Tigers beat Anniston in 3-for-all
- Updated: December 20, 2014
Boys roundup includes Ohatchee, White Plains
By Brant Locklier
For East Alabama Sports Today
The Talladega Tigers nailed three consecutive 3s after falling down 4-0 to take the lead and then had to fight tooth-and-nail to win their fifth game in eight days, 64-52 over Anniston Friday night.
The Tigers (11-2) showed they deserved their Class 5A Top 10 ranking and the Bulldogs (5-4) showed they are getting things together after suffering some player losses earlier in the season.
“I was worried about our energy level having played 5 games in 8 days, but they responded well,” Tigers coach Chucky Miller said.
It was a battle of long 3’s as the Tigers hit six and the Bulldogs nailed five.
The Bulldogs would regularly pull within a basket after Talladega grabbed its initial lead and the Tigers would respond with a quick spurt to push it back to six or seven.
Anniston’s Dequan Ross was giving the Tigers fits on the offensive glass as he had five offensive rebounds and baskets in the first half as part of his 15 points. Tray Croft buried two 3s and had eight first-half points.
A spectacular tomahawk jam and a long 3 by Joshua Madden pushed Talladega to a 38-32 halftime lead.
The defense tightened in the third quarter as the Bulldogs closed to within four at 50-46. But the Tigers didn’t allow them a field goal in the fourth quarter while scoring seven points in less than a minute with 4:00 to go to break open the game 62-49.
“They were spreading us out and getting penetration and killing us on their offensive boards,” Miller said. “We tried to put a stop to it in the fourth quarter and we did a good job. We had our chances to put them away, but we never could.
“Anniston always plays very hard. Ross was killing us inside on the boards and with some great moves. Just glad to get out of here with a win.”
Ross led Anniston with 19 points. Croft finished with 15.
Madden finished with 19 points for the Tigers.
Ohatchee 58, Jacksonville Christian 52
JACKSONVILLE – Playing its fourth game in five days, the Indians found the stamina to finish a close game.
Michael Lee had 18 points for Ohatchee, while Austin Tucker and Brian Jennings each had 11. JCA’s Daylon Brackett led all scorers with 20 points, while Kris Armprester added 14.
“I need to give myself a kick in the rear for scheduling it like that,” Indians coach Bryant Ginn said. “I thought both the girls and boys came out very flat. I was worried going in about having dead legs and being mentally drained and the fact we have had semester tests the last couple days (but) both teams responded in the second half and pushed through.”
The Indians fell behind by nine early in the third quarter before switching to a 1-3-1 trap that turned the tide.
“I feel like our kids are building that mental edge we need to have,” Ginn said.
White Plains 91, Cleburne County 43
WHITE PLAINS – Jerod Guthrie scored 12 points in the first quarter and second-ranked White Plains put five scorers in double figures in overwhelming winless Cleburne County.
Michael McGuirk led the Wildcats (11-2) with 16 points. Guthrie and Murphy Doss had 15 each, Lawrence Jackson had 14 and Nathan Gilbert had 12. McGuirk scored 14 of his points and Doss 13 of his in the first half as White Plains opened a 59-29 lead.
“That was Guthrie’s best game of the year,” Wildcats coach Chris Randall said. “He came out with a chip on his shoulder; I loved it. He earned some trust tonight.
“McGuirk was solid on both ends; he has a knack for hitting shots that stop and start runs. And Doss is the hardest worker in the gym; he’s an undersized post who has a high motor – and it never stops running.”
BOYS BOX SCORES
White Plains 91, Cleburne County 42
CLEBURNE COUNTY — Noah Ware 3 3-8 9, Jacob Lee 3 2-4 9, Colton Austin 1 1-2 3, McCain Carlile 1 1-2 3, Stashun Henson 2 1-2 6, Jeremiah Blake 1 0-0 2, Tyler Norton 0 0-0 0, Jacob Camp 3 0-1 8, John Robinson 1 1-5 3. Totals 15 9-24 43.
WHITE PLAINS — Jerod Guthrie 7 0-0 15, Dillon Greenwood 1 2-3 5, Kevin Carr 3 1-2 7, Michael McGuirk 4 6-6 16, Jackson Guthrie 2 2-3 6, Quez Wyatt 1 0-1 2, Lawrence Jackson 5 4-4 14, Nathan Gilbert 5 2-3 12, Murphy Doss 6 3-5 15. Totals 34 20-27 91.
Cleburne Co. 17 12 11 3 — 42
White Plains 29 30 28 4 — 91
3-point goals: Cleburne County 4 (Lee, Henson, Camp 2); White Plains 3 (Je. Guthrie, McGuirk 2). Total fouls: Cleburne County 18, White Plains 18.
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