Mills Coach Raymond Cooper still was in disbelief about how his Comets were shut out, zero points scored, in the second quarter of Friday's 20-point loss to Pulaski Academy.
"That's never happened to me before," Cooper said.
It certainly didn't happen again Tuesday night.
Mills scored the game's first six points, on back-to-back three-pointers by Javion Guy-King; led 39-15 at the half; and roared to an 84-42 victory over eStem in a 4A-5 matchup at the Galaxy.
The Comets, pumped with a sense of urgency after a 60-40 loss to PA, pressed all over the court against eStem (10-5, 5-4 4A-5), which knocked off Pulaski Academy three days before the Bruins beat Mills (12-4, 7-1).
"We got smashed," Cooper said of the loss to Pulaski Academy. "Some of it was matchup related, and a lot of it was getting our guys to play the way we've been asking them to play all year.
"Once PA smacked us around good, I think some of the guys said, 'We've got to buy into what we need to do.' "
Cooper rotated players in and out in the first half, using 12 all together.
"We knew tonight we wanted to play 94 feet all night, so we asked the guys, when they go in, to give us 100%, even if it's only three minutes," Cooper said. "And tonight, we got up and down, the guys bought in to it."
Estem Coach Nathan Pottorff said Mills got his team to play the way Mills wanted to play.
"They came out on a mission and they accomplished their mission," Pottorff said. "That basketball game was an anomaly, though. That in no way reflects how competitive our team is."
Another important aspect for Mills was the return of senior forward Jakari Livingston, who did not play Friday night.
"They have lots of good kids," Pottorff said of Mills, "but you could just tell when he came in tonight, the kids just fed off him. Whether he did anything or not. They were energized by him being on the court."
Senior Joseph Bell led Mills with 21 points, including 15 in the first half.
Livingston, who has been bothered by allergies, finished with 19 off the bench, including 14 in the second half. Guy-King scored 16 for Mills.
Jacquarria Harris led eStem, which missed nine free throws in the first half, with 15 points. Joseph Banks scored 12.
The Comets harassed eStem the length of court, forcing turnovers and numerous missed shots that led to fast-break baskets, including at least five rim-rattling dunks from the likes of Caleb Allen, Guy-King and Livingston.
"This is the way we've normally played in the past, and it's been tough getting them to do it," Cooper said. "It takes a lot of effort playing that way. And if you don't play with this type of effort, and you try to play this way, you get killed.
"And I think they found out against PA that we're not good enough to just roll the ball out there and play."
ESTEM 68, MILLS 21
Kae'la Mitchell and Kiaya Davis combined for 33 first-half points to lead eStem (12-6, 7-2) to a 41-point halftime lead over host Mills (0-5, 0-8).
Estem led 60-15 after three quarters.
Davis finished with 21, including 19 in the first half; Mitchell scored 15, with 14 in the first half.