Statement game
- Updated: December 22, 2022
Jacksonville solidifies county supremacy with win over Anniston, Piedmont wins Gaston Christmas Tournament, PV wins in OT; JCA’s girls wrap Fair’s coaching run with victory and more
BOYS GAMES
Alexandria 54, Southside 50
Jacksonville Christian 72, Coosa Christian 46
Jacksonville 66, Anniston 52
Randolph County 52, Wadley 48
Gaston Christmas Tournament
Championship: Piedmont 64, Appalachian 44
Valley Head Invitational
Pleasant Valley 52, Asbury 49 (OT)
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
Devin Barksdale seems fully recovered from the ankle injury that kept him out of Jacksonville’s lineup earlier this month, which is a good thing for the Golden Eagles and a bad thing for their future opponents.
The sophomore guard scored 19 points and collected three steals as the Golden Eagles took down Anniston 66-52, making a statement in 4A basketball, solidifying their supremacy in Calhoun County and all but locking up the No. 1 seed in next month’s upcoming county tournament.
“We didn’t play a great game, but it was a good night,” Jacksonville coach Tres Buzan said. “Had some highlights and some low lights.
“It’s always good to get a win at Anniston – against Anniston at Anniston, that’s not an easy place to get a win – so overall a good night. More than the county tournament, Anniston is an opponent in 4A and we always want to show up in our classification and show that we’re going to be a strong team and a tough out no matter who we see in the playoffs. I was glad to get the win at Anniston, a 4A opponent.”
Barskdale, making his second and most effective start since returning from the injury, was one of four Jacksonville players scoring in double figures. Caden Johnson, who recently went over the 1,000-point plateau, was a physical presence with 16 points and 12 rebounds. John Broom had 13 points and nine boards. And Cam Johnson had 10 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
“He started the Heflin game the other night, but really didn’t play that many minutes,” Buzan said of Barksdale. “Tonight was his first time starting getting heavy minutes and he played great. He really shot the ball well and was a playmaker for us on offense, so he was definitely a highlight and it was good timing having him back.”
Javen Croft led Anniston with 14 points and 14 rebounds.
The Golden Eagles opened the game with a 21-17 lead in the first quarter and couldn’t lose the Bulldogs until closing it out with a 19-9 fourth quarter.
Statistically, the game was even. Both teams shot 40 percent from the floor, both made five 3-pointers, the rebounding margin was one. The difference would appear to be Jacksonville made four more buckets with their 11 more shots and were 9-of-16 from the free throw line compared to only 3-of-6 for the Bulldogs.
“I don’t know who it was early, but they hit maybe five corner 3s on the first half on us and I was like, my goodness, what the heck,” Buzan said. “When things were going smooth offensively for us we did a good job of driving and being relentless on the glass and getting fouled. That’s definitely a big different when we could get to the foul line and hit some big shots. That’s kind of where Caden stood out to me.”
JACKSONVILLE (10-2) – Devin Barksdale 7-13 2-2 19, Caden Johnson 6-12 4-6 16, John Broom 6-19 1-3 13, Cam Johnson 5-10 0-1 10, Kydric Fisher 1-1 0-0 3, Jaleik Long 1-2 0-0 3, Ethan Duke 0-7 1-2 1, Dee Prothro 0-0 1-2 1, Jaquan Ervin 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-64 9-16 66.
ANNISTON (8-3) – Javen Croft 7-10 0-0 14, Kyron Brown 3-8 0-1 8, Delroy Francis 3-7 1-1 7, Jacory Lane 3-5 0-0 7, Jayden Lewis 1-4 2-4 4, Devin Coleman 2-9 0-0 4, Malik Bailey 1-5 0-0 3, Jace Roberson 1-3 0-0 3, Isaiah Allen 1-1 0-0 2, Hezekiah Harris 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-53 3-6 52.
Jacksonville 21 13 13 19 – 66
Anniston 17 12 14 9 – 52
3-point goals: Jacksonville 5-17 (Barksdale 3-5, Cd. Johnson 0-1, Broom 0-4, Cm. Johnson 0-3, Fisher 1-1, Long 1-1, Duke 0-2); Anniston 5-21 (Brown 2-6, Francis 0-3, Lane 1-3, Coleman 0-2, Bailey 1-4, Roberson 1-3). Rebounds: Jacksonville 41 (Cd. Johnson 12, Broom 9, Cm. Johnson 7); Anniston 40 (Croft 14, Lewis 6, Coleman 6). Fouled out: Lewis. Total fouls: Jacksonville 13, Anniston 10.
Gaston Christmas Tournament
GASTON – Alex Odam scored 19 points and was among three Piedmont scorers in double figures as the Bulldogs routed Appalachian 64-44 to win the Gaston Christmas Tournament championship.
Rollie Pinto continued to impress with 14 points and Ish Bethel had 12. Pinto scored seven in the first quarter to help the Bulldogs forge a 12-6 lead. They took control of the game with a 25-point third quarter.
They did not name an MVP for the tournament, but Odam averaged 25 points in the Bulldogs’ three tournament games.
PIEDMONT – Alex Odam 7 4-4 19, Rollie Pinto 6 1-1 14, Ish Bethel 4 3-8 12, Colten Proctor 0 0-0 0, Luke Rhinehart 0 0-0 0, Jake Rhinehart 0 0-0 0, Trevor Pike 0 0-0 0, Chance Murphy 3 2-3 8, Rhett Alford 1 0-0 2, Cole Wilson 3 0-0 8, Dontavious Jordan 0 1-2 1. Totals 24 11-18 64.
APPALACHIAN – Caleb Conn 0 0-0 0, Cole Patterson 0 0-0 0, Jackson Woodard 2 0-1 5, Abraham Mena 5 0-0 11, Braden Gilliland 0 0-0 0, Caydon Whittington 1 0-0 3, Cameron Vick 4 1-2 9, Connor Green 4 0-0 11, Shawn Prestidge 0 0-0 0, Andrew Cooper 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 1-3 44.
Piedmont 12 16 25 11 – 64
Appalachian 6 18 11 9 – 44
3-point goals: Piedmont 5 (Odam, Pinto, Bethel, Wilson 2); Appalachian 7 (Woodard, Mena, Whittington, Martin, Green 3). Total fouls: Piedmont 9, Appalachian 15. Officials: Oden, Dupree, Prociuk.
Valley Head Invitational
PLEASANT VALLEY 52, ASBURY 49: The short-handed Raiders had been holding their own in the first two games of the tournament with no positive return, but they put it together in their getaway game and won in overtime.
“We’ve had leads or been within striking distance of winning both (previous) games,” PV coach Brad Hood said. “Same thing today. We just happened to make more plays at the end than the other team.”
The Raiders saved their press for the second half when, Hood said, “we had legs to finish” and used their defensive pressure to shut down the Rams in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Kyle Smith (16) Jesse Gannaway (15) and Hunter Sparks (14) all scored in double figures for the Raiders. Smith and Sparks, their only two available reserves, produced their points off the bench. Sparks had four in overtime. In the three games of the tournament, they have combined to average nearly 27 points off the bench.
PLEASANT VALLEY – Jaden Sparks 1 0-0 2, Jesse Gannaway 6 0-1 15, Hunter Sparks 6 2-3 14, Bryce Freeman 0 1-2 1, Kolby Battles 2 0-0 4, Braxton Williams 0 0-2 0, Kyle Smith 6 1-2 16. Totals 21 4-10 52.
ASBURY – Jayven McCoy 2 0-0 4, Lucas Wyatt 1 0-0 2, Haden Morton 2 1-3 5, Evan Seay 4 0-0 8, Jaxson Childress 3 2-4 8, Caleb Gentry 7 1-2 20, Isaiah Black 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 4-9 49.
Pleasant Valley 16 8 8 13 7 – 52
Asbury 19 6 11 9 4 – 49
3-point goals: Pleasant Valley 6 (Gannaway 3, Smith 3); Asbury 5 (Gentry 5). Technical fouls: Morton 2. Fouled out: Morton. Total fouls: Pleasant Valley 14, Asbury 15.
Regular season
ALEXANDRIA 54, SOUTHSIDE 50: Alexandria’s Kory Cargal and Cleat Forrest came up big on the free throw line in the fourth quarter to keep the Panthers at arm’s length to get another area victory. The Valley Cubs were 14-of-17 from the line in the fourth quarter with Cargal going 6-for-7 and Forrest going 5-for-6.
Cargal led the Valley Cubs with 16 points. Forrest had 10. Drake Davis (12) and Evan Snow (10) also were in double figures for Alexandria. Cargal was 10-of-13 from the line in the game, Forrest 8-of-10. The Valley Cubs were 22-of-31 as a team.
The Panthers got three quick 3s from Cayden McMichael and Brenton Heath to cut into an eight-point Alexandria lead, but the Valley Cubs’ march to the free throw line kept them from getting any closer.
“We’ve shot the free throws OK (this year),” Valley Cubs coach Will Ginn said. “They were clutch ones tonight; that’s what I was proud of. They made them with the pressure on; that shows a little mental toughness.”
ALEXANDRIA – Drake Davis 5 0-2 12, Evan Snow 3 2-2 10, Antonio Ross 1 1-2 3, T.K. Downie 1 1-2 3, Kory Cargal 3 10-13 16, Cleat Forrest 1 8-10 10. Totals 14 22-31 54.
SOUTHSIDE – Reid Robinson 1 0-0 3, Cayden McMichael 4 0-1 10, Brenton Heath 5 0-0 14, Tanner Robinson 0 0-0 0, Gauge NeSmith 2 3-3 7, Timothy Motes 0 1-2 1, Parker Gross 3 0-1 8, William Shirley 3 1-2 7. Totals 18 5-9 50.
Alexandria 7 10 16 21 – 54
Southside 13 6 13 18 – 50
3-point goals: Alexandria 4 (Davis 2, Snow 2); Southside 9 (Robinson, McMichael 2, Heath 4, Gross 2). Fouled out: Robinson. Total fouls: Alexandria 15, Southside 22.
JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN 72, COOSA CHRISTIAN 46: Tyler Doggrell scored 21 points, Ethan Fair had 18 and eight others hit the scoring column for the Thunder (9-3). Doggrell recorded six steals and Fair had six rebounds and five assists. Cam Moses and Cooper Bates had eight points apiece and Noah Lee led the board work with seven rebounds.
GIRLS GAMES
Cherokee County 75, Cleburne County 18
Jacksonville Christian 62, Coosa Christian 31
Southside 75, Alexandria 53
Wadley 51, Randolph County 21
Gaston Christmas Tournament
Piedmont 54, Southeastern 33
Gaston Christmas Tournament
PIEDMONT 54, SOUTHEASTERN 33: Ava Pope hit six 3-pointers, scored 29 points and led the Lady Bulldogs to victory in the third-place game of the Gaston Christmas Tournament.
Pope, who has 27 3-pointers in 11 games this season (more than half the team total), was 6-of-8 from behind the arc and 10-of-15 overall for the game. She hit five treys in the first half to help the Lady Bulldogs open a 20-point halftime lead.
“Oh, she came out ready today,” Piedmont coach Terrace Ridley said.
PIEDMONT – Armoni Perry 0 0-0 0, Ava Pope 10 3-4 29, Josie Young 1 0-0 3, Rylie Anne Holbrooks 0 0-0 0, Jaycee Glover 1 0-1 2, Lele Ridley 4 1-2 9, Cayla Brothers 2 1-4 5, Melanie Studdard 1 0-0 2, Jenna Duke 0 0-0 0, Carson Young 0 0-0 0, Gracie Naugher 1 2-2 4, Morgan Studdard 0 0-0 0, Hannah Kate Barber 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 7-13 54.
SOUTHEASTERN – Alyssa Graham 0 0-0 0, Alyssa Freeman 2 7-13 11, Mary Hall 2 0-0 5, Dallas Moon 0 0-0 0, Bella Kelley 0 0-6 0, Ansley Spitzer 1 0-0 3, Melanie Garcia 0 1-2 1, Sydni Carpenter 2 2-2 6, Callie Sparkman 3 0-0 7, Sophia Wortham 0 0-0 0, Emmie Fortenberry 0 0-0 0. Totals 10 10-23 33.
Piedmont 19 15 10 10 – 54
Southeastern 5 9 9 10 – 33
3-point goals: Piedmont 7 (Pope 6, J. Young); Southeastern 3 (Hall, Spitzer, Sparkman). Total fouls: Piedmont 15, Southeastern 14.
Regular season
JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN 62, COOSA CHRISTIAN 31: The Lady Thunder closed out acting coach Cindy Fair’s run in impressive fashion, placing three scorers in double figures and jumping to a 22-1 lead in the first quarter.
Fair has been serving as head coach while Katy Bryant was on maternity leave for the birth of her son Kase. Fair guided the Lady Thunder to an 8-4 record during her second stint as acting head coach.
Rebekah Carter had a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Erin Prater hit four 3-pointers and had a game-high 18 points. Kara Grace came within one rebound of a double-double with 15 points and nine boards.
Bryant is expected back after Christmas and return to the bench in the JCA Holiday Classic next week, with Fair returning to her regular role as assistant knowing she has done all she could to help the program move forward.
“I could not be more proud nor thankful for this group of unselfish girls,” Fair said. “I have really loved watching them grow in both grit and unity. They have played unintimidated for me and they have done everything I have asked of them with great effort and attitude – even when it required more running. Every game they have listened and executed what I, coach Prater and coach Cupp have asked them to do.
“These girls know the dedication and love that coach Bryant has for them and are excited about getting her back at practices and calling the shots. I am thankful she will passionately lead this true team best in completing a season they will proud of for years to come and I will be right here believing in them and cheering them on every step of the way.”
COOSA – Ra’nyiah Dupree 3 0-0 8, Katherine England 1 0-0 2, Mya Ellen 1 0-0 2, A.J. Holman 1 4-5 7, Bella O’Bryant 1 0-0 2, Caitlin Cates 3 0-0 8, Natalie Delp 1 0-0 2. Totals 11 4-5 31.
JCA (8-4) – Kate Beth Hudson 1 1-2 3, Addy Lee 1 0-0 2, Rebekah Carter 3 6-11 12, Erin Prater 4 6-9 18, Kara Grace 5 4-10 15, Kirsten Walker 2 0-0 4, Riley Sanders 1 0-3 2. Payten Walker 3 0-2 6. Totals 20 17-37 52.
Coosa 1 13 12 5 – 31
JCA 22 14 20 6 – 62
3-point goals: Coosa 5 (Dupree 2, Holman, Cates 2); JCA 5 (Prater 4, Grace). Rebounds: JCA 43 (Carter 14, Grace 9). Fouled out: Cates. Total fouls: Coosa 24, JCA 10. Officials: Pratt, Hollingsworth, McGraw.
SOUTHSIDE 75, ALEXANDRIA 53: The Lady Panthers grabbed the early upper hand in their three-team area behind Madison Shaw’s 24 points and Graceanne Rose’s 20. Jordyn Walker led Alexandria with 20.
Shaw got Southside off to a quick start with nine points in a 21-7 first quarter. Rose had 10 points in the first half and 10 more in the fourth quarter.
ALEXANDRIA – Jordyn Walker 7 4-5 20, Kirsten Heathcock 0 0-0 0, Jill Cockrell 2 2-2 7, Cassidy Hartsfield 3 0-0 8, Charlee Parris 1 4-6 6, Kailey Dickerson 0 2-2 2, Sumira Duncan 0 0-0 0, Makayla Brewster 1 0-0 2, Alyssa Hunt 3 0-2 8. Totals 17 12-17 53.
SOUTHSIDE – Lexi Darnell 0 2-2 2, Emma Knowlton 1 0-0 2, S.K. Yancey 3 0-0 7, Mallory Brooks 1 1-2 3, Laylah Davis 2 3-4 8, El Knowlton 1 3-4 6, Graceanne Rose 8 4-6 20, Leah Lewis 0 1-2 1, Madison Shaw 10 0-0 24, Rylann Shaw 1 0-0 2. Totals 27 14-20 75.
Alexandria 7 13 10 23 – 53
Southside 21 8 19 27 – 75
3-point goals: Alexandria 7 (Walker 2, Cockrell, Hartsfield 2, Hunt 2); Southside 7 (Yancey, El. Knowlton, Davis, M. Shaw 4). Fouled out: Heathcock, Duncan. Total fouls: Alexandria 18, Southside 18. Officials: Graves, Ingram, Thomas.
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