Making it right
- Updated: December 30, 2022
JCA’s Fair makes up for bad game last time teams played, leads Thunder over Cedar Bluff for JCA Holiday Classic title
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Anniston 51, Bessemer City 28
Gaylesville Christmas Tournament
Girls
Pleasant Valley 58, Gaylesville 27
Hilburn/Patterson Invitational, Tallapoosa, Ga.
Girls
Piedmont 58, Rockmart 53
JCA Holiday Classic
Girls
Consolation: Jacksonville Christian 80, Wellborn 39
Championship: Cedar Bluff 42, Gaston 40
Boys
Consolation: Gaston vs. Wellborn
Championship: Jacksonville Christian 58, Cedar Bluff 42
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
JACKSONVILLE – The last time Ethan Fair played Cedar Bluff, three weeks ago, he didn’t play well and it bothered him for a long time.
He got the chance to face the Tigers again Friday and he was determined that wasn’t going to happen this time.
Fair, Jacksonville Christian’s senior shooter and grandson of Thunder coach Tommy Miller, nearly single-handedly outscored the Tigers this time. He went for 34 points, including seven 3-pointers and a three-shot free throw opportunity, in leading the Thunder to a 58-42 victory in the championship game of the JCA Holiday Classic.
“The last time we played them I had probably one of the worst games I’ve had, so coming in playing them again I didn’t want that to happen again,” Fair said. “I didn’t play up to my expectations (last time). That’s not the only game, but that’s one of the ones I really regretted after the game. I only wasn’t hitting shots, I just didn’t give enough effort as I should have that game.”
Fair established his point from the start. He hit four 3-pointers in the first quarter to help the Thunder (11-3) open an 18-7 lead. They continued to pour it on and led by 34 entering the fourth quarter before the Cedar Bluff starters pressed the JCA reserves to cut into the margin.
Fair had one more point than the Cedar Bluff team at halftime and had outscored the Tigers by 12 after three quarters. He also had four rebounds and three steals in the game.
“He played pretty good,” Miller said. “I wouldn’t say he played great, but he played pretty good. He did step it up a little from the last time. It was noticeable. He didn’t have a good game against them at all.”
Fair may have been the Thunder’s big scorer, but Miller called it “very much a team effort,” with contributions coming across the board.
Cooper Bates had six points and five rebounds, Tyler Doggrell had five rebounds, five assists and four steals. Eight of the 11 players who got in the game scored and grabbed at least one rebound. Seven recorded an assist.
“I was asked a while ago the difference between the two games and there were two and that’s simple – we played a lot better and they played a lot worse,” Miller said. “They didn’t play well and we did.
“We played with a little more energy, a little more intensity and we made shots. To get the lead I thought we played probably as good of team ball as we’ve played all year.”
That’s a winning formula in any game.
CEDAR BLUFF – Bucky Leek 3 0-0 6, Hunter Stallings 3 1-2 7, Aden Green 1 0-0 2, Kade Browning 1 0-0 2, Dylan Kinard 0 0-0 0, Dakota Langley 1 0-0 2, Eli McFry 1 0-0 3, M.J. Adams 1 1-2 3, Carter Dillingham 1 0-0 2, Austin Richardson 0 2-4 2, Caleb Tucker 3 3-4 9, Isaac Bishop 2 0-2 4. Totals 17 7-14 42.
JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN (11-3) – Ethan Fair 11 5-6 34, Tyler Doggrell 1 1-2 3, Braxton Brown 1 0-0 3, Noah Lee 1 0-0 2, Justin Crocker 0 0-0 0, Jordan Garner 2 0-2 4, Asher McNeal 0 0-0 0, Cam Moses 0 2-2 2, Elijah Martin 0 0-0 0, Cooper Bates 3 0-2 6, Hunter Brown 0 4-4 4. Totals 19 12-18 58.
Cedar Bluff 7 12 3 20 – 42
JCA 18 18 20 2 – 58
3-point goals: Cedar Bluff 1 (McFry); JCA 8 (Fair 7, B. Brown). Technical foul: Browning. Total fouls: Cedar Bluff 18, JCA 14. Officials: Burroughs, Merritt, Howell.
Girls Game
JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN 80, WELLBORN 39: Katie Beth Hudson had a breakout game with 13 points and 10 rebounds and three Lady Thunder hit 11 3-pointers in running past Wellborn in the girls consolation game.
Hudson was 5-of-9 from the field and was one of four JCA scorers in double figures.
“She has one of the best shots I’ve seen,” Lady Thunder coach Katy Bryant said. “She is starting to realize what she is capable of and has the potential to be one of our biggest assets. She has really worked hard this year and I’m looking forward to her keep coming on.”
Erin Prater led JCA with 21 points on the strength of five 3-pointers. Kirsten Walker hit four 3s and scored 12 points. Addy Lee hit their other two 3s and also scored 12.
Wellborn’s Anna Odom led all scorers with 26 points.
Cedar Bluff rallied from a double-digit deficit to beat Gaston for the girls championship.
WELLBORN – Anna Odom 10 6-12 26, Makayla Williams 3 0-0 6, TaNiya Traylor 0 0-0 0, Destiny Benefield 0 0-0 0, Immarieen Singleton 0 0-0 0, Libby Smith 1 1-2 3, Brooke Singleton 1 0-0 2, Makaiyah Amberson 0 0-0 0, Hanna Grubbs 0 0-0 0, Molly Junior 0 0-0 0, Maci Maxwell 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 7-14 26.
JCA – Katie Beth Hudson 5 3-6 13, Addy Lee 4 2-5 12, Rebekah Carter 4 1-4 9, Erin Prater 7 2-3 21, Kara Grace 0 5-6 5, Carlie Chesson 0 0-0 0, Kirsten Walker 4 0-2 12, Riley Sanders 0 0-1 0, Payten Walker 4 0-0 8. Totals 28 13-27 80.
Wellborn 9 12 12 6 – 39
JCA 14 24 27 15 – 80
3-point goals: JCA 11 (Lee 2, Prater 5, Walker 4). Rebounds: JCA 40 (Hudson 10, Grace 8). Total fouls: Wellborn 21, JCA 12.
Hilburn/Patterson Invitational
TALLAPOOSA, Ga. – Lele Ridley saved her best in the Haralson County tournament for last, scoring a game-high 25 points and leading the Piedmont girls to a 58-53 victory over Rockmart for its second win in three tournament games.
Ridley helped get the Lady Bulldogs off to a good start with eight points in the first quarter and helped them close it out with 13 in the fourth. Ava Pope hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 points.
PIEDMONT – Armoni Perry 2 0-0 4, Ava Pope 6 0-0 16, Josie Young 0 0-0 0, Rylie Ann Holbrooks 0 0-0 0, Jaycee Glover 2 0-0 4, Lele Ridley 8 5-6 25, Cayla Brothers 2 0-0 5, Melanie Studdard 1 0-0 2, Carson Young 1 0-0 2, Gracie Naugher 0 0-0 0, Morgan Studdard 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 5-6 58.
ROCKMART – Kaylee Huckaby 3 0-2 8, Sky Myers 8 2-5 20, Lauryn Clark 1 1-2 4, Zori Williams 2 2-3 6, Laiyla Clark 1 0-0 3, Lauren Marlow 0 0-0 0, Jacambria Alexander 2 0-0 4, Emma Hindman 4 0-1 8. Totals 21 5-13 53.
Piedmont 19 9 13 17 – 58
Rockmart 14 4 18 17 – 53
3-point goals: Piedmont 7 (Pope 4, Ridley 2, Brothers); Rockmart 6 (Huckaby 2, Myers 2, Lau. Clark, Lai. Clark). Total fouls: Piedmont 16, Rockmart 9.
Gaylesville Christmas Tournament
GAYLESVILLE – Macey Roper scored 11 of her game-high 23 points in the second quarter when Pleasant Valley took control of its 58-27 victory over Gaylesville in its getaway game in the Gaylesville Christmas Tournament.
Roper was 5-of-6 from the free throw line in the quarter as the Lady Raiders took their four-point first-quarter lead to 18 at halftime. Roper and Rebekah Gannaway both had eight in the third quarter as PV extended its lead more.
PLEASANT VALLEY – Macey Roper 8 5-6 23, Rebekah Gannaway 3 1-4 8, Kianna Hester 0 3-4 3, Laney Robinson 2 1-5 6, Lilly Robinson 2 0-0 6, Haylie Lee 2 0-0 5, Ella Kate Parris 0 2-6 2, Abby Parris 0 0-0 0, Alexa Cranmer 2 0-1 5. Totals 19 12-26 58.
GAYLESVILLE – Logan Goza 0 0-5 0, Gracie Dawson 0 4-7 4, Jayden Dobbins 0 0-0 0, Delaney Coker 3 0-1 8, Emma Givens 0 0-0 0, Shonda Epps 6 2-5 14, Sydney Smith 0 1-2 1. Totals 9 7-20 27.
Pleasant Valley 9 23 19 7 – 58
Gaylesville 5 9 8 5 – 27
3-point goals: Pleasant Valley 8 (Roper 2, Gannaway, La. Robinson, Li. Robinson 2, Lee, Cranmer); Gaylesville 2 (Coker 2). Fouled out: Coker, Givens, Cranmer. Total fouls: Pleasant Valley 19, Gaylesville 21. Officials: Stringer, Davis, Douthit.
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