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- Updated: November 14, 2019
Girls roundup: Homesley leads Weaver to season-opening win over Munford; Oxford, Sacred Heart, JCA also win
Thursday’s girls scores
JCA 57, Gaylesville 22
Oxford 58, Cleburne County 51
Sacred Heart 54, Coosa Christian 40
Weaver 49, Munford 19
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
MUNFORD – Having lost five starters who played the majority of the last three seasons, Weaver girls basketball coach Gary Atchley is on an early-season mission this year to find “that dude.”
You know the type. The one who can be the go-to player who raises the level of all the players around her like that rising tide does to all boats.
The Lady Bearcats may have found that one Thursday in Haley Homesley. The junior forward scored a game-high 22 points and single-handedly outscored Munford in a 49-19 season-opening win.
“I think everything right now is kind of revolving around her,” Atchley said. “I think she’s got to take this team on her shoulders. Kiese Hubbard has come a long way, too. The other girls are going to have to be great role players. That’s all we’re looking for.”
Homesley, a spot starter on last year’s regional semifinalist team, scored 13 points in the first half as the Lady Bearcats opened a 32-10 lead. She scored around the basket and behind the arc; she hit both of their 3-pointers. Hubbard also scored in double figures, picking up 11.
“These girls are used to the other girls making plays and they’re used to being role players,” Atchley said. “Now they’ve got to make the plays.”
The Lady Bearcats definitely have some things to clean up. They missed way too many layups for comfort and hit only 11 of 26 free throws. They were just nine of 22 from the line in the first half.
“We needed that,” Atchley said. “To have a good, young team that I’ve got that’s never really played before we needed a game to know what we have to work on.”
WEAVER (1-0) – Madison Atchley 0 2-5 2, Taylor Lawrence 0 0-0 0, Kiese Hubbard 4 3-6 11, Tiara Lawrence 4 1-2 9, Carmella Reese 0 0-0 0, Marley Tucker 0 1-2 1, Loralei Brown 0 0-0 0, Kaylee Hindsman 1 1-2 4, Kyra Smith 0 1-2 1, Neveah Hawkins 0 0-0 0, Haley Homesley 9 2-7 22. Totals 18 11-26 49.
MUNFORD (0-1) – Aaliyah Virden 1 0-0 2, Janiyia Wilson 0 0-0 0, Anyia Gladden 0 1-4 1, Tamiya Curry 1 0-0 2, Toi Hall 0 0-0 0, Mallory Moore 3 4-8 11, Maddie Moore 1 1-4 3, Asia Archie 0 0-0 0, Olivia Gooden 0 0-0 0, Abrielle Meadows 0 0-0 0. Totals 6 6-16 19.
Weaver 21 11 11 6 – 49
Munford 5 5 2 7 – 19
3-point goals: Weaver 2 (Homesley 2); Munford (Mal. Moore). Technical fouls: Munford team. Fouled out: Carlisle. Total fouls: Weaver 16, Munford 21. Officials: Douthitt, Hale, Montgomery.
Oxford 58, Cleburne Co. 51
HEFLIN – There’s a youth movement going on within the Lady Jackets’ backcourt and it fueled their come-from-behind victory in their season opener.
Freshman LaMya McGrue and sophomore Kaleah Taylor scored 16 and 14 points, respectively, and freshman Justice Woods added nine as the Lady Jackets rallied from 10 down in the second half to win.
“I expected a good game,” Oxford coach Melissa Bennett said. “Heflin had a great crowd there and it was a great environment for a first game. We got down by 10 to start the third quarter and battled back, so it was a huge deal.”
McGrue scored eight points in the third quarter and 12 in the second half. Lisa Montgomery had six points in the third quarter. Cleburne County’s Brooklyn McDaniel led all scorers with 19, but was held scoreless in the fourth quarter.
OXFORD (1-0) – Justice Woods 3 3-4 9, Lauren Ellard 0 0-1 0, LaMya McGrue 6 4-7 16, Kaleah Taylor 4 4-4 14, Emma McCullough 1 0-0 3, Lisa Montgomery 3 0-0 6, Sara Paulson 0 0-0 0, Ashleigh Jackson 2 1-2 5, Ariana Averette 0 0-0 0, Amirea McLeod 1 3-7 5. Totals 20 15-25 58.
CLEBURNE COUNTY (0-1) – Faith Brown 2 0-2 5, Kaylee Shierling 0 0-0 0, Olivia McDaniel 0 2-5 2, Shanna Brown 1 0-0 2, Alexa Mize 0 0-0 0, Jacy Littleton 1 0-0 2, Hailey Price 4 1-4 11, Micah Pentecost 0 0-1 0, Kendall Houston 2 4-4 8, Brooklyn McDaniel 8 1-5 19, Haven Freeman 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 8-21 51.
Oxford 16 11 17 14 – 58
Cleburne Co. 15 17 12 7 – 51
3-point goals: Oxford 3 (McCullough, Taylor 2); Cleburne County 5 (Brown, Price 2, B. McDaniel 2). Fouled out: B. McDaniel. Total fouls: Oxford 24, Cleburne County 19. Officials: Burroughs, Rogers, McElrath.
Sacred Heart 54, Coosa Chr. 40
Six-foot freshman Amiyah Buchanan led three Sacred Heart scorers in double figures with 14 points as the Lady Cardinals (3-0) won their homecoming game. Eighth-grader Serena Hardy had 12 points and junior Alisia Person added 10. Coosa’s India Brown led all scorers with 24 points.
COOSA CHRISTIAN – Kaylee Hasley 3 0-0 7, Erin Snow 0 0-1 0, Isabella Millirons 3 1-1 7, Gemma Littlejohn 1 0-0 2, India Brown 10 3-8 24. Totals 17 4-10 40.
SACRED HEART (3-0) – Alisia Person 4 0-0 10, Miyah Harris 4 1-1 9, Cearia Jenkins 0 1-2 1, Jordan Sabree 1 2-4 4, Amiyah Buchanan 5 4-5 14, Serena Hardy 5 0-0 12, Taysia West 1 2-4 4. Totals 20 10-16 54.
Coosa Christian 8 10 12 10 – 40
Sacred Heart 14 16 12 12 – 54
3-point goals: Coosa 2 (Hasley, Brown); Sacred Heart 4 (Person 2, Hardy 2). Fouled out: Snow. Total fouls: Coosa 14, Sacred Heart 13. Officials: McCombs, Childs, Wright.
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