Creative Cardinals
- Updated: December 2, 2014
Sacred Heart creates offense with its defense, wins area opener
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
After three tough games in Shelby County last week – really, a grinding start to the season — the Sacred Heart basketball team could have used a break.
The Cardinals got one Monday night in a 74-43 area win over Faith Christian that showed coach Ralph Graves something he had been waiting to see.
The Cardinals created some offense with their defense.
At one point early in the second quarter 16 of Sacred Heart’s 24 points had come off turnovers, which was more than the visiting Lions had in the game at the time (14). Early in the third quarter that number swelled to 21 as the lead grew to 24.
“We wanted to come out and execute, we wanted to play hard defense and we wanted to put them away early,” sophomore guard Kavarri Ross said. “Coach really pushed us on defense coming into this game. We wanted to score points off turnovers. He really pushed us on that.”
Ross led all scorers with 29 points. Diante Wood had 17 – 13 in the second half – and D.J. Heath added 16.
Truthfully, Ross could’ve scored 40 in this one if he made most of the easier shots he missed during the game. As it was, he scored 19 points in the first half – eight off Faith Christian turnovers – and drained a 3-pointer right before the horn to give the Cardinals (4-4) a 15-point halftime lead.
In all, the Cardinals scored 28 points off Faith’s turnovers.
“One of the biggest things with our team is we create points off our defense and that’s something we’ve never done since I’ve been here,” Graves said. “There are a lot of little things we still have to work on to dominate the game – the easy stuff, the little stuff.
“Things like boxing out and rebounding – every time – or executing our defense, people trapping, not fouling, staying disciplined, where they’re supposed to be when they’re supposed to be there. If we can dominate those …”
Faith girls 50, Sacred Heart 19
The Lions seized control early and coasted. Madison Stephens scored 19 points for Faith. She had 11 in the first quarter, 17 in the first half.
Jarece Tillery led Sacred Heart with 11.
BOYS BOXSCORE
Sacred Heart 74, Faith Christian 43
FAITH CHRISTIAN (4-4) – Ryan Crosby 3 1-2 9, Jameson Adams 0 0-0 0, Logan Williamson 3 0-0 8, Caleb McCord 3 3-5 9, Jack Sills 1 0-0 2, Michael Kulick 1 0-0 3, Josiah McDaniel 4 2-4 10, Julien Key 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 6-11 43.
SACRED HEART (4-4) – Diante Wood 8 0-0 15, Kavarri Ross 10 7-8 29, Darrin Wood 0 0-0 0, D.J. Heath 7 2-3 16, Caleb Lafollette 0 0-0 0, Gus McKee 0 0-0 0, Tre Nichols 0 0-0 0, Bradley Mayfield 0 0-0 0, Keith Orlowski 0 0-0 0, Kevion Nolan 4 0-0 9, Jackson Orlowski 0 0-0 0, Tucker Norman 1 0-0 3. Totals 30 9-11 74.
Faith Christian 12 12 11 8 — 43
Sacred Heart 18 21 26 9 — 74
3-point goals: Faith Christian 5 (Crosby 2, Williamson 2, Kulick); Sacred Heart 5 (Di. Wood, Ross 2, Nolan, Tucker). Total fouls: Faith Christian 8, Sacred Heart 14.
GIRLS BOXSCORE
Faith Christian 50, Sacred Heart 19
FAITH CHRISTIAN (2-5) — Emily Sills 4 1-2 9, Madison Stephens 6 6-8 19, Cornelia Simpson 0 2-2 2, Regan Crosby 0 0-0 0, Elizabeth McCollough 4 0-0 8, Logan Boyd 3 1-2 8, Jaz Groce 2 0-4 4. Totals 19 10-18.
SACRED HEART – Anna Kerper 1 0-0 2, Laurie Beyerle 1 0-0 2, Jarece Tillery 3 5-8 11, Megan Lott 1 0-0 2, Monique Oblena 0 0-0 0, Cameron Spence 1 0-0 2, Jayla Woods 0 0-0 0. Totals 7 5-8 19.
Faith Christian 18 14 11 17 — 50
Sacred Heart 4 4 9 2 — 19
3-point goals: Faith Christian 2 (Stephens, Boyd). Total fouls: Faith Christian 8, Sacred Heart 13.
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