‘Revenge’
- Updated: January 5, 2024
Faith Christian’s boys, Pleasant Valley’s girls get their measure while splitting doubleheader ahead of next week’s key area games.
Friday’s scoreboard
BOYS
Alexandria 56, White Plains 51, OT
Faith Christian 63, Pleasant Valley 43
Weaver 71, Saks 49
Piedmont 67, Cedar Bluff 27
Southside 70, Lincoln 55
Glencoe 62, Ohatchee 26
Handley 51, Central-Clay 42
GIRLS
Pleasant Valley 42, Faith Christian 40
Alexandria 58. White Plains 45
Cedar Bluff 54, Piedmont 47
Southside 89, Lincoln 26
Glencoe 55, Ohatchee 28
Handley 44, Central-Clay 34
By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today
ANNISTON — Faith Christian and Pleasant Valley have big weeks ahead next week, and they came into their game at Faith on Friday looking for something to take into those important games.
Faith got a little something extra.
“We came into it just wanting to get revenge, because they beat us,” Faith’s Carson Harris said. “We feel like we’re a better team, and we proved it tonight.”
Harris led three Lions in double figures with 12 points, and they beat the Raiders 63-43 in a rematch of their Nov. 28 game at Pleasant Valley.
The Raiders won the first matchup 59-55, but Faith’s improvement since the start of the season showed through to give Faith a split of the boy-girl doubleheader. Pleasant Valley’s girls won 42-40 to avenge a 48-43 loss on Nov. 28.
For Faith’s boys, the victory comes on the heels of a strong showing in the Heflin Holiday Hoops Classic. The Lions went 2-1 in Heflin, their lone loss in overtime against eventual champion Central-Clay.
Faith lost to Westbrook Christian on Thursday but got back on track Friday.
“Great stuff,” Faith coach Cory Hughes said. “I love the way we played together. I love our effort. I love the attention to details that we’re giving to the game.
“All but that six-minute stint in the third quarter was A-plus.”
Faith led 41-21 at halftime but went scoreless the first six minutes of the third quarter. Pleasant Valley closed within 41-26 but couldn’t come closer.
Besides Harris, Faith got 11 points from Parker Robertson, 10 from Colton Reese, nine from Eli Robinson and eight from Conner RIcherzhagen.
Pleasant Valley, coming off of its first win ever against Cedar Bluff on Thursday, got 10 points apiece from Braxton Salster and Jaden Sparks and nine on three 3-pointers from Noah Johnson.
“I think both teams played equally hard, but it’s just that they made shots,” Pleasant Valley coach Brad Hood said. “That’s the difference in having four seniors on the floor versus two freshmen and two sophomores most of the time.
“It was a good game to help us get ready. Like I told them, if we’ll fight with them for four quarters, it’s going to make us better for next week.”
Pleasant Valley plays Class 2A, Area 9 games at Woodland on Tuesday and at Ranburne on Dec. 12.
Faith has Class 1A, Area 8 games at Donoho on Monday, Wadley at home on Tuesday and at Winterboro on Thursday before opening the Calhoun County tournament against Jacksonville Christian on Saturday.
“I’m glad we’ve got a lot of forward momentum,” Hughes said. “We need it right now.”
Girls
PLEASANT VALLEY 42, FAITH CHRISTIAN 40: Laney Robinson hit one of two free throws with 1:06 left, and Sarah Freeman hit one of two at 45.5 seconds to break the 40-40 tie.
Pleasant Valley held on for three Faith possessions down the stretch. Anna Kate Robertson hit back iron on a three at the buzzer.
“It really shouldn’t have ever come down to that,” Pleasant Valley coach Blake Muncher said. “We were up 10 to 12 the whole game,
“It’s a young team, and fourth quarters? We’ve been in every game just about but three the whole year. We’ve lost a lot of three- and four-point ballgames because of that same thing. We press when they pressure with the internal clock going in their mind, and we freak out. As a young team, we’ve got to learn how to calm down in those situations.”
Alexa Cranmer led Pleasant Valley with 20 points, three steals and three blocks. Robinson had seven points, five steals and four blocks.
Robertson finished with a game-high 24 points, and Kayson Cronan had eight.
“At the end of the day, we wanted to put ourselves in the position to be able to compete in the fourth quarter,” Faith coach LaRay Williams said. “I feel like my girls did that.
“We had opportunities at the end. We just fell short.”
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