Lady Cubs survive, advance
- Updated: February 4, 2015
Girls roundup: Alexandria holds on to win tournament opener; Anniston routs Lincoln, Ohatchee falls hard
Alexandria’s (from left) Timberlyn Shurbutt and Molly Parker wonder what’s next after the ball balances on the back rim during their area tournament game Tuesday. On the cover, Connieya Bradford (right) played a big role in helping the Cubs grab the halftime lead.
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
Alexandria coach Jordan Costner wasn’t necessarily happy with the way things started unraveling at the end, but her Valley Cubs are advancing and at this stage of the post-season game that’s all that really matters.
The second-seeded Cubs nearly lost a seven-point lead in the final 90 seconds, but held on to beat third-seeded St. Clair County 38-37 in the first-round of the Class 5A Area 12 girls tournament Tuesday at Anniston High School.
The Lady Cubs (7-17) advance play top-seeded host Anniston at 6 p.m. Thursday.
“We about blew it,” Costner said. “We made stupid mistakes there at the end. We should’ve been on the ball, taking care of it better and we just didn’t do it. But we pulled it out.”
Alexandria used a six-point burst in the fourth quarter to open a 36-29 lead with 1:30 to play, but Hannah Spurgeon hit two 3-pointers around a Cubs free throw to bring the Saints back within two with 28.9 seconds to play.
Timberlyn Shurbutt hit a free throw with 14.5 seconds left to make it a three-point game and the Saints could only manage a bucket by Kylee Harrell right before the buzzer.
Connieya Bradford keyed a 10-2 run in the final four minutes of the second quarter to help the Cubs rally for a 17-11 halftime lead. Bradford had 15 points and five rebounds.
“I felt like I played better than any of my regular season games,” Bradford said. “Tonight I think I played my hardest.”
When it was a tight game down the stretch, they put the ball in Shurbutt’s hands; she scored Alexandria’s final four points.
“I like being able to be in control of the ball,” Shurbutt said. “We’re a young team and knowing if I have the ball I can protect it. It wasn’t one of my best games, but I have a great team and whenever I’m doing bad they pick me up and I’m thankful for them.”
Anniston 80, Lincoln 14
The top-seeded Bulldogs had an easy time of it. They led 20-8 after the first quarter and held Lincoln to two points in each of the next three quarters.
Thirteen players played and 10 scored. The Bulldogs grabbed 51 rebounds, collected 29 steals and dished 24 assists among their 36 baskets.
Raven Cooley led Anniston with 20 points; she also had five assists. Kiyana Bullock had 15 points and nine rebounds. Miajah Bullock had 10 points and five steals. Takia Shears blocked five shots. J’kyra Clemson had eight rebounds and Davia Palmer had nine assists.
“She’s kind of in a groove,” Anniston coach Eddie Bullock said of Cooley, the MVP of the girls County Tournament. “We’re trying to get her, no matter who she plays, to take good shots, because we can’t come out and decide when you’re going to be on, you’ve just to go do it. I’m old school like that, I believe you have to come out with energy and passion every night.”
Class 3A Area 11
Ashville 59, Ohatchee 33
GLENCOE – The Bulldogs held Ohatchee’s dynamic duo of Joria Steger and Morgan Lee to 17 points and the Indians to only one in the third quarter to win their tournament opener.
Neither of Ohatchee’s top scorers found double figures; Lee had nine points, Steger had eight. Neither scored in the third quarter when Ashville outscored the Indians 23-1 to open a 47-14 team.
Ashville’s Anika Bothwell scored 10 of her team-high 18 points in the third quarter. Chatara Stoudmire had six of her 13 in the first quarter.
GIRLS BOX SCORES
Class 5A Area 12
Alexandria 38, St. Clair County 37
ST. CLAIR COUNTY – Kylee Harrell 3 0-0 6, Madi Horton 0 0-0 0, Nadina Bishop 2 0-0 5, Rikiya Robinette 0 0-0 0, Erica Smith 0 0-0 0, Mackenzie Wells 3 0-0 8, Hannah Spurgeon 2 0-0 6, Gillian Perry 1 0-2 2, Kaitlyn Peoples 3 0-0 6, Kylee Robinette 2 0-0 4. Totals 16 0-5 37.
ALEXANDRIA (7-17) – Jaycee Cooper 0 0-0 0, Kaitlyn Brown 3 1-2 8, Connieya Bradford 5 5-9 15, Shelby Lowery 2 2-2 6, Molly Parker 0 0-0 0, Allison Bonds 0 0-0 0, Timberlyn Shurbutt 1 7-14 9. Totals 11 15-27 38.
St. Clair County 5 6 11 15 — 37
Alexandria 5 12 6 15 — 38
3-point goals: St. Clair County 5 (Bishop, Wells 2, Spurgeon 2); Alexandria 1 (Brown). Total fouls: St. Clair County 16, Alexandria 8. Officials: Harrell, Williams, Gamble.
Anniston 80, Lincoln 14
LINCOLN (3-22) — Katelynn Harmon 0 0-4 0, Lymian Connoy 0 0-0 0, Marchell Pearson 2 0-0 4, Ikeida Lawson 1 0-0 3, Jayla Morris 1 0-0 3, Hannah Carmichael 0 0-2 0, Taylor Conway 1 0-0 2, Haliman Bin-Yamin 0 0-0 0, Jayla Brown 1 0-0 2. Totals 6 0-6 14.
ANNISTON — Miajah Bullock 5 0-0 10, Raven Cooley 9 0-0 20, Carlina Welch 4 0-0 8, Davia Palmer 2 0-0 4, Diamond Culver 2 0-0 4, Takia Shears 2 0-0 4, Alexis Simmons 0 1-2 1, Carsheuna Curry 3 2-3 8, Alice James 0 0-0 0, Kiyana Bullock 7 1-3 15, J’Kyra Clemons 0 0-0 0, Mattie Logan 0 0-0 0, Jemya Bullock 2 1-2 6. Totals 36 5-10 80.
Lincoln 8 2 2 2 — 14
Anniston 20 26 16 18 — 80
3-point goals: Lincoln 2 (Lawson, Morris); Anniston 3 (Cooley 2, J. Bullock). Total fouls: Lincoln 11, Anniston 9. Officials: Childs, Thomas, Lowman.
Class 3A Area 11
Ashville 59, Ohatchee 33
OHATCHEE — Morgan Lee 3 2-5 9, Ally McCoy 0 2-3 2, Peyton Steinberg 2 0-0 6, Mackenzie Hanks 0 0-0 0, Madison Hanks 2 0-0 4, Joria Steger 4 0-4 8, Faith Walker 1 0-0 2, Courtney Poole 1 0-0 2, Cheyenne McCarter 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 4-12 33.
ASHVILLE — Chatara Stoudmire 6 1-2 13, Riley Wilbanks 0 0-0 0, Lasondra Looney 2 0-0 4, Tori Williams 1 0-0 2, Anika Bothwell 9 0-2 18, Hannah Ashley 2 0-1 4, Erieanna Gilbert 2 0-0 6, Nikki Moss 5 1-2 12. Totals 27 2-7 59.
Ohatchee 6 7 1 19 — 33
Ashville 9 15 23 12 — 59
3-point goals: Ohatchee 3 (Lee, Steinberg 2); Ashville 3 (Gilbert 2, Moss). Total fouls: Ohatchee 15, Ashville 13. Fouled out: Lee.
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