Too close for comfort
- Updated: December 7, 2016
UPDATED: Weaver’s Maurice Goodman gets a shot to fall right before the horn to break Wellborn’s heart; Anniston holds off White Plains
Maurice Goodman hit the game-winning shot in Weaver’s 74-73 area win over Wellborn Tuesday night. (Photos by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)
Tuesday’s Boys Games
Alexandria 65, St. Clair County 49
x-Anniston 55, White Plains 53
x-Cherokee County 60, Jacksonville 32
Cleburne County 59, Ranburne 39
x-Faith Christian 62, JCA 59
Munford def. Lincoln (OT)
Vestavia Hills 61, Oxford 54
Piedmont 53, Hokes Bluff 47
x-Talladega 84, Shelby County 51
x-Weaver 74, Wellborn 73
x-Box scores
Wellborn’s Jordan Montgomery looks like he has all ball as he denies Weaver’s Shamar Spinks (23). (Photo by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)
By East Alabama Sports Today
ANNISTON (Dec. 6) – The game-winning play didn’t exactly go according to plan, but the Weaver Bearcats no doubt will take the results.
Maurice Goodman followed his missed layup with a volley towards the basket and everyone watched as the ball swing around the rim before dropping through as the horn sounded to give Weaver a 74-73 victory over Wellborn in what could be a very important win for postseason implications.
That the play didn’t go according to script didn’t surprise Weaver coach Daryl Hamby much.
“We’re still getting into basketball shape,” he said. “It was a good game, but the exact opposite of what we drew up. We were supposed to feed Paul (Hubbard); we did it to Maurice.
“Credit to Wellborn, though; they wouldn’t let us go that way (to Hubbard). We went with what we had and it just worked out.”
Mitchell Raines hit a short turnaround jumper to give Wellborn a 73-72 lead with about 20 seconds to play. Already in deep foul trouble, the Panthers loosely pressured the inbounds play to avoid putting the Bearcats on the line for the win.
Goodman drove the baseline to the right of the basket, put up a shot that missed, but got his rebound inside of five seconds and desperately pushed the ball back to the basket. It swung around the rim twice before falling through just as the final horn sounded.
“Shooters roll,” Wellborn coach Jordan Angle said shaking his head.
Goodman scored nine of his 11 points in the fourth quarter. Landon Knight was the Bearcats’ leading scorer with 21.
It was the second heartbreaker in as many nights for the Panthers, who opened their season with a four-point loss to Saks on Monday.
The Panthers jumped to a quick lead Tuesday and led by double digits during the game, but were without their three main scorers – Blake Hanson, Devin Machristie and Jordan Montgomery — for the game’s final four minutes as they all had fouled out. Hanson had 26 points and 12 rebounds. Montgomery had 13 boards.
“We did a lot of different stuff tonight and looked good doing it,” Angle said. “We’re ready to win, we just can’t make that next jump. But it’s only our second game. We’ve got a lot way to go.”
Hanson had a double-double with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Montgomery grabbed 13 boards. Diminutive Eric Johnson gave an inspiring performance that prompted Angle to say “I found our leader tonight.”
The 5-2 guard scored 18 points and logged seven steals, three assists and five rebounds.
“I chew him all the time because I want him to be my point guard, but he won me over tonight,” Angle said. “It means something to him. He cares about his coaches, his sport, his team; when a lot of them don’t care about them, he does care about them.”
The game could have huge meaning down the road. As part of a three-team area, the team that takes the top seed has a automatic spot in the subregional tournament while 2 and 3 plays off for the second berth.
“This is gigantic,” Hamby said. “You want to be first; that’s guaranteed (a playoff spot). So, yeah it’s big.”
Anniston 55, White Plains 53
ANNISTON – James Haynes made the first of two free throws with 10 seconds left to give Anniston a two-point lead, but the Bulldogs joined everyone in the gym in holding their breath on Michael McGuirk’s last-second shot before they could claim the victory.
The action was frantic down the stretch. Macey Carr’s layup with 1:22 left drew White Plains to 54-53. He got a steal on the ensuing possession, but missed the go-ahead layup. Anniston turned it over again, but White Plains gave it right back and fouled.
The Bulldogs missed front end, but another White Plains turnover led to another foul. This time, with 10 seconds left, Haynes made the first, missed the second and White Plains rebounded.
The Wildcats got the ball in the hands of the player they wanted. McGuirk, who was averaging 31 a game and had 29 already, was some 30 feet out when he let his final shot fly.
“He was too deep when he pulled it,” White Plains coach Chris Randall said. “We need to do more late-game situations in practice and get better at them. But the next time it happens I want the ball in his hands again.”
It might not have come down to that had the Wildcats been a bit sharper at the free throw line and got a little more balanced scoring. Only three players scored for them in the game. They also were 20 of 32 from the line, but just 3-of-8 in the second half.
“Early in the season back-to-back games got us,” Randall said. “We were really good at the line (Monday) night at Weaver (28-of-36). I think that probably had to do with it.”
Marrio Dobbins led Anniston with 22 points, 18 in the first half. Milk Bradford had 12.
“We played hard enough to win, but didn’t play good enough,” Randall said. “We just left too many buckets out there.”
Vestavia Hills 61, Oxford 54
VESTAVIA — Zondrick Garrett continued his inspired play for Oxford with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Ty Davis was the Yellow Jackets’ leading scorer with 19 points.
Wellborn coach Jordan Angle said he believes he has found this year’s team leader in Eric Johnson (3), seen here driving on Weaver’s Dalton Hamby. (Photo by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)
TUESDAY’S BOYS BOX SCORES
Anniston 55, White Plains 53
WHITE PLAINS – Jaylen Jackson 0 0-0 0, Peyton Morgan 0 0-0 0, Dylan McCareeth 0 0-0 0, Austin Bussey 0 0-0 0, Andrew McCarter 0 0-0 0, Michael McGuirk 7 14-20 29, Drake Preston 0 0-0 0, Macey Carr 6 5-8 17, Brett Beaver 3 1-4 7. Totals 16 20-32 53.
ANNISTON – Marrio Dobbins 8 4-8 22, Jamaree West 0 0-0 0, James Haynes 3 2-4 9, Justus Edmonson 0 0-0 0, Jakoey Bradford 5 0-0 12, Tareeq Woods-Packer 3 0-3 6, Cordarius Storey 0 0-2 0, Dontavious Davis 1 0-0 2, Joetavius Embry 2 0-2 4, Stedman Orr 0 0-0 0, Chance Young 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 6-19 55.
White Plains 19 12 11 11 — 53
Anniston 22 15 12 6 — 55
3-point goals: White Plains 1 (McGuirk); Anniston 5 (Dobbins 2, Haynes, Bradford 2). Fouled out: Bussey. Total fouls: White Plains 14, Anniston 14.
Weaver 74, Wellborn 73
WEAVER (2-2) – Maurice Goodman 3 5-10 11, Landon Knight 8 5-7 21, Robert Gaines 4 6-9 14, Paul Hubbard 2 2-2 6, Chris Lemon 0 1-2 1, Dalton Hamby 1 1-2 3, RJ Wooden 1 2-2 4, Shamar Spinks 2 1-2 5, Amardric Elston 3 3-9 9. Totals 24 26-45 74.
WELLBORN (0-2) – De Raines 3 3-6 9, Eric Johnson 7 4-8 18, Jordan Montgomery 1 2-4 4, Devin Machristie 3 2-2 8, Ked Harris 1 0-0 2, Kameron Goodwin 0 0-0 0, Pat Harris 1 0-0 2, Dennis Towns 0 0-0 0, Austin Cooper 0 4-4 4, Blake Hanson 8 6-9 26. Totals 24 21-33 72.
Weaver 7 27 14 26 — 74
Wellborn 18 15 21 19 — 73
3-point goals: Wellborn 4 (Hanson 4), Fouled out: Gaines, Montgomery, Machristie, Towns, Hanson. Total fouls: Weaver 21, Wellborn 34 Officials: Howell, Kelley, Hinkle.
Faith Christian 62, Jacksonville Christian 59
FAITH – Riley Camp 2 0-0 6, Jordan Griswould 6 7-12 21, Jameson Adams 2 1-2 5, Seth Cravens 2 0-0 6, Jacob Cleckler 0 0-0 0, Jack Sills 4 5-7 13, Michael Kulick 1 0-0 3, Michael McGraw 3 1-3 8, Julien Key 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 14-24 62.
JCA – Elijah McCormack 1 2-3 5, Walker Messer 7 6-8 22, Kobe Messer 2 0-0 5, Nash Messer 1 0-0 3, Jayden Mitchell 1 0-2 2, Donald Cobb 1 0-0 2, Reed Murphy 8 2-3 18, Austin Dowdey 0 0-0 0, Justin Tignor 1 0-0 2. Totals 22 10-16 59.
Faith 15 13 16 18 — 62
JCA 9 15 16 19 — 59
3-point goals: Faith 8 (Camp 2, Griswould 2, Cravens 2, Kulick, McGraw); Faith 5 (McCormack, W. Messer 2, K. Messer, N. Messer). Total fouls: Faith 20, JCA 20. Notes: Sills and Griswould both had double-digit rebounds and Griswould had seven assists.
Cherokee County 60, Jacksonville 32
JACKSONVILLE – Alex Davis 5-7 0-0 10, Rivan Hill 2-6 0-0 5, DeAndre McCain 2-7 0-0 5, Alex Gilbert 1-2 0-0 3, Hunter Vinson 1-3 0-0 3, Jay Davis 1-4 0-0 2, Tahj Kirkland 1-2 0-0 2, Jesse Wilson 1-2 0-2 2, K.J. Satcher 0-0 0-0 0, Jamir Jackson 0-0 0-0 0, Josh Glass 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 14-33 0-2 32.
CHEROKEE COUNTY – Chris Roden 6-9 0-0 12, Quartez Henderson 5-10 1-2 11, Colin Edwards 2-10 0-0 6, Zae Wright 2-5 0-0 6, Kyle Burgess 2-8 0-0 6, Josh Dobbs 2-2 0-1 5, Cade Gossett 1-42-2 4, Marcus Burrington 1-5 0-0 2, Riley Russel 1-1 0-0 2, Will Hawkins 1-3 0-0 2, Jy Lockridge 1-1 0-0 2, Jacob Graves 1-2 0-0 2. 25-60 3-5 60.
Jacksonville 13 4 12 3 — 32
Cherokee Co. 15 12 15 18 — 60
3-point goals: Jacksonville 4-15 (Hill 1-4, McCain 1-6, Gilbert 1-2, Vinson 1-1, Davis 0-2); Cherokee Co. 7-29 (Henderson 0-2, Edwards 2-8, Wright 2-5, Burgess 2-6, Dobbs 1-1, Gossett 0-2, Burrington 0-4, Hawkins 0-1). Rebounds: Jacksonville 36 (Davis 8, Hill 8); Cherokee Co. 31 (Roden 5). Total fouls: Jacksonville 12, Cherokee County 11.
Talladega 84, Shelby County 51
SHELBY COUNTY – J.J. Crenshaw 1 0-0 2, Cory Martin 0 0-2 0, J.T. Owen 3 0-0 7, Chadwyn Russ 3 1-3 7, Mitch Nash 2 0-0 4, Brandon Green 5 3-4 15, Nathan Bates 1 0-0 2, Austin Lucas 4 2-4 10, Camden Roulier 2 0-0 4. Totals 21 6-13 51.
TALLADEGA – Fred Dickerson 7 1-3 15, Chaztin Tanner 7 1-2 18, Tyrese Scales 1 0-0 2, Jarvius McKenzie 2 0-0 6, Ashton Duncan 9 1-5 22, Chrishawn Williams 4 0-1 8, TraShaundez Bolden 2 3-6 7, Robert Houston 2 0-0 4, Jamontae Twymon 0 0-0 0, Jaelyn Russ 1 0-0 2. Totals 35 6-17 84.
Shelby County 14 16 11 10 — 51
Talladega 14 23 23 24 — 84
3-point goals: Shelby County 3 (Owen, Green 2); Talladega 8 (Tanner 3, McKenzie 2, Duncan 3). Total fouls: Shelby County 15, Talladega 15. Officials: Baker, Smith, Strong. Notes: Duncan scored 15 of his game-high 22 points in the second half, hitting all three of his 3-pointers, as the Tigers pulled away.
Wellborn’s Austin Cooper (21) and Jordan Montgomery (right) don’t give Weaver’s Robert Gaines much room to work. (Photo by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)
On the cover, Wellborn’s Blake Hanson (23) brings the ball up against Weaver. To see more B.J. Franklin photos from Tuesday night’s Weaver-Wellborn game, visit www.bjfranklin.smugmug.com
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