That winning feeling
- Updated: December 9, 2021
Parnell, Saks open basketball season with victory over White Plains, Ragland’s Turner sets school scoring record, Munford ends slide, and more
THURSDAY’S BOYS SCORES
Munford 49, Cleburne County 31
Pinson Valley 57, Oxford 41
Ragland 86, Jacksonville Christian 58
Saks 41, White Plains 36
Sylacauga 73, Lincoln 54
Talladega 60, Etowah 54
Wadley 64, Woodland 62
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
Sean Parnell has been waiting for something good to take away the empty feeling in his stomach left by his last football game for what seemed like an eternity.
While it will probably take more than a couple weeks to fill the pit left by Saks’ overtime shootout loss in the Class 3A semifinals, Parnell and the football-playing Wildcats took the first step, beating White Plains 41-36 in their first basketball game of the season, their first athletic contest since that playoff game.
“It was good to come out here and get the taste of winning in your mouth and being able to do this so we’re celebrating and not be like we lost again, that’s two losses in two different sports in a row,” Parnell said. “It’s always good to win. It’s never fun to lose.”
The game was typical of a season opener from a team that had practiced together only about six times, the last team in Calhoun County to play basketball, but in the end, Saks was, as coach Jonathan Miller said, “able to make enough plays down the stretch to win the game.”
Parnell and Shon Elston, who Miller called “the player of the game for us,” led Saks with 11 points each.Connor Martin had nine points and nine rebounds (eight in the second half).
Parnell, the football team’s quarterback and grill master Chef P at the team’s post-season cookout, came up big down the stretch. He hit two free throws and a layup to start the run as Saks pulled away from a 35-35 tie in the final 50 seconds.
Elston hounded White Plains’ best player defensively and hit two big 3-pointers in the second half. The first one opened the third quarter and tied the game. The second put Saks ahead 35-33 with 3:33 to play – the 10th lead change of the game. It was tied nine times.
“My motivation was just to win,” Elston said. “The last game I played was a loss and I wanted to get that out of my head with a win. So, coming out here and winning the game I think the football (loss) is out of my head now.”
White Plains did not hit a 3-pointer in the game, and coach Chris Randall can’t remember the last time that happened.
“We’ve got to make 3s for us to have a chance to win and we didn’t make one,” Randall said. “Missing 3s and missing free throws are kind of like fumbling the football, it gets contagious sometimes and I think we hesitated a little bit. I’ve got to coach us out of that. I’ve got instill that confidence in us to get over that.”
Saks 41, White Plains 36
WHITE PLAINS (2-6) –Tucker Pearson 0 0-0 0, Paul Laube 2 1-2 5, Dylan Barksdale 1 0-0 2, Cole Senciboy 1 0-0 2, Josh Wheeler 1 4-6 6, Z.J. Rosario 0 0-0 0, Braden Knight 0 0-0 0, Daniel Williams 2 0-0 4, Walker Osteen 5 1-2 11, Kendrick Ball 3 0-0 6. Totals 15 6-10 36.
SAKS (1-0) – Conor Martin 2 5-6 9, Braelon Robinson 0 0-0 0, Shon Elston 4 1-1 11, Sean Parnell 4 2-4 11, Jalen McCants 1 2-3 4, Christian Smith 0 0-0 0, Malik Carlisle 0 0-0 0, Rickey Garrett 1 1-2 3, Anthony Bothwell 1 0-0 3, Gavin Doss 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 11-16 41.
White Plains 11 10 7 8 – 36
Saks 9 9 12 11 – 31
3-point goals: Saks 4 (Elston 2, Parnell, Bothwell). Fouled out: Ball. Total fouls: White Plains 15, Saks 11. Officials: Whiteside, Dupree, Douthit.
PINSON VALLEY 57, OXFORD 41: The Yellow Jackets’ struggle to score continued as they lost their third in a row.
The Jackets were held to 41 points for the second straight game and haven’t scored more than 43 in any game during the losing streak. They didn’t have a scorer in double figures against the physical Indians and have had only three in the last three games.
“I’ve got to do a better job of putting them in position to be able to score and to be successful,” Oxford coach Joel VanMeter said. “If you have to change some things, you’ve got to do it. If you have to change combinations of people, you’ve got to do it. I’ve just got to do a better job of helping them score the basketball.
“What people are doing is focusing on Rylan (Houck) and he’s seeing two and three people and I’ve got to do a better job of helping those other guys be in better positions to go score.”
Meanwhile, Caleb White led Pinson Valley with 23 points. He scored 13 points in the first quarter and the Indians hit seven 3-pointers in the first half as they opened a 15-point lead.
During this three game slump, the Jackets have scored 45 field goals, but 17 of them have been 3-pointers. They’ve scored more than 15 points in a quarter just once in their last 12.
“We haven’t shot the ball well, but I think the reason is we’re not getting good enough shots,” VanMeter said. “Pinson did a great job of being physical with us. Early on and early games we did a great job of seeking paint on drives and when teams have been physical with us we’ve kind of shied away from getting to the paint and if you get to the paint you’re going to get good open shots..”
Pinson Valley 57, Oxford 41
OXFORD – Jaylen Alexander 4 0-2 9, Rylan Houck 4 0-0 8, Kyler Wright 2 0-0 5, Aaron McFarland 0 0-0 0, J.D. Jones 3 0-0 8, Mike McGraw 2 2-2 7, Jayden Lewis 0 0-0 0, Ashton Mitchell 1 2-4 4, Cristian Gibson 0 0-0 0, Brock Reaves 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 4-8 41.
PINSON VALLEY – B.J. Diakate 3 2-4 8, Caleb White 9 3-5 23, Terry Coner 3 0-1 8, T.J. Metcalf 1 0-0 2, T.J. Judkins 2 0-0 5, Cam White 3 0-0 8, Raymon McCants 1 0-0 3, Jaylen Tyus 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 5-10 57.
Oxford 10 11 10 10 – 41
Pinson Valley 21 15 12 9 – 57
3-point goals: Oxford 5 (Alexander, Wright, Jones 2, McGraw); Pinson Valley 8 (Cl. White 2, Conner 2, Judkins, Cm. White 2, McCants). Total fouls: Oxford 12, Pinson Valley 11.
RAGLAND 86, JCA 58: Jordan Turner set Ragland’s single-game scoring record with 41 points. He had 20 points in the first half and 14 in the fourth quarter.
“It was as good a game as I have seen a player play in my 21 years at Ragland,” Purple Devils coach Andy Eden said.
Ethan Fair led JCA with 19 points. Tyler Doggrell had 14.
Ragland 86, JCA 58
JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN – Emmanuel Kidd 1 3-5 5, Ethan Fair 6 4-8 19, Tyler Doggrell 6 2-3 14, Braxton Brown 1 0-0 2, Jordan Garner 1 1-1 3, Cameron Moses 4 1-2 11, Brodie Clay 1 2-2 4. Totals 20 13-21 58.
RAGLAND – Javaris Turner 5 0-1 12, Jordan Turner 16 4-5 41, Braxton Layton 4 0-0 10, Kentrell Turner 3 0-0 7, Taevon Williams 1 0-0 2, Ezra Hill 2 0-0 5, D.J. Turner 4 1-6 9. Totals 35 5-12 86.
JCA 11 19 19 9 – 58
Ragland 20 22 20 24 – 86
3-point goals: JCA5 (Fair 3, Moses 2); Ragland 11 (Ja. Turner 2, Jo. Turner 5, Layton 2, K. Turner, Hill). Fouled out: Ja. Turner. Total fouls: JCA 13, Ragland 19.
MUNFORD 49, CLEBURNE COUNTY 31: Jaquan Anderson scored 21 points and Connor Morgan had 17 as the Lions snapped a three-game losing streak. Anderson scored 16 points in the second half. Morgan hit five 3-pointers in the game.
Munford 49, Cleburne County 31
MUNFORD –Jaquan Anderson 9 0-2 21, Caderio Holland 0 1-2 1, Connor Morgan 5 2-2 17, Demetrius Norwood 0 0-2 0, Lathan Stephens 3 0-0 8, Alex Petty 1 0-2 2, Jayden Tucker 0 0-0 0, Kelby Tucker 0 0-0 0, Kyler Gibson 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 3-10 49.
CLEBURNE COUNTY –Dayleon Brown 2 4-6 10, Andrew Adams 1 0-0 2, Grant Harcrow 2 0-0 4, Ron Ervin 1 0-0 2, Dawson Haynes 0 0-0 0, Dee Prothro 2 1-1 5, Kyler McGrinn 3 0-0 6, Grayson Freeman 1 0-4 2. Totals 12 5-11 31.
Munford 12 12 9 16 – 49
Cleburne County 6 3 12 10 – 31
3-point goals: Munford 10 (Anderson 3, Morgan 5, Stephens 2); Cleburne County 2 (Brown 2). Total fouls: Munford 7, Cleburne County 7.
Girls games
THURSDAY’S SCORES
Cleburne County 43, Munford 10
Ragland 65, Jacksonville Christian 18
Sylacauga 57, Lincoln 40
Oxford 66, Pinson Valley 46
PINSON –Getting a victory Tuesday night was important to the Oxford girls basketball team on a number of fronts.
For starters, it gave them a sense of accomplishment in a difficult road environment. Secondly, they can hold onto a wave of confidence while not playing for the next week due to exams.
The Lady Jackets checked all the boxes in beating Pinson Valley 66-46.
“It was a tough ugly road win,” Oxford coach Melissa Bennett said. “It was a good road environment to have to dig a win out of.”
The Lady Jackets (8-1) grabbed a 22-11 lead in the first quarter and never let up. Xai Whitfield scored six of her team-high 16 points in the first quarter and they were off and running.
Leah Taylor scored 14 points, with 11 coming in the second half.
Oxford 66, Pinson Valley 46
OXFORD (8-1) –Justice Woods 3 0-0 7, Xai Whitfield 6 4-4 16, Lauren Ellard 1 1-2 4, LaMya McGrue 3 2-4 8, Kaleah Taylor 6 1-2 14, Jamea Gaston 2 0-0 5, Keziah Mickler 3 0-0 7, Shaniya Calloway 0 0-0 0, Kaylen Kenney 2 1-1 5, Mikiya Wilson 0 0-0 0, Jaslyn Montgomery 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 9-13 66.
PINSON VALLEY –Jada Griffin 7 3-5 17, Stephanie 0 0-0 0, Paris Person 0 0-0 0, Alissa Hawkins 0 1-2 1, Khameriya Riley 3 0-0 7, Tamia Williams 2 0-2 4, Alexis Haynes 0 0-0 0, Others 6 5-10 17. Totals 18 9-19 46.
Oxford 22 10 18 16 – 66
Pinson Valley 11 15 11 9 – 46
3-point goals: Oxford 5 (Woods, Ellard, Taylor, Gaston, Mickler). Pinson Valley 1 (Riley). Total fouls: Oxford 15, Pinson Valley 16.
RAGLAND 65, JCA 18: Cadence Buchanan scored 28 points and Sammie Day-Jones had 19 to lead Ragland. Day-Jones, who passed the 1,000-point plateau Tuesday, now has 1,033 career points.
The Lady Purple Devils (7-1, 2-0) held JCA to two field goals by Addy Lee in the second half.
“I am very proud of the way we played on both ends of the floor tonight,” Ragland coach Sawyer Merritt said. “We maintained aa high level of intensity on the defensive end of the floor and that led to much of our success on offense.”
Ragland 65, JCA 18
JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN – Erin Prater 2 0-0 4, Kara Grace 2 2-3 6, Addy Lee 2 0-1 4, Kirsten Walker 0 0-0 0, Katie Beth Hudson 0 0-0 0, Ella Kines 0 0-0 0, Riley Sanders 0 0-0 0, Hannah Clayton 2 0-0 4. Totals 8 2-4 18.
RAGLAND (7-1) – Sammie Day-Jones 9 1-4 19, Rylee Mickler 1 1-4 3, Cadence Buchanan 11 6-10 28, Campbell Adams 4 3-5 11, Aubrey Ball 0 0-0 0, Hannah Ragsdale 0 0-0 0, Jaymie Ross 0 0-0 0, Heather Bird 0 0-0 0, Shelby Spanger 0 0-0 0, Nya Brewster 2 0-4 4. Totals 27 11-27 65.
JCA 9 5 2 2 – 18
Ragland 15 27 16 7 – 65
Total fouls: JCA 14, Ragland 15.
CLEBURNE COUNTY 43, MUNFORD 10:The Lady Tigers held Munford scoreless in the first quarter and got scoring from nine of their 10 players who got in the game. Libby Altman and Karley Boyd led the winners with eight points each. Faith Brown and Brooklyn McDaniel both scored six – all in the first quarter.
Cleburne County 43, Munford 10
MUNFORD –Janiayha Wilson 0 0-0 0, Layla Tyus 2 0-0 4, Tamiyaa Curry 0 0-0 0, Mekiah Mosley 0 0-0 0, Anijah Gladden 3 0-0 6, Kambrya Meadows 0 0-0 0, Fantaza Calhoun 0 0-0 0. Totals 5 0-0 10.
CLEBURNE COUNTY –Faith Brown 3 0-0 6, Karley Boyd 4 0-0 8, Hannah Turley 1 0-2 2, Jacy Littleton 1 1-2 3, Hailey Price 2 1-2 6, Alyssa Hunt 1 0-0 2, Brooklyn McDaniel 3 0-0 6, Kaydence Wright 0 0-0 0, Libby Altman 2 2-2 8, Kynsi Hazzard 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 4-8 43.
Munford 0 4 2 4 – 10
Cleburne County 14 11 11 7 – 43
3-point goals: Cleburne County 3 (Price, Altman 2). Total fouls: Munford 8, Cleburne County 8.
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