Wellborn pulls even

By EASportsToday.com
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Updated: January 3, 2017

Girls basketball roundup: Lady Panthers pull into a share of area lead with Weaver after pulling out a close victory; Donoho rolls past Sacred Heart

Acting Wellborn girls coach Jonathan Morgan makes a point about shooting during a time out Tuesday. Morgan was taking over for head coach/wife Shanese, who missed the game with the flu. (All photos by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)

Tuesday’s scores
Boaz 44, Alexandria 27
Coosa Christian 58, Faith Christian 33
Donoho 45, Sacred Heart 22
Jacksonville 47, St. Clair County 28
Wellborn 39, Weaver 36
Cleburne County at Munford
Oxford at Fort Payne

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

WEAVER — Jonathan Morgan got one very large piece of advice from his wife before subbing for her as Wellborn’s girls basketball coach in a very important area game Tuesday night.

“Don’t lose,” Morgan recalls her saying, “or don’t come home.”

The Lady Panthers revived their hopes of hosting the area tournament and earning an automatic ticket into the subregion tournament with a 39-36 victory over Weaver.

The outcome elevated Wellborn into a first-place tie in Class 3A Area 9 with Weaver, with the right to host and a free ticket to the sub-regional likely hinging on a coin flip.

In three-team areas the likes of which these teams play, the regular season winner is guaranteed a postseason trip. They still have to playoff for the area championship, of course, but they know they’re going to advance even before the area tournament tips.

Head coach Shanese Morgan was home with the flu, forcing her assistant coach/ husband Jonathan and JV girls coach Ashland Dempsey to direct the Lady Panthers through the important game. She is expected to be back when Wellborn plays Lincoln on Thursday.

“The team did it for her,” Jonathan said. “She’s sick now, but we had to push together. We know it’s an area game … We worked hard to win this game for her. They did great.”

Weaver won a close game in the first meeting between the teams. Wellborn was missing point guard Katessa Carter in the first half of that game with a dislocated thumb.

The Lady Panthers had both Carters at full strength Tuesday and they combined for 25 points. Katessa hit a free throw with 17.5 seconds left to put Wellborn up three and Vanessa hit two free throws with 2.1 seconds left to cap a 19-point night and seal the win.

Weaver had a long 3 at the buzzer that missed the mark. The Lady Bearcats came back from a 14-5 deficit to take a brief lead in the third quarter and rallied from eight down with two minutes left to make a game of it down the stretch.

“Weaver played a great game, they’re a hard team to beat, but we came out and gave it our all,” Morgan said. “We tried to put their shooters to the test. What can I say? Our girls pulled through with the win.”

Wellborn’s next big win would be in the coin flip. If Jonathan Morgan had his druthers, he’ll be calling heads.

Donoho 45, Sacred Heart 22

Melissa Smyly’s Lady Falcons have won of their last six games to improve to 7-4 with an eye on a higher seed in Wednesday’s Calhoun County Tournament seeding meeting.

“We are playing really well,” Smyly said. “We have won five of six, and the one we lost was by one point. We hope we are starting to peak at the right time.”

Team ball was evident as the Lady Falcons passed the ball and hit open players for shot after shot. Guard Constance Hodges is doing an excellent job of handing out assists and added nine points in the win.

“We have been focusing on passing the ball, making good passes and getting good shots,” Smyly said. “We have been doing very well the last few games.”

Donoho opened up a 27-12 halftime lead and played strong defense in the third quarter to pull ahead 39-14.

Lauren Holbrook (12 points) and Campbell Hagan (six points) dominated the Lady Cardinals on the boards in the game.

“Our rebounding was a big advantage tonight,” Smyly said. “It was very important to our game. I tell our girls that not many people have our size and we can fight on the boards.”

Jenna Stremmel knocked home a couple of 3-point baskets and ended up with 10 points for Donoho. – Brant Locklier

Wellborn’s Vanessa Carter (3) goes high to launch a jumper during her 19-point game against Weaver Tuesday night.

TUESDAY’S BOX SCORES
Wellborn 39, Weaver 36
WELLBORN – Vanessa Carter 6 7-8 19, Anaya Lowe 0 3-4 3, Loni Welch 0 0-0 0, Katessa Carter 1 4-8 6, Amaya Myles 1 0-0 2, Itiana Weatherly 1 0-4 2, Aliyah Thrasher 1 2-2 4, Markiesha Jones 1 1-4 3. Totals 11 17-30 39.

WEAVER – Caleigh Cortez 3 0-2 8, Tayanna Perry 5 0-0 10, Rayne Beck 2 0-2 4, Emily Reed 1 0-0 3, Amira Carter 1 3-4 5, Mariah Thompson 2 4-5 8, Abby Gaines 0 0-4 0. Totals 14 7-17 36.

Wellborn 14 6 3 16 — 39
Weaver 5 9 10 12 — 36

3-point goals: Weaver 1 (Reed). Fouled out: Cortez. Total fouls: Wellborn 15, Weaver 18. Officials: Stubbs, Kelley, Dowdell.

Jacksonville 47, St. Clair County 28
JACKSONVILLE – Kyra Williams 6-11 4-9 17, Aniyah Robinson 6-17 3-4 16, Kayla Broom 4-6 0-1 8, Aniya Jefferson 2-7 0-0 4, Tatiyana Thomas 1-4 0-0 2, Essence Hutchinson 0-0 0-0 0, Maddie Hall 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-45 7-14 47.

ST. CLAIR COUNTY – Alexis Wells 3-9 1-1 9, Gillian Perry 1-5 3-8 5, Sarah Weldon 1-1 2-2 5, Kylee Harrell 2-5 0-0 4, Alexis Ousley 1-7 1-2 3, Robinette 1-1 0-0 2, Madison Horton 0-1 0-0 0, Chloe Henderson 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 9-33 7-13 28.

Jacksonville 13 7 11 16 — 47
St. Clair Co. 3 7 12 6 — 28

3-point goals: Jacksonville 2-12 (Williams 1-5, Robinson 1-5, Jefferson 0-1, Thomas 0-1); St. Clair Co. 3-9 (Wells 2-4, Weldon 1-1, Harrell 0-1, Henderson 0-3). Rebounds: Jacksonville 28 (Brook 8, Jefferson 8); St. Clair Co. 28 (Ousley 7). Total fouls: Jacksonville 14, St. Clair Co. 7. Notes: Thomas had eight steals, Robinson six and Williams four. The Lady Golden Eagles scored 19 points off 29 SCC turnovers.

Coosa Christian 58, Faith Christian 33
FAITH CHRISTIAN – Emily Sills 1 0-0 2, Shelley Phillips 4 0-0 11, Montana Huie 2 0-0 4, Kassidy Nix 0 0-0 0, Kristin Covington 4 1-2 9, C.J. Setters 0 1-2 1, Regan Crosby 0 0-0 0, S.K. McVeigh 1 1-2 3, Logan Boyd 1 0-3 3. Totals 13 3-9 33.

COOSA CHRISTIAN – Natalee Davidson 7 2-2 16, Lauren Reeves 1 0-0 2, Kaylee Woodward 1 0-0 2, Ashton Mills 0 1-2 1, Lauryn Noojin 1 0-0 2, Neely Evetts 2 0-0 5, Mary Williamson 1 0-0 2, Payton West 0 0-0 0, Samara Brewster 5 0-0 10, India Brown 9 0-0 18. Totals 27 3-4 58.

Faith 5 8 16 4 — 33
Coosa 16 15 19 8 — 58

3-point goals: Faith 4 (Phillips 3, Boyd); Coosa 1 (Evetts). Total fouls: Faith 6, Coosa 11. Officials: Wofford, Moore, Beard. Notes: Brown scored 10 in the first quarter, Davidson scored 10 in the first half.