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By EASportsToday.com
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Updated: January 19, 2019

Faith Christian’s girls get the 68th Calhoun County Basketball Tournament started with a win over Saks

Faith Christian’s Kristin Covington (12) is determined to get to the basket as she drives the lane against Saks. On the cover, Faith’s Sydnee Johnson has similar designs. (Photo by B.J. Franklin)

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

PIEDMONT – Faith Christian girls coach Casey Farr was making her way to the dressing room after a post-game interview and was just about through the door when she ducked back into the hall to complete a thought.

The Lady Lions opened the 68^thannual Calhoun County Basketball Tournament Saturday with a 44-22 victory over Saks. They will play fifth-seeded Oxford Monday at noon at Jacksonville State.

Emily Sills hit two 3-pointers near the end of Faith Christian’s game-breaking run against Saks and her coach anticipates many more going forward (Photo by B.J. Franklin)

They trailed only once in the game, and it wasn’t for long. They broke away from a 4-3 deficit with a 29-6 run that carried into the third quarter. Six different players scored in the run. Sydnee Johnson and Sarah Kate McVeigh both had seven points in it. Emily Sills hit back-to-back 3-pointers towards the end of it and finished with nine points in the game.

“Emily Sills is the best 3-point shooter I have on my team, and if you watch her she’s gaining confidence,” Farr said. “She hit several for me tonight and watch her on Monday, she’s going to get about 10 more.”

What? Talk about throwing down the gauntlet.

Oxford coach Melissa Bennett was in the stands scouting the game. She wasn’t taking that bait.

“There’s no doubt they’re good shooters, so we’ve got to do our job to not allow them open spaces there,” Bennett said. “If we give her open spaces she could hit the 10. Our game plan’s got to be to not give their shooters open spaces because 3 (Sills), 20 (Johnson) and 12 (Kristin Covington) can all shoot, so it’s not just her.”

Sills appreciated the vote of confidence.

“It’s definitely the coach putting the confidence in me and my teammates keeping me up and encouraged,” she said. “It definitely puts a lot more confidence in myself knowing that my coach has that much in me because I definitely know my team feels the same way.”

Faith Christian 44, Saks 22
SAKS (2-16) – Amya Carlise 4-20 0-5 8, Teana Edwards 1-9 2-3 4, DeAvian Stewart 1-6 0-2 3, Destini Elston 1-0 1-3 3, Alicia Gooden 1-7 0-0 3, Deja Almon 0-1 1-2 1, Takierra Hudson 0-0 0-2 0, Penelope Dudley 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 8-52 4-17 22.
FAITH CHRISTIAN (8-7) – Sarah Kate McVeigh 3-6 5-6 11, Emily Sills 3-7 1-3 9, Sydnee Johnson 3-13 0-0 7, Kristin Covington 3-12 1-2 7, C.J. Setters 2-10 0-0 4, Elizabeth Bedford 1-6 2-2 4, Katter Mesles 1-2 0-0 2, Savannah Gibbins 0-1 0-0 0, Erin McVeigh 0-1 0-0 0, Kassidy Nix 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 16-61 9-13 44.
Saks 7 1 7 7 – 22
Faith 11 8 17 8 – 44
3-point goals: Saks 2-13 (Carlise 0-1, Edwards 0-3, Stewart 1-2, Elston 0-1, Gooden 1-6); Faith 3-6 (Sills 2-3, Johnson 1-3). Rebounds: Saks 39 (Almon 10, Stewart 8); Faith 58 (Johnson 11, Setters 11). Total fouls: Saks 15, Faith 14.