Big start

By EASportsToday.com
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Updated: December 1, 2023

Alexandria boys, girls make it 3-0 with victories over Ohatchee. First-year Ohatchee coaches see positives after playing four games in five days.

**Cover photo: Alexandria’s Quendavion McDowell goes up for two of his 14 points against Ohatchee on Friday. (Photo by Joe Medley)**

Friday scoreboard

BOYS
Alexandria 79, Ohatchee 23
Winterboro 59, Donoho 52
White Plains 60, Cleburne County 39
Wellborn 59, Jax Christian 54
Jacksonville 75, Faith Christian 39
Hokes Bluff 78, Saks 32
GIRLS
Alexandria 37, Ohatchee 33
White Plains 58, Cleburne County 43
Jacksonville 78, Faith Christian 28
Southside 53, Etowah 26
Jax Christian 51, Wellborn 46
Horseshoe Bend 57, Randolph County 34
Talladega 71, Lincoln 33
Sand Rock 87, Glencoe 34

By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today

ALEXANDRIA — The first full week of high school basketball season is no time to overreact, just a time to look for little signs.

A 3-0 start for Alexandria’s boys says one thing. Production from several players says another. Maybe, just maybe, the enthusiasm regulars showed for reserves Friday might be the best sign of all.

Jaylen Henderson led a balanced score sheet with 17 points, and the Valley Cubs downed visiting Ohatchee 79-23 in Larry R. Ginn Gymnasium.

Quendavion McDowell added 14 points, Cole Wheeler and Drake Davis nine apiece, Christopher Aquirre eight and Caleb Fields six points.

Freshman Evan White got in on the fun with two fourth-quarter 3-pointers, and eighth-grader Monqrea Morris made one. Eighth-grader Royce Trantham also got a four-quarter bucket.

The latter trio accounted for all 11 of Alexandria’s fourth-quarter points, and every bucket came with hoots and cheers from an all-standing bench.

Alexandria hit 10 3-pointers. It’s the latest sign of a healthy team off to a healthy start.
“I like them so far,” Alexandria coach Will Ginn. “They’ve worked hard. They’ve gotten themselves in good shape so they can play the style of ball we’re going to play.

“Some teams you have, you’re kind of beating your head against a wall. This team, they’re responsive to the coaching and teaching. When I say something, they take it to heart and try to do it. All of that means a lot.”

**First-year Ohatchee coach Kyle Wilson looks on during the Indians’ game at Alexandria on Friday. (Photo by Joe Medley)**

While Alexandria enjoyed a fun night after opening with victories of 30 points over Weaver and 21 over Glencoe, Ohatchee (2-3) played its fourth game in five days.

“It’s against probably the best team we’ve seen all year,” first-year Ohatchee coach Kyle Wilson said. “We’ve really been competing hard, and the guys have been playing hard. It just wasn’t our night.”

Jake Roberson led the Indians with eight points. Luke Vinson and Galen Lower added four apiece.

“Our guys are getting better every game,” Wilson said. “I don’t think the score was indicative of how we played. I thought we moved the ball really well on offense. We just went against a really good team in Alexandria. Offensively, they’re really good.”

**Alexandria’s Sumira Duncan goes for a loose ball as Ohatchee’s Kiana Garber pursues during their game Friday at Alexandria. (Photo by Joe Medley)**

Girls

ALEXANDRIA 37, OHATCHEE 33: It took a while for this game to get going. Alexandria (3-0) scored its first points at 1:18 of the first quarter and Ohatchee (2-3) at 6:34 of the second.

Once it got going, two defensive-minded teams dialed up a competitive game.

Charlee Parris led Alexandria with 13 points, and Sumira Duncan added nine as the Valley Cubs led from their first bucket on. They built leads of 10-2 and 26-18.

“We did not shoot the ball well,” Alexandria coach Craig Kiker said. “I thought we defended pretty well, but we didn’t score the ball very well. We didn’t move the ball well at times, and we didn’t finish.

“I thought we played hard. We just didn’t score. When you don’t score, and they make three threes in the fourth quarter, it’s a close game.”

Tabi Davidson and Kiana Garber led Ohatchee with 12 points apiece, and the Indians rallied every time Alexandria started to gain separation. Davidson, Mollee Barnes and Makayla Brackett each hit a 3-pointer as Ohatchee rallied in the fourth quarter.

Each time the Indians rallied, they had a possession with a chance to take the lead.

“Our shooting percentage wasn’t the best, but we’ve gotten better progressively,” first-year Ohatchee coach Aaron Jackson said. “We need to keep that trend going.”