Careful what you wish for
- Updated: December 10, 2022
Herbert returns to Oxford as B.B. Comer head coach, runs into Jacksonville juggernaut in his debut
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
OXFORD — Marcus Herbert knew exactly what he was getting into when he took the job and took the game.
Herbert, the former Weaver player and coach, was back in a coach’s box in a Calhoun County gym Saturday, directing B.B. Comer into the new season and a new chapter in his coaching career.
He couldn’t have asked for a tougher debut. Well, actually he did ask for it.
Herbert volunteered the Tigers to play defending 4A state champion Jacksonville when the Golden Eagles’ original game in the Larry & Connie Davidson Classic fell through.
After Carrollton (Ga.) pulled out of Saturday’s game to avoid any unpredictable problems with getting the players back for the state championship football game — even after organizers moved the game up to 11 a.m. — Oxford coach Joel VanMeter called his former junior high coach and Herbert talked to his mentor, Jacksonville assistant Daryl Hamby, to see if the Tigers could take the spot.
It worked out – better for Jacksonville than the Tigers as the Golden Eagles got off to a fast start against a team playing its first game of the season with a limited amount of practice and won 95-59.
“I knew this was going to happen because we just got done playing football a week ago,” Herbert said. “Coach Van texted me on Thursday about playing. The kids wanted to play. They wanted to go out there and compete, so therefore that’s what we did today.
“This is a good learning lesson. That was a good team that we played. They’re champs for a reason. I told the kids going into it, win, lose or draw this is about getting better, to see where we’re at because we want to be like them down the road in 2A.”
Jacksonville, meanwhile, was just glad event organizers didn’t cancel the game when Carrollton bailed. Even though the Golden Eagles played late Friday night, coach Tres Buzan wanted another game right away so his team could continue working to find its identity.
And they started quickly against a team that has 11 football players who were just coming off the 2A state championship game.
The Golden Eagles scored the first 15 points of the game in three minutes, scored 32 points in each of the first two quarters and led 64-25 at halftime. They placed four scorers in double figures, led by John Broom (22) and Caden Johnson (20). Cam Johnson tossed in 19.
“Every game we play we’re figuring out who we are more and more,” Buzan said. “I feel like we’re putting things together and improving every game, so I was really happy to watch us play today. The first group did an awesome job and then off the bench the guys gave really great minutes.
“That’s the best we’ve started. All week we have started slow but they jumped right out and I felt like we were playing our game right from the start. That was good because last night first quarter we were generally un-efficient so it was nice to have a return on that today.”
One of the first people Herbert saw when he got to the Oxford Sports Arena was Hamby, a mentor who considers him like a son. He played for Hamby as a Weaver high schooler and was part of the Bearcats’ coaching staff from the time he graduated to the time he was Hamby’s hand-picked successor as head coach upon his retirement.
They both said it was “a weird feeling” sitting across from each other on the basketball floor for the first time ever. But Herbert couldn’t let those feelings get in the way of the task at hand.
“At the end of the day it’s competition, so I can’t worry about that,” he said. “I’m B.B. Comer, so that’s what it’s all about right now.”
Meanwhile, he isn’t discouraged by the day’s result.
“We’re going to be OK,” he said. “Once they understand how to play the game the right way, we’re going to be all right.”
Hamby has no doubt.
“I’m really proud of Marcus,” he said. “That team’s going to do well. I mean, coming out of the playoffs and just playing the state championship game last week and they’ve got to play us? I thought they showed a lot of energy. That’s going to be a good team. There are some big guys on that team.”
JACKSONVILLE 95, B.B. COMER 59
B.B. COMER – Kamore Harris 9-12 2-4 22, Chris Wilson 5-9 2-5 12, Devin Harvey 4-7 0-0 10, Chris Garrett 2-7 1-3 6, Raelon Sims 2-7 0-0 4, Tae Swain 1-2 0-0 3, Zack Carpenter 1-3 0-4 2, James Carmichael 0-2 0-0 0, Brandon Blankenship 0-0 0-0 0, Cam Gaddis 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-98 5-15 59.
JACKSONVILLE – John Broom 10-17 0-1 22, Caden Johnson 9-12 2-2 20, Cam Johnson 6-9 5-5 19, Jaquan Ervin 4-6 2-2 10, Jaleik Long 4-7 1-2 9, Kydric Fisher 3-4 0-2 9, Imoree Young 1-2 1-1 4, DaMonte Sinclair 1-3 0-0 2, Dee Prothro 0-0 0-0 0, Ethan Duke 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 38-61 11-15 95.
B.B. Comer 12 13 13 21 – 59
Jacksonville 32 32 21 10 – 95
3-point goals: B.B. Comer 6-14 (Harris 2-2, Harvey 2-4, Garrett 1-3, Sims 0-1, Swain 1-1, Carpenter 0-2, Carmichael 0-1); Jacksonville 8-19 (Broom 2-5, Cd. Johnson 0-1, Cm. Johnson 204, Ervin 0-1, Long 0-2, Fisher 3-4, Young 1-1, Duke 0-1). Rebounds: B.B. Comer 28 (Devin Harvey 7); Jacksonville 31 (Cd. Johnson 7, Ervin 7). Total fouls: B.B. Comer 13, Jacksonville 14. Officials: Pratt, Taylor, Bearden.
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