Breaking through
- Updated: January 28, 2021
Girls roundup: JCA uses fourth-quarter rally to beat Valley Head for first time, Oxford gets 20th win, Ohatchee clinches area title, and more
Thursday’s girls scores
Anniston 51, Alexandria 21
Cleburne County 56, Randolph County 17
Coosa Christian 56, Gaston 28
Donoho 45, Faith Christian 40
Glencoe 60, Pleasant Valley 50
Jacksonville 48, White Plains 45
Jacksonville Christian 64, Valley Head 59
Munford 25, Wellborn 20
Ohatchee 57, Piedmont 47
Oxford 60, Sylacauga 40
Pell City 63, Lincoln 38
Ranburne at Lafayette
Saks at Clay Central
Spring Garden 85, Cedar Bluff 23
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Christian boys weren’t the only Thunder team to score an historic victory Thursday night.
The Thunder boys gave coach Tommy Miller his 1,000th career basketball coaching victory, the JCA girls scored their first-ever victory over Valley Head, 64-59, for a happy Senior Night.
It was a night to celebrate the program’s seniors, but it was a sophomore who led the Lady Thunder to victory. Rebekah Carter scored 15 of her 29 points in the fourth quarter, including 7-of-8 from the free throw line.
“I actually haven’t been making my foul shots like that, so I was really happy that this was the game we did,” Carter said. “I think it was just a real heart moment right there. We were all tired and were getting fouls called on us, we had to play smart defense. We didn’t give up and that’s really what we won the game with.
“I just really wanted to win for our seniors tonight. It was the first time we’ve ever beaten Valley Head and I really wanted that for them.”
The teams only started playing since coach Katy Bryant took over the program and many of the meetings weren’t close. The Thunder jumped out to a 25-11 lead in the first quarter behind four 3-pointers, but the Lady Tigers got it back to five at halftime and it was a game in the second half.
Carter broke a 52-52 tie with a free throw and a 3-pointer and the Thunder never trailed again. She scored eight points in the final three minutes. She also grabbed 10 rebounds.
“When we played Donoho the other night we led and we gave it up in the fourth quarter, so when they came over here I’m like remember that, we have to learn from it,” Bryant said. “I really think we’ve been playing better lately, but we haven’t been able to finish. That was the thing we really tried to focus on. We had a good game plan coming out of the gate, but we had to be able to maintain it.
“They got that little lead back in the fourth quarter I was telling them if we want to change the culture it’s got to start in games like this and finishing. Rebekah’s not a senior but she’s definitely the leader. I thought against Donoho she didn’t play to her ability but she definitely played up to her ability tonight.”
Jacksonville Christian 64, Valley Head 59
VALLEY HEAD – Sophia Blair 3 0-0 6, Jenna McKenzie 10 0-0 20, Ansley Blalock 2 2-3 6, Ella Holloway 0 0-0 0, Emma Harrison 3 0-0 9, Lydia Crane 5 8-10 18, Kaylynn Hulgan 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 10-13 59.
JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN – Rebekah Carter 9 9-10 29, Kara Grace 2 0-0 5, Kirsten Walker 0 0-0 0, Mia Morales 4 2-3 10, Karli Barnwell 3 1-2 9, Abbie Stovall 0 0-0 0, Hannah Clayton 3 0-0 7, Erin Prater 1 0-0 3. Totals 22 12-15 64.
Valley Head 11 17 16 15 – 59
JCA 24 9 8 23 – 64
3-point goals: Valley Head 3 (Harrison 3); JCA 8 (Carter 2, Grace, Morales, Barnwell 2, Clayton, Prater). Total fouls: Valley Head 16, JCA 13. Officials: Shirley, Pratt, Railey.
Oxford reaches 20-win plateau
SYLACAUGA – Kaleah Taylor scored 18 points and Oxford roared to a 21-6 lead in the first quarter on the way to its 20th victory of the season, becoming the first Oxford girls team in 19 years to reach the 20-win plateau.
Oxford’s 2001-02 team went 24-4 and was the last Lady Jackets squad to win 20 in a season.
“Any time you can get 20 it’s a really big deal,” Oxford coach Melissa Bennett said. “The biggest thing is the turnaround these girls are dedicated to making and raising the standard.
“The standard had been mediocre. The really good teams are player-led teams and there is more of that this year.”
The Lady Jackets (20-6) were playing their sixth game in eight days, but took Wednesday completely off, which Bennett said “was good for us.” They went 4-2 in the stretch, losing in the Calhoun County Tournament title game Saturday and falling at Springville on Monday.
Oxford 60, Sylacauga 40
OXFORD (20-6) – Justice Woods 3 2-3 8, Xai Whitfield 3 0-0 6, Lauren Ellard 3 1-2 9, LaMya McGrue 3 0-0 6, Kaleah Taylor 6 4-4 18, Emma McCullough 0 0-0 0, Lisa Montgomery 2 1-2 5, Ashley Paulson 0 0-0 0, Keziah Mickler 1 3-5 5, Jamea Gaston 1 0-1 2, Mikiya Wilson 0 1-2 1. Totals 22 12-18 60.
SYLACAUGA – Dee Smith 2 0-0 5, Hadyn Owens 3 0-2 7, Zamarya Cook 0 0-2 0, Kylie Hale 2 0-2 4, Destinee Ealy 3 9-10 15, Taylor Murphy 1 0-0 2, Dakota Johnson 1 1-3 3, Keith 2 1-2 6. Totals 14 11-21 40.
Oxford 21 16 16 7 – 60
Sylacauga 6 11 11 12 – 40
3-point goals: Oxford 4 (Taylor 2, Ellard 2); Sylacauga 3 (Keith, Owens, Smith). Fouled out: Murphy. Total fouls: Oxford 17, Sylacauga 17. Officials: Gamble, McCombs, Richardson.
OHATCHEE 57, PIEDMONT 47: Jorda Crook scored 18 points and Tori Vice had as the Lady Indians clinched a top seed in their area for the first time.
The Lady Indians got off to a slow start, but Vice and Crook combined for 14 points in the second quarter and they never trailed again. Millie Rainwater hit both of her 3-pointers in the third quarter as they stretched the lead and Crook scored 10 in the fourth.
Ava Pope and LeLe Ridley scored 14 points each for Piedmont (9-11). Ridley and Z’Hayla Walker each grabbed 10 rebounds. Emily Farmer had nine rebounds and Jaycee Glover had six assists.
Ohatchee 57, Piedmont 47
PIEDMONT (9-11) – Ava Pope 5 0-0 14, Jaycee Glover 0 0-0 0, LeLe Ridley 6 1-3 14, Armoni Perry 0 0-0 0, Gracie Naugher 0 0-0 0, Z’Hayla Walker 3 0-0 6, Emily Farmer 3 2-2 13. Totals 18 3-5 47.
OHATCHEE – Gracyn Snow 1 1-2 3, Rachel Dunaway 1 0-0 2, Tori Vice 6 4-7 17, Whitney McFry 0 0-0 0, Morgan Foushee 0 0-0 0, Gracie George 2 0-0 4, Millie Rainwater 2 1-2 7, Jorda Crook 8 2-4 18, Alyssa Davis 3 0-0 6. Totals 13 8-15 57,
Piedmont 10 11 11 15 – 47
Ohatchee 6 19 17 15 – 57
3-point goals: Piedmont 8 (Pope 4, Ridley, Farmer 3); Ohatchee 3 (Vice, Rainwater 2). Total fouls: Piedmont 14, Ohatchee 8
JACKSONVILLE 48, WHITE PLAINS 45: Kayla Broom scored 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Jacksonville. She also had four assists and six steals. Amiyah Buchanan grabbed 10 rebounds for the Lady Golden Eagles. Lily Ponder hit 10 of 12 from the field – 10 of 10 inside the 3-point arc – and scored 20 points to lead White Plains.
Jacksonville 48, White Plains 45
WHITE PLAINS – Lily Ponder 10-12 0-2 20, Angel Bozarth 4-10 0-0 11, Adriana Sotelo 2-6 0-0 6, Kaylee Johnson 2-3 0-0 4, Camden Wilson 1-3 0-0 2, Callyn Martin 1-8 0-0 2, Hallie Williams 0-0 0-0 0, Shaniya Calloway 0-1 0-0 0, Cheyenne Cochran 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 20-45 0-2 45.
JACKSONVILLE – Kayla Broom 6-13 5-6 21, Amarie Curry 3-9 2-3 8, Maggie Anderson 2-8 1-2 7, Amiyah Buchanan 2-4 2-3 6, Patience Carr 2-4 1-2 5, Rebekah Gannaway 0-7 1-2 1, Ashley Grant 0-5 0-0 0. Totals 15-50 12-18 48.
White Plains 10 8 10 17 – 45
Jacksonville 12 18 9 9 – 48
3-point goals: White Plains 5-16 (Ponder 0-2, Bozarth 3-5, Sotelo 2-5, Martin 0-3, Cochran 0-1); Jacksonville 6-26 (Broom 4-7, Anderson 2-8, Carr 0-1, Gannaway 0-6, Grant 0-4). Rebounds: White Plains 29 (Ponder 6, Bozarth 6); Jacksonville 36 (Broom 13, Buchanan 10). Fouled out: Johnson. Total fouls: White Plains 16, Jacksonville 10. Officials:
DONOHO 45, FAITH CHRISTIAN 40: The Lady Falcons were leading by one, then Victoria and Anastasia O’Neill each hit two free throws to complete the Lady Falcons’ comeback. Anastasia O’Neill scored 17 points – 10 in the fourth quarter – and Victoria had 16; they combined for seven 3-pointers.
Donoho 45, Faith Christian 40
DONOHO – Victoria O’Neill 5 2-2 16, Anastasia O’Neill 5 4-5 17, Janie Sills 4 0-0 8, A.G. Jones 0 0-0 0, Julie Cleckler 2 0-2 4, Amelia Baker 0 0-0 0, Cailin Campbell 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 6-9 45.
FAITH CHRISTIAN – Ona Marple 2 0-0 5, Ari Arevalo 7 2-4 16, Anna Strautman 0 0-0 0, Alligrace Emerson 1 0-0 2, Joelle Tillery 0 0-0 0, Erin McVeigh 0 0-0 0, Babat Aremu 7 3-4 17. Totals 17 5-8 40.
Donoho 11 12 6 16 – 45
Faith Christian 15 5 11 9 – 40
3-point goals: Donoho 7 (V. O’Neill 4, A. O’Neill 3); Faith 1 (Marple). Total fouls: Donoho 8, Faith 12.
CLEBURNE COUNTY 56, RANDOLPH COUNTY 17: Freshman Faith Brown scored 15 points in the first quarter and 17 of her 19 in the first half as Cleburne County took control early. Brooklyn McDaniel scored 16 points and had 10 of them in the third quarter. The Lady Tigers held Randolph County without a field goal in the second half.
Cleburne County 56, Randolph County 17
RANDOLPH COUNTY – Brantlee Wortham 2 4-10 9, Emily Heard 1 0-1 2, Kaitlynn Overton 2 0-1 4, Laura Fendley 1 0-0 2, Graacie Robinson 0 0-0 0. Totals 6 4-12 17.
CLEBURNE COUNTY – Faith Brown 9 0-1 19, MaKenzie Frames 0 0-0 0, Olivia McDaniel 0 0-4 0, Haley Price 4 0-0 10, Brooklyn McDaniel 8 0-0 16, Haven Freeman 3 0-2 6, Kaydence Wright 1 0-2 3, Libby Altman 0 0-0 0, Julia Wilkerson 1 0-0 2, Chloe Kerr 0 0-0 0, Annie Brown 0 0-1 0. Totals 26 0-10 56.
Randolph Co. 7 6 2 2 – 17
Cleburne Co. 24 6 17 9 – 56
3-point goals: Randolph Co. 1 (Wortham); Cleburne Co. 4 (Brown, Price 2, Wright). Fouled out: Heard. Total fouls: Randolph Co. 13, Cleburne Co. 14.
ANNISTON 51, ALEXANDRIA 21: Allasha Dudley scored 14 points, Shiwanna Jackson had 10 and Asia Barclay had a double-double for the Lady Bulldogs (16-3). Dudley also had six rebounds, four assists and a steal. Jackson had five rebounds, five steals and an assist. Barclay had 10 points, 10 boards, five steals, two blocks and an assist.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login