The floor is his
- Updated: December 3, 2016
Oxford names court in Sports Arena for longtime Jackets coach and athletics director Larry Davidson
Oxford officials formally recognize the Oxford Sports Arena’s playing floor as Larry Davidson Court. (Photos by Kristen Stringer/KrispPics Photography)
Friday’s Games
BOYS GAMES
Gadsden City 60, Oxford 51
Lincoln at Alexandria
Jacksonville 49, Ohatchee 31
Sacred Heart 68, Spring Garden 34
Saks 76, Weaver 63
GIRLS GAMES
Gadsden City 63, Oxford 22
Alexandria 45, Lincoln 30
Jacksonville 48, Ohatchee 22
Spring Garden 69, Sacred Heart 41
Weaver at Saks
By Brant Locklier
For East Alabama Sports Today
OXFORD — It seemed just like another night for Larry Davidson. The Oxford High athletics director emerged from his office and made his way to his customary spot at the scorer’s table alongside the timekeeper.
He shook hands with old friends, maybe chatted with an official, a fan and helped the public address announcer fix the sound system that wants to short out from time to time.
Little did he know that a giant conspiracy was taking place as he sat down to watch the varsity doubleheader against old rival Gadsden City.
Davidson has been a part of Oxford basketball for more than 35 years as coach and athletics director, and his accomplishments are legendary. He thought he had seen it all.
That was about to change. It was all going on behind him and just outside the arena, as the girls game was wrapping up. His family had all snuck in along with many players who played for him over the years. Friends and other coaches lined the sidelines as they all celebrated the naming of the court in Davidson’s honor.
Larry Davidson Court was christened Friday night. School officials tried their level best to keep it a secret all week.
It was only when all the people poured onto the court to “honor” the Oxford Ambassadors and principal Heath Harmon asked Davidson to come out, did the AD start to realize this night was for him.
Two banners were rolled down on the south wall that proclaimed the Larry Davidson Court was now etched in history. Sometime next week, there will be a permanent sign put on the court.
“It was a total surprise,” Davidson said. “They really got me. This thing is not about me. It is about all the great people that are here and have been here at this school. I have been so fortunate to be around great football coaches, principals and so many other great people.”
Harmon said it was “my honor to thank him for his service and present him the award.”
Former player Mickey Shaddrix was a sophomore on when Davidson arrived at Oxford at age 26. In the Hall of Fame career that followed, Davidson posted more than 400 victories, five region titles, 18 playoff appearances and seven 20-win seasons.
“The man has the numbers, but the way he goes about his business is what makes him a Hall of Famer,” Shaddrix said.
Chris Cox, the assistant superintendent of Oxford schools and last year’s OHS principal, may have summed it up best.
“He is a legend and he loves the black and gold; he lives it,” Cox said. “When his grandkids call him coach instead of grandpa, then you know he is a Hall of Famer.”
As for the games, Gadsden City used a 10-point run in the first quarter and a 12-point run in the third to hold off the Yellow Jackets 60-51. In the girls game, Division I prospects Brooke Burns and Haley Troup scored 16 and 17 points, respectively, in three quarters as the Gadsden City girls sliced and diced their way to a 63-22 win.
Gadsden City’s boys hit four 3-pointers in the first quarter and opened a 20-7 lead. It was 26-9 before Eugene Leonard helped bring the Yellow Jackets back. Leonard scored eight in the second quarter to get Oxford back within a dozen.
Markise Davis nailed two 3-pointers and Jerod Guthrie and Leonard hit one each to cut the deficit to five and only a goaltending call against Zondrick Garrett kept it from being a three-point game midway through the third. The Titans then reeled off 12 unanswered points as the Yellow Jackets went six minutes without a field goal.
Leonard led Oxford with 23 points. He was able to attack the basket off the dribble and it got him to the free throw line where he buried 10 free throws. Garrett added eight points and six rebounds.
UGLY FINISH: Officials from the Sacred Heart and Spring Garden boys teams will be meeting with AHSAA officials Monday to review the ending of Friday night’s area game, a 68-34 Sacred Heart win that was called with less than a minute to play.
There has been bad blood between the teams since Spring Garden raised the prospect of Sacred Heart recruiting after the Cardinals eliminated it in last year’s Northeast Regional. The tensions spilled over with about 40 seconds left after Sacred Heart’s Kevion Nolan was subject to a hard foul going in for a dunk.
According to witnesses, players from both teams stood at the bench and the coaches got involved.
FRIDAY’S BOX SCORES
BOYS GAMES
Gadsden City 60, Oxford 51
GADSDEN CITY (5-3) – Derek Wright 6 3-3 18, Jaylon Brewster 0 0-0 0, Jaylen Cole 3 4-4 12, Deonte Jones 1 2-4 5, Jacorien Garrett 0 0-0 0, Damon Williams 2 1-2 5, K.B. Burnett 1 0-0 2, Luster Jackson 0 0-0 0, Randy Evans 0 0-0 0, Darien Hollis 5 2-2 12, Mykel Woods 2 0-0 4, Dee Pearson 0 0-0 0, Toryque Bateman 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 12-15 60.
OXFORD (3-2) – Markise Davis 2 0-0 6, Jerod Guthrie 2 0-3 6, Caden Higgins 0 0-0 0, Amuad Simmons 1 0-0 2, Kendrick Foster 3 0-0 6, Eugene Leonard 6 10-12 23, Zondrick Garrett 3 2-3 8, Braden Mack 0 0-0 0, Ty Davis 0 0-2 0. Totals 17 12-20 51.
Gadsden City 20 12 17 11 — 60
Oxford 7 13 16 15 — 51
3-pont goals: Oxford 5 (Davis 2, Guthrie 2, Leonard); Gadsden City 6 (Wright 3, Cole 2,
Jones).
Saks 76, Weaver 63
WEAVER – Maurice Goodman 5 0-0 11, Landon Knight 6 3-6 15, Robert Gaines 3 2-4 8, Paul Hubbard 5 5-7 15, Chris Lemon 0 0-0 0, Dalton Hamby 2 1-3 5, Shamar Spinks 0 0-0 0, Amardric Elston 2 5-6 9. Totals 23 16-36 63.
SAKS (2-1) – Darien Briskey 8 1-2 19, Devaughn Beason 2 0-1 4, Laderrick Bell 1 0-0 3, Alphonza Ward 5 2-5 13, Trey Huguley 11 2-2 24, Jamal Stone 2 3-4 8, Brent Clark 0 0-0 0, Jaylen Young 1 0-0 2, Jalen Borders 1 1-2 3. Totals 31 9-16 76.
Weaver 19 15 17 12 — 63
Saks 11 24 23 18 — 76
3-point goals: Weaver 1 (Goodman); Saks 5 (Briskey 2, Bell, Ward, Stone). Total fouls: Weaver 19, Saks 19. Officials: Evans, J. Stringer, E. Stringer.
Jacksonville 49, Ohatchee 31
JACKSONVILLE – DeAndre McCain 10-15 6-7 30, Josh Glass 1-3 3-4 5, Alex Gilbert 1-2 1-2 4, Jesse Wilson 2-3 0-0 4, Rivan Hill 1-5 1-4 3, Alex Davis 1-2 0-0 2, Tahj Kirkland 0-3 1-4 1, Hunter Vinson 0-0 0-2 0, Jay Davis 0-1 0-0 0, Jamir Jackson 0-1 0-0 0, K.J. Satcher 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-35 12-23 49.
OHATCHEE – Cameron Ray 4-5 0-2 8, Keller 3-10 1-2 7, Austin Tucker 2-6 1-1 5, Ben Glass 2-8 1-3 5, Michael Alward 2-2 0-0 4, Domonique Thomas 0-1 2-2 2, Jordan Lowe 0-0 0-0 0, Bayley Tillison 0-1 0-0 0, Brennan Wink 0-0 0-0 0, Buck 0-1 0-0 0, Andrew Roberts 0-0 0-0 0, Carson Stone 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 13-35 5-10 31.
Jacksonville 4 14 12 19 — 49
Ohatchee 6 6 12 7 — 31
3-point goals: Jacksonville 5-18 (McCain 4-7, Glass 0-2, Gilbert 1-2, Hill 0-4, Kirkland 0-3; Ohatchee 0-13 (Keller 0-5, Glass 0-6, Buck 0-1, Stone 0-1). Rebounds: Jacksonville 28 (Hill 5); Ohatchee 24 (Keller 6). Total fouls: Jacksonville 14, Ohatchee 21.
GIRLS GAMES
Gadsden City 63, Oxford 22
GADSDEN CITY (8-2) – Amya Murrell 3 1-2 8, Brittney Watts 1 0-0 2, Brooke Burns 8 0-0 16, Haley Troup 7 1-2 17, Darrelyn Rudolph 2 1-3 6, Kyana Rigby 4 0-0 8, Lex Evans 2 0-0 4, Asia Samuels 1 0-0 2, DaMayia Wright 0 0-0 0, Mya Davis 0 0-0 0. Totals 28 3-7 63.
OXFORD (3-2) – Anna Bolton 1 0-0 2, Makayla Kidd 0 1-2 1, Halaya Harmon 1 2-3 4, Makayla Lowery 0 0-0 0, Acacia Kidd 1 0-0 2, Tremeria Britt 1 0-2 3, Quameria Britt 1 0-2 2, Amaia Whitfield 0 0-0 0, Kaylee Sanders 0 1-2 1, Justyce Smith 3 1-2 7, Kaylyn Hendrix 0 0-0 0.Totals 8 5-13 22.
Gadsden City 23 20 20 0 — 63
Oxford 4 12 5 1 — 22
3-point goals: Oxford 1 (T. Britt); Gadsden City 4 (Troup 2, Murrell, Rudolph).
Jacksonville 48, Ohatchee 22
JACKSONVILLE – Kyra Williams 10-17 1-2 23, Aniyah Robinson 4-12 0-2 8, Aniya Jefferson 2-7 0-0 4, Tatiyana Thomas 2-7 0-2 4, Essence Hutchinson 2-6 0-0 4, Maddie Hall 1-1 1-2 3, Kayla Brown 1-5 0-0 2, Idea Gray 0-1 0-1 0, Melina Calderon 0-0 0-0 0, Sarah Quinn 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 22-59 2-9 48.
OHATCHEE – Kacie Cooper 3-6 3-5 9, Kourtney Shuler 2-7 1-2 5, Maggie Phillips 2-6 0-0 4, Victoria Vice 2-4 0-0 4, Jazmine Adams 0-1 0-2 0, Ragan Snow 0-3 0-0 0, Marli Hanks 0-2 0-0 0, Mandy Jennings 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 9-29 4-9 22.
Jacksonville 11 17 16 4 — 48
Ohatchee 6 8 8 0 — 22
3-point goals: Jacksonville 2-18 (Williams 2-5, Robinson 0-3, Jefferson 0-1, Thomas 0-3, Hutchinson 0-4, Broom 0-2); Ohatchee 0-3 (Shuler 0-3). Rebounds: Jacksonville 27 (Williams 6, Hall 5); Ohatchee 39 (Phillips 13, Shuler 9). Total fouls: Jacksonville 16, Ohatchee 10. Notes: Williams also had eight steals for Jacksonville.
Alexandria 45, Lincoln 30
LINCOLN – Carlee Mullinax 1 3-4 5, Taylor Lett 0 1-2 1, Amaz Carmichael 1 4-8 6, Bin-Yamin 0 0-0 0, Jayla Brown 2 0-4 5, Jayla Morris 2 1-6 5, Hannah Carmichael 1 0-2 2, Taylor Conway 2 0-0 4, Katelynn Harmon 1 0-0 2. Totals 10 9-26 30.
ALEXANDRIA – Destiny Heathcock 2 1-2 5, Kameron Steen 0 0-0 0, KayLeigh Simpson 1 1-6 3, Sarah Kilgore 1 0-0 2, Connieya Bradford 10 6-10 26, Alierra Bradford 0 0-2 0, Ashley Parker 1 1-2 4, Allison Bonds 0 0-2 0, Shelby Lowery 2 1-4 5, Janizia Ross 0 0-2 0. Totals 17 10-30 45.
Lincoln 4 10 8 8 — 30
Alexandria 18 10 6 11 — 45
3-point goals: Lincoln 1 (Brown), Alexandria 1 (Parker). Fouled out: Conway. Total fouls: Lincoln 24, Alexandria 20. Officials: Douthit, Wright, Smith. Notes: C. Bradford scored 22 in the first half.
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