Jackets with tie

By EASportsToday.com
- Tweet
Updated: January 25, 2017

Oxford knots Area 13 boys race by beating Southside; Lady Jackets fall in first home game nearly six weeks

Oxford freshman Zondrick Garrett had another big game with 25 points and rebounds as the Yellow Jackets beat Southside to tie their area race. (Photos by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)

By Brant Locklier
For East Alabama Sports Today

OXFORD — Freshman Zondrick Garrett followed up his Calhoun County Tournament MVP week by scoring 17 second-half points, including three thunderous dunks in the last three minutes, to lift the weary Oxford Yellow Jackets to a huge 67-60 area win over Southside Tuesday night.

The win knotted the Class 6A Area 13 race between Southside and Oxford at 2-1, with both teams having one game with Pell City left.

“Right now, it looks like another coin-flip for the area,” Oxford coach Joel VanMeter said. “That seems to follow me a lot.”

It was an emotionally and physically drained group of Yellow Jackets that took the floor against the Panthers, as they were playing their fifth game in six nights.

“We were a tired group; we just gutted it out tonight,” VanMeter said. “We were coming off a very emotional County Tournament win (over Sacred Heart Saturday) and then lost a heart-wrenching one-point loss at Clay Central (on Monday).”

The Panthers preached patience all night as they did their best to slow down the torrid Oxford running game. They were able to keep it in check at times, but the Jackets (16-9) responded very well in the half-court game as they pounded the ball down low to Garrett who ended up with a game-high 25 points and seven rebounds.

Sophomore Eugene Leonard pumped in 20 points, including 15 first-half points, and had five rebounds. Markise Davis added 13 points and five rebounds.

These two teams have split their season series and should they meet again in the area playoffs it should be a great matchup.

Makayla Kidd (5) was the Oxford girls’ leading scorer against Southside.

Southside girls 54, Oxford 37

There was some good news and bad news for the Oxford Lady Jackets. They returned to the Oxford Sports Arena for the first time in a month, but the bad news was they were facing one of the best teams in the state.

“We have not been at home since December 16, we are so glad to have a home game,” Oxford coach Melissa Barnett said.

The Lady Jackets (5-14, 0-3 area) played a tough physical first half and kept the game tight with solid defense and rebounding. Anna Bolton and Makayla Kidd had five points apiece in the half, but a late 7-2 run by the ninth-ranked Lady Panthers (19-3, 3-0) gave them a 25-18 halftime lead.

Southside started the second half with an 11-2 run to open up a 34-20 lead, but the Lady Jackets went on a 10-2 run to chop the lead to 36-30 late in the third quarter. The Lady Panthers then went on a 14-point run to open a 20-point lead.

Kidd had 11 points to lead Oxford. Justyce Smith had 10 points, while Ashleigh Jackson had nine rebounds.

Alexis Thompson had 13 points and Kelsey Patterson had 12 points for the Panthers.

BOYS GAME
Oxford 67, Southside 60
SOUTHSIDE – Aaron Zhang 0 0-0 0, Brock Hayban 1 0-0 2, Dawson Nunn 7 0-0 18, Tristan Riggin 4 1-3 9, Jarred D’eath 5 0-0 11, Dylan McRae 0 0-0 0, Devin Lester 6 0-1 13, Erik Griffin 0 0-0 0, Caanan Rodocker 0 0-0 0, Brady Lankford 0 0-0 0, Gavin Orr 4 0-0 8. Totals 27 1-4 60.

OXFORD – Markise Davis 5 1-2 13, Jakolbe McClendon 0 0-0 0, Caden Higgins 0 0-1 0, Simeon Shadrix 0 1-2 1, Kendrick Foster 0 0-0 0, Eugene Leonard 7 4-7 20, Zondrick Garrett 12 1-2 25, Braden Mack 1 2-2 4, Ty Davis 1 2-2 4. Totals 26 11-18 67.

Southside 19 15 12 14 — 60
Oxford 15 19 14 19 — 67

3-point goals: Southside 6 (Nunn 4, D’eath, Lester); Oxford 4 (M. Davis 2, Leonard 2).

GIRLS GAME
Southside 54, Oxford 37
SOUTHSIDE – Mallory Smith 2 5-8 9, Emilee Coker 2 1-2 5, Savannah Nunn 0 1-2 1, Makenzie Duncan 0 0-0 0, Tori Updyke 1 0-0 2, Kelsey Patterson 5 2-2 12, Alexis Thompson 4 4-4 13, Harley Simmons 2 0-0 4, Lauren Hunt 2 0-0 4, Macie Williams 2 0-4 4. Totals 20 13-22 54.

OXFORD – Anna Bolton 1 3-4 5, Makayla Kidd 3 4-8 11, Ashleigh Jackson 2 0-4 4, Tremeria Britt 3 0-0 7, Quameria Britt 0 0-0 0, Justyce Smith 5 0-0 10, Kaylyn Hendrix 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 7-16 37.

Southside 14 11 15 14 — 54
Oxford 11 7 12 7 — 37

3-point goals: Southside 1 (Thompson); Oxford 2 (Kidd, T. Britt).