Good start
- Updated: November 12, 2020
Oxford edges Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa in its opener 51-49 on Houck’s layup with 5.2 seconds left
Thursday basketball
Boys games
Munford 68, Coosa Christian 30
Oxford 51, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa 49
Girls games
Coosa Christian 74, Munford 19
Oxford 49, Ohatchee 37
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
OXFORD — One of the first things Oxford coach Joel VanMeter told his players at halftime on a tight game Thursday night, in an effort to keep their spirits even keeled regardless of the outcome, was a basketball team doesn’t live and die by the result of a game in November.
But, when you really think about it, winning one of those games, especially the way the Jackets did on this night, sure does a lot for your confidence going forward.
The Yellow Jackets won their first game in November – actually, it was their season opener – beating Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa at the Sports Arena 51-49 in a game similarly suited for much later in the year when there’s a lot more on the line.
They won it on Rylan Houck’s layup with 5.2 seconds to play. The play broke a 49-49 tie and the whole gym held its breath as the Patriots missed a rushed 3-pointer at the buzzer.
“The mindset we’re trying to have is you’re supposed to win the day,” Houck said. “So if you win the day every day then you can’t go wrong. Our motto this year is we want to take a step up on our ladder every single day. When you do that, you’re winning.
“Today, I feel like as a whole we won the day. We’re not where we need to be, we’re not where we want to be, we have a long way to go, but if you win today and win tomorrow then by the time January and February comes along you’ll be in perfect position.”
It may have been the first game of the year but VanMeter called it a “Final Four game,” it was that tightly contested. The Jackets opened a seven-point lead early, hitting four of their first five 3-point attempts, but once they started missing the Patriots dominated the boards and things got tight.
It was a one-point game at halftime and tied after three quarters. Neither team led by more than three points in the second half and the lead changed hands six times.
“It’s just one of those deals where you have to find a way to win when you’ve got two teams like that,” VanMeter said. “If you think about it, Rylan Houck and Justin Moore are the only ones who have any playing experience, so all these guys were kind of new and all of them were able to make some plays against a really good team.”
The game was tied at 49 with 1:28 left. The Jackets had the ball and appeared content to run out the clock to get a good final shot, but they lost the ball out of bounds with 51 seconds left.
Kyler Wright then made a steal and got it to Houck with 30 seconds left and the Jackets called time to set it up again. It went between Houck and Avelon Bush until the clock hit 10. Houck got it and drove the lane. He was moved to his off hand and with his back to the basket made the shot and was fouled with 5.2 seconds left.
“We knew we wanted him to get an opportunity,” VanMeter said. “We got a concept where we kind of isolate him in the chute and then just told him go make a play. That’s what good players do. He’s pretty good.”
“I just trusted what the coaches drew up on the board,” Houck said. “When we got out there everything went perfectly planned and we did exactly what we were told do; if you put all faith in your coaches that will happen. They were great defensively but we just executed better.”
The 6-foot-5 junior missed his and-one and Hillcrest rebounded and called time with 4.5 seconds to go. The Patriots got the ball in bounds, but could only get an off-balanced 3-pointer by Tederrius Williams that missed the mark.
Houck finished with 22 points and three blocked shots. Cordell Chatman added 10. Williams led Hillcrest with 20 points and 14 rebounds. C.J. Johnson had 14 points and nine boards.
It doesn’t get any easier for the Yellow Jackets. They return to action Monday in what VanMeter called “maybe the hardest place to play in this county” – White Plains.
Two years ago VanMeter took his team there with high expectations and the Jackets left with a loss when a former teammate made a four-point play with five seconds left in the game.
“There’s no rest for the weary,” he said.
Oxford 51, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa 49
HILLCREST (0-1) – Tederrius Williams 10 0-2 20, Mason Jones 1 1-2 3, Trevor Jones 0 0-0 0, Reggie Savage 3 0-0 6, R.J. Boyd 1 0-0 2, Shah Hall 0 0-0 0, A.J. Harris 2 0-0 4, C.J. Johnson 6 2-3 14, Jordan Suttles 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 3-7 49.
OXFORD (1-0) – Avelon Bush 4 0-0 9, Cordell Chatman 4 1-2 10, Rylan Houck 8 3-4 22, Peyton Watts 1 0-0 3, Mike McGraw 0 0-0 0, Kyler Wright 1 3-4 5, Justin Moore 1 0-4 2, Zurrell Garrett 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 7-14 51.
Hillcrest 20 10 8 11 – 49
Oxford 25 6 7 13 – 51
3-point goals: Oxford 6 (Bush, Chatman, Houck 3, Watts). Rebounds: Hillcrest 42 (Williams 14, Johnson 9, Harris 8); Oxford 17 (Moore 5, Wright 3, Garrett 3). Fouled out: Savage, Harris. Total fouls: Hillcrest 19, Oxford 11. Officials: Calkins, McElreeth, Holloway.
Munford 68, Coosa Christian 30
MUNFORD (1-0) – Jaquan Anderson 6 0-1 13, Dwight Moore 5 2-6 12, Rashard Russell 4 4-6 13, Jay Tuck 2 0-1 5, Connor Hughes 1 0-0 3, Ron Ervin 1 2-2 4, Caderio Holland 2 0-0 4, Connor Morgan 1 5-9 7, Demetrius Norwood 0 2-2 2, Logan Smith 0 2-2 2, Kyler Gibson 2 0-1 4. Totals 24 17-30 68.
COOSA CHRISTIAN (0-1) – Drake Albury 3 0-1 7, Isiah Cole 0 0-0 0, Zachary Elrod 0 1-2 1, Deontae Ford 4 2-3 11, Brandon Hammonds 0 1-2 1, J.D. Justus 0 2-2 2, Hunter Millirons 0 0-0 0, Caddon Moore 2 0-1 4, Hunter Price 0 0-0 0, Koby Roberts 1 1-2 4, Totals 10 7-13 30.
Munford 9 18 20 21 – 68
Coosa 7 11 10 2 – 30
3-point goals: Munford 4 (Anderson, Russell, Tuck, Hughes); Coosa 3 (Albury, Ford, Roberts). Total fouls: Munford 17, Coosa 23. Officials: Dupree, Childs, Guyton.
GIRLS GAMES
Oxford 49, Ohatchee 37
OXFORD (1-0) – Xai Whitfield 4 2-4 11, Lauren Ellard 1 3-4 5, Mya McGrue 6 1-4 13, Leah Taylor 7 0-4 15, Emma McCullough 0 0-0 0, Lisa Montgomery 1 0-1 3, Ashley Paulson 0 0-0 0, Keziah Mickler 0 2-2 2, JaMea Gaston 0 0-0 0, Mikiya Wilson 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 8-19 49.
OHATCHEE (0-1) – Gracyn Snow 1 0-0 2, Lyda Elders 0 1-2 1, Rachel Dunaway 0 0-0 0, Tori Vice 0 2-3 2, Whitney McFry 1 0-0 2, Gracie George 1 0-0 2, Millie Rainwater 1 0-2 3, Jorda Crook 10 3-6 23, Alyssa Davis 1 0-2 2. Totals 15 6-15 37.
Oxford 16 10 15 8 – 49
Ohatchee 7 14 4 12 – 37
3-point goals: Oxford 3 (Whitfield, Taylor, Montgomery); Ohatchee 1 (Rainwater). Technical fouls: McGrue. Fouled out: Vice. Total fouls: Oxford 16, Ohatchee 17. Officials: Smith, Pratt, Wood.
Coosa Christian 74, Munford 19
MUNFORD (0-1) – Layla Tyus 2 1-6 5, Mekiah Mosley 0 1-3 1, A. Meadows 3 1-3 7, Ryleigh Keith 2 0-1 4, Kelsey Goodson 1 0-2 2, M. Griffin 0 0-0 0. Totals 8 3-15 19.
COOSA CHRISTIAN (3-1) – Bella Millirons 10 1-2 21, Chloe Davidson 7 6-12 21, C. Cates 3 0-0 6, E. Snow 5 0-1 10, M. Ellen 0 0-0 0, K. England 0 0-0 0, K.E. Davis 1 1-2 3, E. Justus 3 0-0 6, K. East 0 0-1 0, G. Littlejohn 2 0-0 5, M. Martin 1 0-2 2. Totals 32 8-20 74.
Munford 7 5 2 5 – 19
Coosa 28 19 25 2 – 74
3-point goals: Coosa Christian 2 (Davidson, Littlejohn). Fouled out: Meadows. Total fouls: Munford 16, Coosa Christian 13. Officials: Guyton, Childs, Dupree.
To see more photos from the game click here www.bjfranklin.smugmug.com
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