Tightening the race
- Updated: January 7, 2020
Boys roundup: Jacksonville tightens up the Class 4A Area 10 race with a victory over Cherokee County, Ballew has big night for PV and more
Tuesday’s boys scores
Jacksonville Christian 73, Faith Christian 47
Spring Garden 76, Donoho 52
White Plains 69, Hokes Bluff 18
Jacksonville 65, Cherokee County 48
Pleasant Valley 82, Weaver 72
Piedmont 79, Wellborn 25
ASD at Talladega County Central
Childersburg 63, Sacred Heart 57
Woodland at Ranburne
Susan Moore 59, Glencoe 52
B.B. Comer at Munford
Handley 63, Booker T. Washington 47
Talladega 78, Anniston 74
Sylacauga 66, Clay Central 32
Oxford 89, Fort Payne 53
By East Alabama Sports Today
JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville took a big step towards controlling its own postseason destiny and threw the Class 4A Area 10 race into chaos at the same time Tuesday when the Golden Eagles cruised past Cherokee County 65-48.
The win threw the area race into a three-way tie for first among the Golden Eagles, Cherokee County and White Plains with the second wave of the area schedule yet to be played.
“What we’ve told the team is we control our own destiny still,” Jacksonville coach Cordell Hunt said. “If we win out we’ll get to host area again. This group of seniors really enjoyed doing that last year and that’s one of our big goals this year, to host it again.
“So, we’re in control of our destiny. We’ve just got to keep winning and if we keep winning we’ll host it. We’re super excited the kids played well tonight. Man, they’ve been amped up all day just to get back to play in front of a home crowd.”
Kyrie Maynor led the Golden Eagles (12-3) in scoring for the second game in as many days. He went for 17 points to share team-high scoring honors with Q Long. Donavon McCain had 14 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, and Yessman Green had 10 points, four boards, four steals and two assists.
The four double-figure scorers were a combined 21-for-35 from the field. Long was 5-of-10 from 3-point range.
“His leadership is helping us win games,” Hunt said of Maynor. “Q Long is shooting the ball as good as a shooter as I’ve had since I’ve been at Jacksonville right now. Let’s hope that continues.”
Jacksonville 65, Cherokee County 48
CHEROKEE COUNTY – Slade Alexander 10-16 9-11 31, Bradley Elrod 3-10 0-0 6, Nas Diamond 3-5 0-0 6, Walton Green 1-5 0-0 3, Jason McSpadden 1-1 0-0 2, Matthew Johnson 0-1 0-0 0, Dylan Culver 0-1 0-0 0, Courtlin Brooks 0-0 0-0 0, Tristen Starr 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-39 9-11 48.
JACKSONVILLE (12-3) – Kyrie Maynor 5-10 6-6 17, Q Long 6-11 0-0 17, Donavon McCain 6-8 2-2 14, Yessman Green 4-6 2-2 10, Caden Johnson 2-5 0-0 4, Caam Johnson 1-3 0-0 3, Ron Wiggins 0-3 0-0 0, Hudson Harvey 0-1 0-0 0, John Broom 0-2 0-0 0, Jaden Barksdale 0-0 0-0 0, Jacob McCarley 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-49 10-10 65.
Cherokee Co. 15 13 6 14 – 48
Jacksonville 11 18 14 22 – 65
3-point goals: Cherokee County 3-13 (Alexander 2-5, Elrod 0-1, Diamond 0-1, Green 1-5, Johnson 0-1); Jacksonville 7-18 (Maynor 1-1, Long 5-10, Green 0-1, Cd. Johnson 0-2, Cm. Johnson 1-3, Broom 0-1). Rebounds: Cherokee County 20 (Elrod 5); Jacksonville 27 (McCain 10). Total fouls: Cherokee County 12, Jacksonville 10.
White Plains 69, Hokes Bluff 18
ANNISTON – White Plains did its part to stay in the mix with Cherokee County and Jacksonville with an impressive defensive effort against Hokes Bluff. The Wildcats held the Eagles scoreless in the first quarter and without a field goal in the fourth.
It was the fewest points the Wildcats have allowed in a game since giving up 21 in a November 2014 win over Pleasant Valley.
Brody Baker led the Wildcats’ offense with 16 points. Kahlil Williams had 10 and Garrett Wilson celebrated his first start by scoring seven.
HOKES BLUFF – Payton Lemons 1 0-0 2, J.P. Fairel 0 0-0 0, Caleb McGinnis 2 0-0 4, Drake Rainey 0 0-0 0, Connor Faulkner 1 0-0 3, Jalaen Robinson 0 2-2 2, Coby Latham 1 2-4 4, Jordan Presley 1 0-0 3, Tucker March 0 0-0 0, Jackson Mullander 0 0-0 0. Totals 6 4-6 18.
WHITE PLAINS (13-7) – Coleman Messer 0 0-2 0, Rico Aguirre 1 0-0 3, Quin Wilson 1 0-0 3, Jaden Chatman 2 0-0 6, Jacob Wheeler 2 0-0 6, Landon Senciboy 1 0-0 2, Brody Baker 7 0-0 16, Carson Wright 2 3-4 7, Walker O’Steen 3 3-4 9, Kahlil Williams 5 0-0 10, Garrett Wilson 3 0-0 7. Totals 27 6-10 69.
Hokes Bluff 0 7 9 2 – 18
White Plains 17 24 17 11 – 69
3-point goals: Hokes Bluff 2 (Faulkner, Presley); White Plains 9 (Aguirre, Q. Wilson, Chatman 2, Wheeler 2, Baker 2, G. Wilson). Total fouls: Hokes Bluff 10, White Plains 8. Officials: Burroughs, Batey, Tidwell.
Oxford 89, Fort Payne 51
OXFORD – It is not a good night when you go on a 17-4 run in the second half and still lose by 38, but that’s what happened when Fort Payne visited Larry Davidson Court.
It was a welcome home game for the Yellow Jackets (11-6) who spent much of December on the road in Huntsville, Birmingham and Georgia playing a brutal schedule they’re banking on preparing them for the postseason.
The Wildcats (5-12) felt like they ran into a buzz saw as the Jackets opened up a 52-18 lead in the second quarter with an array of three dunks (none by Zondrick Garrett) and 3-pointers flying in from all over the place.
The Jackets had 10 3-pointers as a team, prompting one Fort Payne assistant coach to wonder aloud “Who over there cannot shoot and when will it stop.”
Oxford’s swarming defense limited the Wildcats to just four first half rebounds as the Jackets pounded out a 33-point halftime lead.
The Jackets put four scorers in double figures. Mont McClendon buried four 3-pointers and ended up with a team-high 17 points. Roc Taylor came off the bench to score 16. Rylan Houck scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half, including Oxford’s first seven points of the game. Garrett had 11 points, five blocked shots and five rebounds.
“It was good to be home,” Oxford coach Joel VanMeter said. “We had a really good first half, but we have a long way to go before we are ready for the post-season.” – Brant Locklier
FORT PAYNE (5-12) – Jacob Hendricks 2 2-2 4, Bryson Richey 2 0-0 5, Kevin Hightower Jr. 9 6-7 24, Lane White 5 0-0 13, Micah Simpson 1 0-0 5, Eli Kirby 0 0-0 0, Nathan Crane 0 0-0 0, Will Abbott 0 0-0 0, Kyler Rogers 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 8-9 51.
OXFORD (11-6) – Cordell Chatman 0 0 0-0 0, Zondrick Garrett 4 1 0-0 11, Rylan Houck 5 1 3-4 16, Mont McClendon 1 4 3-3 17, Kobe Warren 1 1 2-2 7, Roc Taylor 6 1 1-1 16, Bakari Dailey 1 0 0-0 2, Justin Moore 4 2 0-0 14, MIlas Jackson 1 0 0-0 2, Ethan Page 1 0 0-0 2, Avelon Bush 1 0 0-0 2.
Fort Payne 7 16 19 9 – 51
Oxford 26 30 23 10 – 89
3-point goals: Fort Payne 5 (Richey, White 3, Simpson); Oxford 10 (Garrett, Houck, McClendon 4, Warren, Taylor, Moore 2).
Pleasant Valley 82, Weaver 72
WEAVER – Josh Ballew went 20-of-23 from the free throw line and scored with 43 points to lead the Raiders to their victory. It was the second time this season Ballew has scored 40 in a game.
Ballew was 11-of-12 from the line in the fourth quarter to keep the Bearcats at bay. At one point in the game he made 12 free throws in a row.
“He played hard and under control offensively,” Raiders coach Ryan Chambless said. “He attacked the rim well when we were full-court pressured.”
Armane Burton led four Weaver scorers in double figures with 19 points. Brendyn Knight had 13, Kyle Knight 12 and Taylor Thompson 11 for the Bearcats (2-15).
With the win, the Raiders (7-9) avoid being the fourth or fifth seed in its area tournament for the first time since 2013. They are guaranteed at least No. 3.
“We played more under control as a team offensively and defensively,” Chambless said. “I’m real pleased with the effort.”
since
PLEASANT VALLEY (7-9) – Jake Malsy 2 1-1 6, Brayden Wright 1 0-1 2, Josh Ballew 11 20-23 43, Brody Phillips 1 2-2 4, Wyatt Ingram 0 0-2 0, Coleman Haynes 4 2-2 10, Gararett Cranmer 1 2-2 4, Damon Parr 3 1-2 7, Justin Willingham 3 0-0 6. Totals 26 28-35 82.
WEAVER (2-15) – Brendyn Knight 3 7-8 13, Kohl Perry 3 0-0 6, Jackson Williams 3 0-0 6, Kyle Knight 5 0-0 12, Armane Burton 6 3-4 19, Taylor Thompson 5 1-4 11, Tristian Brown 2 0-0 5. Totals 28 11-16 72.
Pleasant Valley 16 24 16 26 – 82
Weaver 24 16 19 13 – 72
3-point goals: Pleasant Valley 2 (Malsy, Ballew); Weaver 5 (K. Knight 2, Burton 2, Brown). Fouled out: Burton. Total fouls: Pleasant Valley 15, Weaver 22. Officials: Jarrett, Smith, Sterlun.
Piedmont 79, Wellborn 25
PIEDMONT – Luke Bussey went 6-for-8 from 3-point range and scored a career-high 18 points to lead the Bulldogs (13-2) to their third straight win of the new decade and go to 5-0 in area play. The Bulldogs hit 12 3-pointers in the game.
Bussey hit four of his 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished 6-of-9 overall from the field for the game. He also had three steals and three rebounds. Alex Odam and Silas Thompson had 15 points each and Jakari Foster had 14 on 7-of-12 shooting. Odam scored all his points in the first half. Thompson had 11 in the third quarter.
Wellborn’s KV Wesley led all scorers with 19 points.
WELLBORN (1-9) – K.V. Wesley 6 4-7 19, Chris Lloyd 0 0-0 0, Jason Gentry 0 0-0 0, Tae Traylor 0 0-0 0, Rob Broom 0 0-0 0, Ethaan Tidwell 1 0-0 2, Kameron Jackson 2 0-2 4. Totals 9 4-5 25.
PIEDMONT (13-2) – Alex Odam 6 0-0 15, Omarion Foster 3 0-0 7, Luke Bussey 6 0-0 18, Trey McFarland 2 1-2 6, Silas Thompson 6 2-2 15, Jack Hayes 1 0-0 2, Malachi Jackson 1 0-0 2, Jakari Foster 7 0-0 14. Totals 32 3-4 79.
Wellborn 9 6 6 4 – 25
Piedmont 23 17 25 14 – 79
3-point goals: Wellborn 3 (Wesley 3); Piedmont 12 (Odam 3, O. Foster, Bussey 6, McFarland, Thompson). Total fouls: Wellborn 5, Piedmont 8. Officials: Howell, Kelley, Hughes.
JCA 73, Faith Christian 47
JACKSONVILLE – Chase Vinson scored 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Thunder (13-4) won its fourth straight. Nash Messer added 12 points and six assists, Kobe Messer had 11 points and seven rebounds, and Brady Shaddix dished eight assists.
It was an 11-point game heading into the fourth quarter, then JCA pulled away. “We lost our legs,” said Faith coach Justin Kisor, whose team was playing its fifth game in six days. C.J. Gomez led Faith with 19 points. Ethan Richerzhagen had 11.
Faith 15 6 16 10 – 47
JCA 13 19 16 25 – 73
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