Beach on the brain
- Updated: February 4, 2023
White Plains’ boys end regular season with victory at Faith Christian to reach 8-2 since season-turning trip to the beach; Welsh family leads Spring Garden over Donoho, and more
FRIDAY’S BOYS GAMES
Alexandria 62, Saks 42
Fayetteville 57, Talladega Co. Central 49
Glencoe 60, Southside 59
Jacksonville 82, Oxford 44
Jacksonville Christian 86, Valley Head 58
Piedmont 81, Westbrook 48
Ohatchee 70, Ragland 67
Sand Rock 57, Cedar Bluff 40
Spring Garden 70, Donoho 49
White Plains 56, Faith Christian 48
By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today
Chris Randall could be forgiven for talking about beach trips to Florida on a cold February night, but this was no rather-be-there meandering for the veteran White Plains coach.
That Dec. 27-30 tournament has a lot to do with the Wildcats’ stride heading into area-tournament play next week.
Stride on White Plains did Friday, absorbing Faith Christian’s senior-night best for a 56-48 victory to round out the regular season.
Faith Christian eyes Tuesday’s Class 1A, Area 8 tourney game against Donoho at Winterboro.
Having won eight of its last 10 games, White Plains will face Cherokee County in the 4A, Area 10 tourney at Jacksonville on Thursday. The Wildcats’ recent roll includes a home victory over Cherokee County.
Randall points to White Plains’ trip to Sandestin.
“I don’t think we’ve had a bad night since we got back from Florida,” Randall said. “We lost two games, but we’ve played hard. We’ve been connected.
“We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing.”
The seminal moment saw White Plains fall behind 27-5 to Whitewater (Ga.), a school with 2,500 kids. The Wildcats rallied and took the lead in the final minute.
A block/charge call with four seconds left decided it.
“I just remember Josh Wheeler taking a charge at the very end, and ref getting it wrong,” White Plains senior Luke Bussey said. “We would’ve won, but everybody was pitching in to make plays. Everybody was making the extra pass.
“We really played like a team. It looked good.”
Seeing the positives from that game in Florida didn’t happen immediately for Randall. It took White Plains assistant coach Bradley Dawson talking him off of the proverbial ledge.
“I’m ready to jump off the roof of the Hilton, and Bradley’s saying, ‘That’s the best thing that could’ve happened to us,’” Randall said. “It just glued us. I think it galvanized us.
“It changed our season. It showed our guys what we can do if we played together and grew up and got a lot tougher as a team.”
It showed Friday, with a big answer to Faith Christian’s first-quarter challenge.
Playing would could be the final home game for seniors Thomas Curlee, Yashau Arevalo, Tyler Bell, Colton Eubanks and Carson Limbaugh, Faith got out to a 17-15 lead by the end of the first quarter.
White Plains outscored Faith 16-6 in the second quarter and pushed out to as much as a 17-point lead in the third.
“We knew it was going to be a fist fight,” Randall said. “They’re good, and they’ve got so much pride. …
“I thought we did a good job at the end of the second quarter. Our shot selection got better. It was really good the second quarter and into the third.”
Randall pulled Bussey and Z.J. Rosario with a seemingly comfortable lead in the fourth quarter but wound up reinserting them, after Faith cut the lead to 54-45.
Faith, a 2022 Northeast Regional team looking to regain swagger after losses to Jacksonville Christian and Spring Garden earlier this week, pushed on. With the Lions down nine, Faith coach Cory Hughes called a timeout with 20.2 seconds.
The point?
It’s all about next week.
“A hundred percent,” Hughes said. “That’s what this whole game was about, next week.
“We know White Plains is a really good 4A team. We want to come in and hope they play their best against us and hope we play our best and just get better.”
The loss to JCA cost Faith the chance to play host to the area tournament. If the Lions defend their area title, they’ll have the chance to play a subregional game at home.
“We worked hard, and we gave them a really good game at the end,” Curlee said. “We want to take that energy into next week, and then maybe we’ll bring it back after next week.”
WHITE PLAINS – Dylan Barksdale 2 0-1 4, Paul Laube 1 4-6 6, Z.J. Rosario 3 2-2 8, Josh Wheeler 4 2-3 10, Daniel Williams 1 1-2 3, Luke Bussey 4 2-2 11, Carter Johnson 4 2-4 10. Totals 19 13-20 50.
FAITH CHRISTIAN – Conner Richerzhagen 3 0-0 8, Tyler Bell 1 0-0 2, Eli Robinson 5 0-0 10, Yashua Arevalo 2 2-2 6, Thomas Curlee 7 2-3 17, Parker Robertson 1 0-0 3. Totals 30 10-15 71.
| White Plains | 15 | 16 | 13 | 12 – | 56 |
| Faith Christian | 17 | 6 | 10 | 15 – | 48 |
3-point goals: White Plains 1 (Bussey), Faith Christian 3 (Richerzhagen 2, Curlee). Total fouls: White Plains 10, Faith Christian 20. Technical foul: Harris. Officials: Jarrett, Kelley, Braxton.
SPRING GARDEN 70, DONOHO 49: There have been Kirks, Welshes and Austins in the Spring Garden basketball program for as long as boys coach Levi Hatcher can remember. In the final regular-season game of the year, the Welsh family combined for 56 points to lead the Panthers to their fifth straight victory.
Jake Welsh was the most active, scoring a game-high 30 points and grabbing six rebounds. Twin brother John had 16 points and 11 rebounds. And cousin Cam had 10 points behind three 3-pointers.
“I haven’t been around the program a lot, but there’s not been a year go by where there wasn’t one or two or five of them,” Hatcher said. “All three of them are kind of like our driving forces. We’ve got other players who have their roles and do their things to keep the team going, but John has a high motor, offensive, defensive end he’s constantly laying it out on the line.
“Usually he’s the one giving us a lot of buckets on the offensive side, but today he did a great job on defense, rebounding, altering shots. I thought Jake was probably the most aggressive I’ve seen him all year and it’s coming at the right time. We talk about him all the time being a dominant presence, just commanding your space, and he finally did and you can tell by the results what happens.”
Jake got right to it. He scored Spring Garden’s first nine points and had 11 in the first quarter. What he didn’t get, John got on a couple 3s, and then Cam opened the second quarter with the Panthers’ first six points.
Jake is averaging 19.0 points during the five-game winning streak.
The Panthers led by seven early in the third quarter, then pulled away with a 19-2 run the rest of the way to carry a 24-point lead into the fourth.
“Last night we played Handley and … we ended up pulling that one out, so we had a bunch of confidence going into it,” Hatcher said. “I told them this can’t be one where you had an emotional game the night before and then you have a letdown.
“I think we came out a little bit flat on the defensive side, so we just addressed some defensive rotations that needed to take place, a few miscues, and they came out and executed much better the third quarter on the defensive end.” – Al Muskewitz
DONOHO – Jordan Cameron 3 0-0 7, Jack Wallace 0 0-0 0, Isiah Smith 0 0-0 0, Rich Goad 4 0-0 10, Drew Williamson 10 3-4 23, Sean Keel 0 0-0 0, Sam Johnson 3 0-0 6, Hayes Ferrell 0 0-0 0, Bruce Downey 1 0-0 3, James Beckwith 0 0-0 0, Cash Worley 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 3-4 49.
SPRING GARDEN – John Welsh 6 4-6 16, Noah Barber 0 0-0 0, Braxton Haney 1 0-0 2, Jon Marq Rogers 3 1-2 8, Connor Bates 1 0-0 2, Chapel Pope 1 0-0 2, Cam Welsh 3 1-2 10, Jake Welsh 10 10-12 30. Totals 25 16-22 70.
| Donoho | 14 | 13 | 4 | 18 – | 49 |
| Spring Garden | 17 | 17 | 21 | 15 – | 70 |
3-point goals: Donoho 4 (Cameron, Goad 2, Downey); Spring Garden 4 (Rogers, C. Welsh 3). Technical fouls: Donoho (scorebook violation). Total fouls: Donoho 13, Spring Garden 10. Officials: Burroughs, Hanson, Winn.
ALEXANDRIA 62, SAKS 42: Alexandria hit more 3-pointers (12) than two-point field goals (nine) and got out to a 24-7 lead through the first quarter, 39-15 at haftime.
Jaylen Henderson hit a team-high five threes and led the Valley Cubs with 19 points. Drake Davis hit four threes and finished with 14 points.
Cristian Smith paced Saks with 11 points.
Alexandria awaits the Southside-Lincoln winner in Thursday’s Class 5A, Area 12 championship game. Saks will play Weaver in the 3A, Area 11 tourney on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Piedmont.
ALEXANDRIA – Drake Davis 4 2-2 14, Evan Snow 2 1-2 7, Antonio Ross 2 0-0 4, T.K. Downie 3 2-2 9, Jaylen Henderson 7 0-0 19, Kory Cargal 2 0-0 4, Quendavion McDowell 2 1-3 5. Totals 21 6-9 62.
SAKS – Jakari Streeter 3 1-1 6, Cristian Smith 5 0-2 11, Jayveonne Weeks 1 0-0 2, Anthony Bothwell 2 3-4 7, Tae Elston 2 0-0 5, Dee Elston 3 1-2 7, Keondre Johnson 2 0-0 4. Totals 21 5-9 42.
| Alexandria | 24 | 15 | 8 | 15 – | 62 |
| Saks | 7 | 8 | 13 | 14 – | 42 |
3-point goals: Alexandria 12 (Davis 4, Snow 2, Downie 1, Henderson 5); Saks 3 (Streeter, Smith. T.Elston). Total fouls: Alexandria 11, Saks 14. Officials: Tillery, Montgomery, Macon.
GLENCOE 60, SOUTHSIDE 59, OT: Braylen Smith’s free throw with 15 seconds left in overtime stood up as the difference as Glencoe finished the regular season 14-12.
The reigning Etowah County champions turn their attention to next week’s Class 3A, Area 12 tournament. The Yellow Jackets will Westbrook Christian on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Garrett Morgan led four Glencoe players in double figures with 18 points Friday. Wade Segrest added 16, Aiden Cornutt 14 and Andrew Greene 10.
Cornutt’s 3-pointer at the end of regulation forced overtime, and the Yellow Jackets went on to celebrate senior night for Greene and Nolan Fairley in style.
Cayden McMichael led Southside with 21 points, and William Shirley added 17.
PIEDMONT 81, WESTBROOK CHRISTIAN 48: Rollie Pinto tied Cole Wilson with a team-high three 3-pointers and led Piedmont with 21 points. Wilson scored 12 points.
Alex Odam added 19 points and Ishmael Bethel 15 for the Bulldogs (21-5), who play host to Wellborn in Tuesday’s Class 3A, Area 11 tourney opener.
WESTBROOK CHRISTIAN – Cameron White 1 2-2 4, Steven Barns 3 0-0 9, Cooper Greer 2 0-1 4, Jack Gilchrist 4 0-0 9, Keaton Bean 2 0-0 6, Nolan Terrell 3 2-2 9, Brady Carden 1 0-0 3, Cameron Carden 0 1-2 1, Isaac Armstrong 1 0-0 3. Totals 17 5-7 48.
PIEDMONT – Alex Odam 9 0-0 18, Rollie Pinto 8 2-3 21, Ishmael Bethel 7 0-0 15, Jake Rhinehart 1 0-0 3, Chance Murphy 2 2-3 6, Rhett Alford 2 2-2 6, Cole Wilson 4 1-2 12. Totals 33 7-10 81.
| Westbrook Christian | 15 | 11 | 18 | 4 – | 48 |
| Piedmont | 23 | 19 | 31 | 8 – | 81 |
3-point goals: Westbrook Christian 9 (Barnes 3, Bean 2, Gilchrist, Terrell, B. Carden, Armstrong); Piedmont 8 (Pinto 3, Wilson 3, Bethel, Rhinehart). Total fouls: Westbrook Christian 14, Piedmont 6. Officials: Mallicoat, Batey, Warren.
OHATCHEE 70, RAGLAND 67: Jake Roberson hit four 3-pointers en route to 22 points to lead Ohatchee.
Kelbe Crook added 14 points and Jesse Baswell 12. Baswell hit two threes.
Ohatchee will play Hokes Bluff in the Class 3A, Area 12 tournament on Tuesday.
RAGLAND – Brayden Collins 7 0-0 7, Jordan Turner 11 1-4 28, Tacorion Soles 4 0-0 8, Ezra Hill 5 0-0 15, Taevon Williams 0 0-0 0, Xavier Forman 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 1-4 67.
OHATCHEE – Jacob Roberts 4 1-2 9, Jesse Baswell 5 0-2 12, Colby Hester 2 4-6 9, Jake Roberson 7 4-5 22, Luke Vinson 2 0-0 4, Kelbe Crook 6 2-3 14. Totals 26 11-18 70.
| Ragland | 11 | 22 | 18 | 15 – | 67 |
| Ohatchee | 13 | 20 | 21 | 16 – | 70 |
3-point goals: Ragland 9 (Hill 5, Turner 3, Collins); Ohatchee 7 (Roberson 4, Baswell 2, Hester). Total fouls: Ragland 18, Ohatchee 9. Fouled out: Soles. Officials: Royster, McCord, Dyar.
JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN 86, VALLEY HEAD 58: Ethan Fair and Braxton Brown scored 27 points apiece to lead the Thunder (17-8). Fair also grabbed nine rebounds, dished five assists and collected seven steals. Cam Moses had 11 points and Tyler Doggrell had eight rebounds.
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