The show goes on
- Updated: January 20, 2018
Talladega boys ride into finals of revamped Talladega County Tournament after TCC, Winterboro opt out; Glencoe girls reach Etowah County final
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
TALLADEGA – They’re going to have a finish in the Talladega County Basketball Tournament after all. Some time.
This week’s winter weather and its aftermath has shuttered the long-standing county tournament since Tuesday and forced the coaches to take a hard look at finding the best way to crown a champion with area games and the end of the regular season closing in.
Two boys teams – Winterboro and Talladega County Central – have withdrawn from the remainder of the tournament citing scheduling concerns, giving host Talladega a free ride into the finals to await an opponent on a day to be determined.
Talladega, the tournament host, was scheduled to meet TCC in the quarterfinals with the winner to play Winterboro, which has already won a game. Now, the next game the Tigers play will be for the title.
The revamped boys schedule resumes Wednesday with Sylacauga playing B.B. Comer at 4:30 p.m., followed by Lincoln and Childersburg at 6. If the semifinal matchup is Lincoln-Sylacauga, the game would be played Thursday. If the matchup is Childersburg-Sylacauga, those teams are already scheduled to meet Friday.
The boys championship game would be played whenever the teams involved can get together and do it.
The girls bracket is still under review.
The county coaches met in a conference call Friday to hash out the details. Winterboro withdrew because it had an area game Tuesday followed by three road games (Vincent, Moody, Childersburg). TCC cited similar conflicts.
“It is not fair to our smaller schools for people to get the impression that they chose not to play; that is not the case,” Talladega County schools athletics director Griff Hill said. “They logistically can not make it happen.”
“It’s just tough,” Winterboro coach Sheroderick Smith said. “It could put it five games in one week with one week left in the regular season.”
Talladega coach Chuck Miller is glad the tournament is continuing even with the revamped scheduled, but he thought there was enough time left in the season to get in all the games for all the teams.
“We need to have the tournament,” Miller said. “I played in it in the 70s. When you have a tournament every year you need to keep it going.
“We tried to accommodate everybody, especially area games. With two weeks left in the season I assumed there’d be dates we could work out so everybody could play.”
ETOWAH COUNTY TOURNAMENT: Glencoe’s outscored Hokes Bluff 8-4 in overtime to take a wild 42-38 victory and earn a spot in the Etowah County Girls Tournament finals. Hokes Bluff’s Rebecca Payton hit a shot in the closing seconds to send the game into overtime.
Ashley Morgan scored four of her nine points in the extra period for to help lift Glencoe to victory. Lauren Cole was the Lady Jackets’ leading scorer with 11 points.
Had the Lady Jackets been a bit more proficient at the free throw line it wouldn’t have been that close. They were were 6 of 15 from the line in overtime, 14 of 32 in the fourth quarter and OT and 20 of 52 for the game. Because of the foul situation, Hokes Bluff finished with game with three players on the floor.
The key to Glencoe’s victory, then, was winning most of the loose balls and the battle of the boards. The Lady Jackets outrebounded Hokes Bluff 48-27 and held the Lady Eagles to only four second shots.
In ending Hokes Bluff’s bid for a seventh straight girls county title, Glencoe will now play Southside for the crown 6:15 p.m. Saturday at Hokes Bluff. Southside and Hokes Bluff will play for the boys title at 7:45.
ETOWAH COUNTY TOURNAMENT
Girls Semifinals
Glencoe 42, Hokes Bluff 38 (OT)
GLENCOE – Anna Grace Goodwin 0 3-6 3, Anna Beth Giles 1 6-10 8, Abby Vice 0 1-12 1, Ashley Morgan 2 5-7 9, Kenleigh Harper 0 0-0 0, Lauren Cole 4 2-7 11, Kaylie Davis 0 0-0 0, Breia Little 2 2-6 7, Aubrey Gray 1 1-4 3. Totals 10 20-52 42.
HOKES BLUFF – Rebecca Payton 2 4-8 9, Kelsee Otwell 3 0-1 6, Haley Simpson 0 0-0 0, Amanda Noah 5 3-3 13, Kristen Shields 2 0-0 4, Margaret Wetzel 1 0-0 2, Logan Black 1 1-2 4, Jayden Presley 0 0-2 0, Kaylee Ingram 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 8-16 38.
Glencoe 10 5 22 12 8 — 42
Hokes Bluff 7 9 8 10 4 — 38
3-point goals: Glencoe 2 (Cole, Little); Hokes Bluff 2 (Payton, Black). Fouled out: Payton, Otwell, Noah, Shields, Black, Ingram. Total fouls: Glencoe 17, Hokes Bluff 34. Officials: Calkins, Kelley, Burroughs.
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