Mature matters
- Updated: December 10, 2019
Boys roundup: Mature Jackets add another weapon as Rock Taylor joins team from football, sees first action in win over Vestavia Hills
Tuesday’s boys scores
Elmore County at Handley
Etowah 75, Cherokee County 56
Faith Christian 57, Coosa Christian 47
Glencoe 52, Susan Moore 37
Lincoln 83, Cleburne County 46
Oxford 57, Vestavia Hills 40
Piedmont 62, Weaver 35
Ragland 65, Victory Christian 30
Saks 67, Pleasant Valley 51
Southside 53, Alexandria 31
Spring Garden 68, Jacksonville Christian 58
Sylacauga 52, Sacred Heart 41
Talladega 68, Anniston 60
Wadley 56, Ranburne 53
Westbrook Christian 51, Ohatchee 19
Winterboro 82, ASD 40
By Brant Locklier
For East Alabama Sports Today
OXFORD – Oxford coach Joel VanMeter has a message for future opponents as the Yellow Jackets begin to get all their pieces together.
“We are a much more mature team this year,” he said after the once-beaten Yellow Jackets throttled 7A Vestavia Hills 57-40 Tuesday night. “Our guys have been through a lot and have seen a lot. They have gotten smarter and have many games under their belt. We are just more mature about handling situations.”
That is not something that the rest of the teams on Oxford’s rugged schedule want to hear. The Jackets are looking to make a serious run at a 6A state championship in basketball to match the football team’s state title won last Friday in Auburn, and they seem to be off to a strong start.
One of the key players on that football team was Rock Taylor and he’s expected to be just as vital to the Jackets’ hoops dreams. He played for the first time this season Tuesday and got around 15 minutes playing time against the Rebels (8-5). He looked as dominant as ever as the 6-foot-4, 225-pounder poured in eight points and grabbed two rebounds.
“We did not care whether Rock played or not, it was just good having back in the locker room and on the bench,” VanMeter said. “Him playing was just a bonus.”
Another football player, Trequon Fegans, who scored the game-tying touchdown in the state championship game, also will play basketball, but did not play Tuesday night.
The Rebels put everybody they could on 6-7 Zondrick Garrett and the South Alabama signee was picking up assists all night. Sophomore Rylan Houck was the guy left open and he burned the Rebels for 17 points.
Garrett made his presence known on defense as he blocked nine shots, altered many more and hauled down 13 rebounds; he scored nine points.
Guard Justin Moore picked up eight points in the fourth quarter on his way to a 14-point night. The Jackets’ biggest lead was 20 at 49-29 in the fourth quarter.
Oxford (6-1) has so many other weapons and with Taylor back teams have their hands full inside the lane. Guard Kobe Warren runs the offense and did so admirably against the Rebels.
“Kobe had an outstanding game,” said Van Meter. “He controlled the pace out there and we were in control the whole game. That was a very good Vestavia team that we beat tonight. I am proud of our guys.”
Oxford opened up a 27-11 lead in the second quarter and the closest the Rebels got was 12 points. The Yellow Jackets go to Mountain Brook Thursday.
To see a gallery of photos from this game click this link: www.bjfranklin.smugmug.com
Oxford 57, Vestavia Hills 40
VESTAVIA HILLS (8-5) – Carl Miller 3 0-0 7, Coleman Barranco 3 0-0 6, Davis Holbert 2 0-0 5, Nate Campbell 0 1-2 1, Charles Hughes 0 0-0, Garrett Smith 0 0-0 0, Jude Cleary 1 0-0 3, Joseph Kaiola 1 0-0 3, Taiyo Crawford 1 0-0 2, Grant Uldrich 3 2-4 9, Micah Roberson 0 0-0 0, Alexander Dieguez 2 0-1 4, Marshall Newson 0 0-0 0, Alex Armstrong 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 3-7 40.
OXFORD (6-1) – Zondrick Garrett 4 1-1 9, Rylan Houck 7 2-2 17, Mont McClendon 0 2-2 2, Kobe Warren 1 4-7 6, Rock Taylor 3 2-2 8, Dakari Dailey 0 0-0 0, Justin Moore 6 2-5 14, Milas Jackson 0 1-3 1. Totals 21 14-22 57.
Vestavia Hills 9 6 11 14 – 40
Oxford 13 15 13 16 – 57
3-point goals: Vestavia Hills 5 (Miller, Holbert, Cleary, Kaiola, Uldrich); Oxford 1 (Houck).
Piedmont 62, Weaver 35: Alex Odam scored 26 points, hitting 10 of 19 shots from the floor, including seven of 14 3-point attempts. The Bulldogs (2-0) were 10-of-25 from behind the arc in the game, with Luke Bussey hitting the other three. They hit 13 in their opener Saturday.
Bussey scored all 13 of his points in the second quarter as the Bulldogs opened a 35-16 lead. Odam then hit four 3s in the third quarter. Trey McFarland had 11 points, Silas Thompson had nine rebounds and Jakari Foster had seven boards. Odam, who had 29 points in the season opener, also had four assists and four steals. Brendyn Knight and Kyle Knight both had 11 to lead Weaver.
WEAVER (1-7) – Quinton Blackerby 0 0-0 0, Brendyn Knight 4 3-5 11, Kohl Perry 0 0-0 0, Marcello D’Ambrosia 1 1-2 3, Jackson Williams 2 0-0 4, Kyle Knight 4 1-3 11, Austin Bryant 0 0-0 0, Armane Burton 0 0-0 0, Taylor Thompson 3 0-2 6, Aidan Goodwin 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 2-5 35.
PIEDMONT (2-0) – Alex Odam 9 1-2 26, Omarion Foster 2 0-0 4, Luke Bussey 5 0-1 13, Trey McFarland 5 1-2 11, Silas Thompson 2 0-0 4, Jack Hayes 0 0-0 0, Malachi Jackson 1 0-0 2, Jakari Foster 0 2-2 2. Totals 24 4-7 62.
Weaver 5 11 8 11 – 35
Piedmont 11 24 18 9 – 62
3-point goals: Weaver 2 (K. Knight 2); Piedmont 10 (Odam 7, Bussey 3). Total fouls: Weaver 6, Piedmont 13. Officials: Phillips, Ortiz, McCareeth.
Southside 53, Alexandria 31: Southside’s Chris Lengyel led all scorers with 19 points. Landan Williams led Alexandria with 12 points.
Saks 67, Pleasant Valley 51: Zae Elston led the Wildcats with 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Tyler Smith had a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards.
Spring Garden 68, Jacksonville Christian 58: Chase Vinson had another double-double, but the Thunder (8-2) suffered its first area loss of the season. Vinson scored 21 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. Nash Messer had 13 points and four assists, while Eli Fair had seven points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Faith Christian 57, Coosa Christian 47: Ethan Richerzhagen led the Lions with a career-high 16 points. C.J. Gomez had 15 and freshman Thomas Curlee had 12.
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