Saturday basketball
- Updated: February 3, 2018
On the final day of the regular season, both Spring Garden teams jump out to quick leads, sweep Weaver
Special to East Alabama Sports Today
SPRING GARDEN – Many gyms have a nail hole at the spot on the free-throw line that lines up directly with the front of the rim. Shooters often line themselves up on it.
Spring Garden coach Ricky Austin had another use for it Saturday against Weaver.
“We spread them out a little bit, tried to take some people off the dribble,” Austin said. “We call that play ‘nail hole’ because we want to get to the nail hole on the drive. That’s basically what we ran 80 percent of the game tonight.”
Weaver struggled defending the nail hole and the Panthers were able to avenge an early-season loss to the Bearcats with a comfortable 91-66 victory.
Early in the game, the last game of the regular season, Weaver (18-10) relied heavily upon Robert Gaines and Amardric Elston. The two raced to the game after a big day at the state indoor track meet and got right into the action.
Gaines and Elston finished 2-3 in the Class 1A-3A high jump and Gaines finished second in the long jump.
Against the Panthers (23-4), Gaines scored nine points in the first half and through his post moves Elston led all scorers with 25 points. London Knight had 12 points and Shamar Spinks 11.
Elston had a big fourth quarter, impacting shots on the defensive end and scoring 13 points on the offensive side, but it was not nearly enough as Spring Garden cruised to the victory on senior night.
“I’ve had the seniors since they were fourth and fifth graders,” Austin said. “I had to play them up young. They took some whippings when they were young. I told them one day people are not going to be able to keep up with us.”
Dylan Rogers led Spring Garden with 23 points, nine in the first quarter. Riley Austin had 20, eight in the first quarter and 15 in the first half. The Panthers hit 10 3-pointers in the game; Weaver hit none.
Spring Garden girls 71, Weaver 33: The Lady Bearcats pulled out all the stops defensively – a full-court press, box-and-one on Payton McGinnis, modified triangle-and-two — but the Lady Panthers were just too strong.
Spring Garden used a 9-0 run late in the first quarter to open a 23-9 lead, then went on a 20-2 run in the second to open a 49-24 halftime lead. And then the Lady Bearcats went scoreless in the third.
“People who play that kind of defense want to slow you down, to make you stagnant,” Austin said. “Our up-tempo press and half-court defense kept us from getting stagnant.”
Tyonna Rogers and Macy Reedy led Spring Garden in scoring with 25 and 14 points, respectively; Reedy hit four 3-pointers. Caleigh Cortez led Weaver with 15.
BOYS GAME
Spring Garden 91, Weaver 66
WEAVER (18-10) – London Knight 5 2-2 12, Shamar Spinks 5 1-4 11, Nick Torres 1 2-2 4, Alex Perry 0 0-0 0, Dalton Hamby 0 5-6 5, Amardric Elston 8 9-13 25, Robert Gaines 3 3-7 13. Totals 22 22-34 66.
SPRING GARDEN (23-4) – Riley Austin 8 0-2 20, Dalton Rogers 3 0-0 6, Ashton Rogers 2 0-0 6, Dylan Rogers 9 3-5 23, Richardson 1 2-3 4, Sanchez 2 0-0 4, Luke Welsh 3 0-1 6, Draven Bowman 6 1-1 15, Weston Kirk 3 1-1 7. Totals: 37 7-13 91.
Weaver 11 17 18 20 — 66
Spring Garden 27 27 15 22 — 91
3-point goals: Spring Garden 10 (Austin 4, A. Rogers 2, Dy. Rogers 2, Bowman 2). Total fouls: Weaver 13, Spring Garden 24. Officials: Pratt, Weeks, Daffron.
GIRLS GAME
Spring Garden 71, Weaver 33
WEAVER – Carleigh Cortez 4 7-9 15, Rayne Beck 3 2-5 8, Emily Reed 1 0-0 3, Amira Carter 0 0-0 0, Abby Gaines 2 0-0 5, Trinity Pullium 1 0-0 2. Totals 11 9-13 33.
SPRING GARDEN – AJ Broome 1 0-0 3, Katie Williams 1 1-1 3, Macy Reedy 4 2-2 14, Kerstin Bryant 1 1-2 3, Lexy Adkinson 0 0-0 0, Neely Welsh 1 2-2 5, Payton McGinnis 2 3-3 7, Tyonna Rogers 8 8-10 25, Chloe Jarrett 2 2-2 6, Madison Jennings 1 0-0 3, Breanna Rogers 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 19-22 71.
Weaver 9 15 0 9 — 33
Spring Garden 23 26 15 7 — 71
3-point goals: Weaver 2 (Reed, Gaines); Spring Garden 10 (Broome, Reedy 4, Welsh, McGinnis 2, T. Rogers, Jennings). Fouled out: Gaines, Pullium. Total fouls: Weaver 18, Spring Garden 13. Officials: Pratt, Weeks, Daffron.
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