost by one. So those guys are buying into what we are teaching, and it has been good so far. We are a tough team, and that toughness and willingness will take us a long way.”

Next for NSA is hosting a holiday showcase Friday and Saturday. Four teams will be involved, and each team will face one another. The NSA Holiday Classic will start at 5 p.m. Friday.

NSA 55, HRA 24

NSA-Freeman 13, Pettaway 12, Spencer 11, Brown 5, Mounie 4, Duggan 4, Hawkins 2

HRA—Wiggins 8, Ried 4, Hutchens 4, Mozelle 2, Boyer 2, Phillips 2, Pitt 2