‘Good way to start’
- Updated: November 7, 2017
UPDATED
Oxford girls open Bennett’s second season with aggressive approach, beat Oneonta; White Plains falls to Coosa
By East Alabama Sports Today
ONEONTA – Since last February the Oxford girls basketball team has been focusing on being more aggressive on the floor. The Lady Jackets put their assertiveness on display Tuesday night and it paid big dividends.
The Lady Jackets opened their season with a 63-48 victory over host Oneonta. They attacked the basket with 75 shots and made Oneonta uncomfortable with aggressive defense.
“I was very proud of our aggressive mentality,” second-year Oxford coach Melissa Bennett said. “We’ve been preaching taking it to the hole and we had over 70 attempts. That was kind of a struggling point; we had a hard time scoring, shooting layups and high percentage shots. It was a night and day difference and I think that was a huge factor.”
In another game there involving a Calhoun County team, White Plains lost to Coosa Christian 50-39.
Justyce Smith really took Bennett’s message to heart. The junior post led the Lady Jackets with 15 points and 16 rebounds. She asserted herself inside enough to get to the line for 11 free throws.
“I’ve really, really been on her to be an offensive threat,” Bennett said. “Last year she did a great job rebounding for us, but left a lot of stuff out there. Since February we’ve been on her about being more physical. I told her your goal every game is a double-double and she had 15 and 16 tonight.”
Senior point guard Makayla Kidd handled the pace and added 14 points. Tremeria Britt had a team-high 19 points, six rebounds and seven steals. As a team the Lady Jackets had 15 steals and six deflections.
“It was a very good way to start,” Bennett said.
The Lady Jackets return here Thursday to play Altamont at 4:30 p.m.
Coosa Christian 50, White Plains 39 – Natalee Davidson scored 13 of her game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter as the Lady Conquerors pulled away from a close game.
White Plains fell victim to too many turnovers and too many foul in coach Chris Randall’s return to coaching the girls team. Coosa Christian parlayed 27 Lady Wildcats fouls into a 23-of-38 showing from the free throw line.
It was a low-scoring affair in the first half and White Plains trailed by only one going into the fourth quarter.
Oxford 63, Oneonta 48
OXFORD (1-0) – Anna Bolton 1-9 0-0 3, Makayla Kidd 5-10 1-2 14, Halaya Harmon 0-1 0-0 0, Ashleigh Jackson 2-9 1-2 5, Trem Britt 6-14 4-7 19, Akiera Robinson 1-7 2-2 4, Aumaria Lindsey 0-2 0-0 0, JaMya Byrd 0-0 0-0 0, Justyce Smith 4-21 7-11 15, Amirea McLeod 0-0 1-2 1, Kaylyn Hendrix 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 20-75 16-26 63.
ONEONTA (0-1) – Mallory Nash 1 1-3 3, Britney Chavez 4 1-2 11, Jordan Smith 0 0-0 0, Jordan Criswell 3 2-2 10, Savana Robertson 1 1-2 3, Teagan Hartman 6 3-6 18, Sarah McPherson 0 0-0 0, Laura Pass 1 0-0 2, Kayleigh Jennings 0 1-2 1. Totals 16 9-16 48.
Oxford 12 23 11 17 — 63
Oneonta 12 11 13 12 — 48
3-point goals – Oxford 7-18 (Bolton 1-4, Kidd 3-5, Britt 3-7, Robinson 0-1, Smith 0-1); Oneonta 7 (Chavez 2, Criswell 2, Hartman 3). Rebounds – Oxford 45 (Smith 16, Jackson 6, Britt 6); Oneonta 27. Fouled out – Robertson. Total fouls – Oxford 12, Oneonta 18.
Coosa Christian 50, White Plains 39
WHITE PLAINS (0-1) – Rian Chandler 1 2-2 4, Hanna Dyar 0 0-0 0, Callyn Martin 2 3-4 7, Jordan Sabree 2 5-10 9, Landry Bussey 1 3-4 5, Chasity Nelson 1 1-4 3, Lily Ponder 1 0-0 2, Jocelyn Harris 2 0-2 4, Angel Bozarth 1 3-6 5. Totals 11 17-32 39.
COOSA CHRISTIAN (1-0) – Natalee Davidson 6 11-13 25, Ashton Mills 1 3-5 6, Sydnee Courington 1 1-6 3, Rylee Waid 2 6-6 10, Chloe Davidson 1 0-0 2, Morgan Delp 0 2-6 2, Payton West 0 0-0 0, India Brown 1 0-2 2. Totals 12 23-38 50.
White Plains 4 11 11 13 — 39
Coosa Christian 6 13 8 23 — 50
3-point goals: Coosa Christian 3 (N. Davidson 2, Mills). Fouled out: Brown. Total fouls: White Plains 27, Coosa Christian 24.
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