Oxford ends slide
- Updated: December 30, 2016
Lady Jackets use a big game from Bolton, big fourth-quarter run to take down Alexandria in Glencoe tournament
Anna Bolton scored a career-high 21 points in Oxford’s win over Alexandria Thursday.
Glencoe Holiday Shoot-Out
Girls Bracket
Friday’s Games
Alexandria vs. Cedar Bluff, 9 a.m.
St. Clair County vs. Boaz, noon
Oxford vs. Oneonta, 3 p.m.
Championship: Fort Payne vs. Glencoe, 6 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
GLENCOE – When Melissa Bennett opened the door to the dressing room Thursday afternoon she was greeted by a big yell that was part relief and part exhilaration.
Her Oxford girls basketball team ended a seven-game losing streak with a 51-41 victory over Alexandria in the Glencoe Holiday Shoot-Out.
“The kids needed that just for that energy and that confidence,” the first-year Lady Jackets coach said.
Actually, the seeds for ending the slide were planted the day before when Bennett, before dismissing them for the evening, challenged her players to watch a copy of their early-season victory over Childersburg in an attempt to recapture that feeling.
“It really wasn’t necessarily a skill set or a point value, it was our intensity,” Bennett said. “That’s what we were challenging today, just to play with that fire and that spirit and whatever it took to find that fire.
“We talk about that effort and intensity and if you take care of that and win that the scoreboard will take care of itself more times than not. That’s something we’ve said before our first game.”
The spirit moved a lot of people. Anna Bolton re-captured the moment. She had her season-high (14 points) in that Childersburg game and channeled those good vibes into a career-high 21 points against the Valley Cubs. It was a welcomed sight for the Lady Jackets with two of their top scorers on the mend.
Bolton hit 6 of 15 shots from the floor and was 3 of 4 from 3-point range. Interestingly, she scored her previous career high (18 points) on this floor last year against White Plains, but it’s also is the same floor on which she broke her nose the year before.
“Since we’re out two people somebody had to step up, so I just took charge,” Bolton said. “I knew I had to step up. It feels good to know I played hard and I did my job.”
The Lady Jackets also got some inspired play from guard Amaia Whitfield. She scored nine points, but was terror on the floor, coming up with six steals and a deflection.
The game was a series of runs before Oxford finally put the one together that gave it the game. It was an 11-0 flurry in the middle of the fourth quarter right after Alexandria retook the lead. Bolton and Whitfield both had five points and a 3-pointer in the run.
Alexandria led six after one quarter and by three at halftime. It was the Lady Cubs’ first halftime lead Dec. 12 when they beat Wellborn by two in overtime.
The Lady Jackets (4-8) will now play Oneonta at 3 p.m. today. Alexandria (5-9) will look to snap a four-game losing streak against Cedar Bluff at 9 a.m.
Oxford 51, Alexandria 41
OXFORD (4-8) – Anna Bolton 6-15 6-10 21, Halaya Harmon 2-10 1-4 5, Acacia Kidd 1-4 0-1 2, Akiera Robinson 3-6 0-0 7, Quameria Britt 0-2 0-0 0, Amaia Whitfield 3-12 2-6 9, Kaylee Sanders 1-1 0-0 2, Justyce Smith 2-5 0-0 4, Kaylyn Hendrix 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-57 9-23 51.
ALEXANDRIA (5-9) – Destiny Heathcock 2 1-2 5, KayLeigh Steen 1 0-0 3, Kameron Simpson 2 2-2 6, Sarah Kilgore 0 0-0 0, Bre Bradford 6 3-7 15, Alierra Bradford 0 0-0 0, Kaitlin Harvey 1 1-2 3, Ashley Parker 1 0-0 3, Allison Bonds 0 0-0 0, Shelby Lowery 2 2-3 6, Janizia Ross 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 9-16 41.
Oxford 9 14 13 15 — 51
Alexandria 15 11 5 10 — 41
3-point goals: Oxford 5-8 (Bolton 3-4, Harmon 0-1, Robinson 1-1, Whitfield 1-2); Alexandria 1 (Parker). Rebounds: Oxford 39 (Kidd 8, Bolton 7, Q. Britt 6); Alexandria 25.
Fouled out: Heathcock, Kilgore, Parker. Total fouls: Oxford 18, Alexandria 37. Officials: Garrison, Evans, Tillery.
Glencoe 58, Boaz 53
BOAZ – Jericha Lybrand 0 1-3 1, Jayden Bobo 0 0-0 0, Sarah Diamond 1 0-0 2, Caitlyn Hunkeapillar 3 2-3 8, Kaitlyn Gillilan 3 0-0 8, Sarah Clontz 1 2-4 4, Meghan Duvall 1 0-0 3, Autumn Patterson 3 3-3 9, Bayley Alldredge 6 6-7 18. Totals 18 14-20 53.
GLENCOE – A.G. Goodwin 4 0-2 11, A.B. Giles 2 1-2 5, Ashley Morgan 3 7-9 13, Kealeigh Harper 0 5-6 5, Laura Cole 3 0-0 7, Breia Little 4 2-3 13, Lauren Moore 0 0-0 0, Skylar Thompson 0 0-2 0, Cami Lahorscak 1 2-2 4. Totals 17 17-26 58.
Boaz 7 6 19 21 — 53
Glencoe 19 9 9 21 — 58
3-point goals: Boaz 3 (Gillilan 2, Duvall); Glencoe 7 (Goodwin 3, Cole, Little 3).
Total fouls: Boaz 23, Glencoe 17. Officials: Wood, Warren, Robinson.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login