Here’s to the winners
- Updated: February 8, 2021
Boys roundup: Donoho, Munford end long postseason droughts with victories in area play-in games
MONDAY’S BOYS SCORES
1A-10: Donoho 44, Coosa Christian 40
2A-7: Randolph County 51, Horseshoe Bend 46
4A-9: Munford 68, Cleburne County 59
By East Alabama Sports Today
The boys teams from Donoho and Munford both ended eight years of post-season frustration Monday night by winning play-in games in their respective area tournaments.
Donoho won its first playoff game since 2013 when it rallied in the second half to defeat Coosa Christian 44-40 in Class 1A Area 10. It was the Falcons’ third win over the Conquerors this season.
Munford won its first playoff game since 2013 when it held off Cleburne County 68-59 in Class 4A Area 9. With 14 overall victories, the Lions have their winningest season since 1998.
Donoho’s last playoff win was 42-35 over Jacksonville Christian. The Falcons (5-17) will play at top-seeded Ragland on Wednesday.
Munford’s last playoff win was 62-57 over Cleburne County. The Lions (14-11), who’ve doubled their wins total from the year before, will play at top-seeded Anniston Tuesday for a berth in the area championship game and a guaranteed spot in the sub-regionals.
“It’s nice; I love it for the kids,” Munford coach Michael Easley said. “It’d be nice if we win one more and truly get in the playoffs … but it’s always nice to win an area tournament game.
“We said at the beginning of the year we wanted to win 13 or 14 games, win a game in the area tournament and have a winning record. We got all those things in the last couple games, so that’s nice.”
The Lions took control of this one with a 20-5 second quarter. They hit four of their 10 3-pointers in the quarter with Connor Morgan hitting a pair.
Morgan hit six 3-pointers in the game and scored 26 points. Jaquan Anderson (13) and Jay Tuck (11) also scored in double figures for the Lions. Morgan took advantage of the Tigers’ effort to keep Anderson from attacking the basket to have his big night.
“It felt great, honestly,” Morgan said. “I came out and started hitting shots early, so I just kept shooting. Coach Easley always talked about changing the culture and I felt like we took a big step towards that by winning tonight.”
“We probably accomplished a little more than some people thought we would,” Easley said. “The big thing is exceeding expectations. Basketball has kind of been an afterthought at Munford for years. We kind of wanted to raise the bar a bit and set a new standard.”
The Lions led by 17 going into the fourth quarter, but Tigers refused to yield. They hadn’t won a postseason game since 2014 and made a serious run to come back. Behind some hot outside shooting they got the deficit to four before Munford pulled stemmed the tide.
Kyle Downey hit three of his five second-half 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to lead the rally. He led the Tigers with 19 points.
Donoho used a spirited second half to surge past Coosa Christian.
The Falcons may have debunked the notion of it being hard to beat a team three times in a season, but they did find each successive meeting with the Conquerors his year to be a tougher go. Donoho coach Korielle Beavers conceded this was more of a fight than he wanted it to be.
“We didn’t debunk anything,” Beavers said. “It’s extremely hard to beat a team three times. Ask the (Super Bowl champion) Bucs with the Saints.”
The Falcons trailed by nine at halftime this time, but dominated the third quarter 20-4 to take the lead.
Spencer Wigley was one of the most aggressive Falcons coming out of the break and got the run going with five straight points. They tied the game on Grant Steed’s 3-pointer with 4:52 left in the quarter and took the lead for good on Connor Goodson’s trey 30 seconds later.
Coosa temporarily stopped the run with a basket by Evan Delp, a Jacksonville State football signee in the lineup for the first time this season, then Donoho scored the next eight points into the fourth quarter to go up nine.
“Our first half was horrible; it was almost like our chemistry wasn’t all clicking in there,” Wigley said. “I felt like my role had changed mid-game. I was trying to score, but in the second half I knew the only way we were going to get it together was with our defense. They were getting after it.”
Coosa got within one twice in the final minute, but each time the Falcons hit free throws to turn back the threat. Deontae Ford, the leading scorer in Etowah County this season, missed a layup with 5.6 seconds left that would have tied the game, then Steed hit two free throws with 4.7 seconds left to make it a four-point game.
“We knew we had it in us,” Steed said. “We’ve played quarters where we’ve stayed with 4A teams, so being down like that to a team that we’ve beaten twice – once by a good margin – we know have it in us, we’ve just got to play together. We’ve got the ability, we’ve just got to put the mindset in.”
That’s one of the things Beavers have been preaching to them all season.
“You get in your mind,” he tells them, “your body will follow.”
Donoho 44, Coosa Christian 40
COOSA CHRSTIAN – Drake Albury 0 0-0 0, Isiah Cole 3 0-0 8, Evan Delp 4 0-0 8, Deontae Ford 7 2-4 19, J.D. Justus 0 0-0 0, Hunter Millirons 0 2-2 2, Caddon Moore 1 0-0 3, Koby Roberts 0 0-0 0, Thomas Skaggs 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 4-6 40.
DONOHO – Spencer Wigley 3 1-2 7, Dean Harrell 0 0-0 0, Grant Steed 2 5-7 10, Drew Williamson 5 2-4 13, Sean Keel 0 0-0 0, Ethan Miles-Jameson 1 0-0 2, Connor Goodson 2 0-0 5, Brady Patterson 1 0-0 2, Richard Goad 2 1-5 5, Eric Tolson 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 9-18 44.
Coosa Christian 9 15 4 12 – 40
Donoho 7 8 20 9 – 44
3-point goals: Coosa 6 (Cole 2, Ford 3, Moore); Donoho 3 (Steed, Williamson, Goodson). Fouled out: Moore. Total fouls: Coosa 20, Donoho 13. Officials: Wills, Forbus, Parks.
Munford 68, Cleburne County 59
CLEBURNE COUNTY – Rico Jordan 4 1-2 11, Ben Casey 3 5-10 12, Brody Higgins 2 0-1 4, Kyle Downey 7 0-0 19, Manney Rollins 0 0-2 0, Hudson Miller 1 2-4 4, Dee Prothro 3 0-3 6, Jevontae Cosby 1 1-2 3. Totals 21 9-24 59.
MUNFORD (14-11) – Jaquan Anderson 4 4-6 13, Dwight Moore 3 0-0 6, Rashard Russell 1 2-2 5, Jay Tuck 4 2-3 11, Ron Ervin 1 0-0 3, Carderio Holland 1 1-3 3, Connor Morgan 6 8-9 26, Kyler Gibson 0 1-2 1. Totals 20 18-25 68.
Cleburne County 11 5 15 28 – 59
Munford 9 20 19 20 – 68
3-point goals: Cleburne County 8 (Jordan 2, Casey, Downey 5); Munford 10 (Anderson, Russell, Ervin, Morgan 6, Tuck). Fouled out: Jordan, Moore, Tuck. Total fouls: Cleburne County 25, Munford 19. Officials: Pratt, Kelley, Teel.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login