E.A. Sports Today

WP girls win tournament

Wildcats win two close games to claim title

BONUS COVERAGE: Check later to read about Faith coach Bradley Dawson’s long Black Friday

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

The girls on the White Plains basketball team know if they don’t play defense and rebound they’re not going to get many minutes in coach Michael Merriman’s lineup.

The Wildcats won the girls side of the Daniel Davenport Memorial Tournament Friday with two close wins that both were sealed by big defensive plays.

They beat Pleasant Valley in their tournament opener 40-38 when Rian Chandler made a steal with six seconds left. They clinched the title with a 49-46 win over girls host Faith Christian that was secured when Landry Bussey blocked Madison Stephens’ potential game-tying 3-pointer with fewer than five seconds to play.

In both games the Wildcats had double digits leads but needed to hang on. They led by 12 going into the fourth quarter of their first game and 10 going into the fourth quarter of their second.

“That says a couple things,” Merriman said. “It says, one, we still find a way to win, so that’s a good thing. But it’s a bad thing, too, because the reason it got that close is we put some of our younger girls in to get them minutes and see how they would react and they didn’t react very well.

“We’re going to have to get them more minutes and get them up to speed a little bit quicker. they’re just going to have to learn quicker. We’ve got two girls who are veterans who are injured and they’re just going to have to play those minutes. It was encouraging to see (them win close games), but it was also discouraging to see the other.”

Amber Greenwood and Hannah Barno combined for 23 points in the first half as the Wildcats opened a 33-22 lead on Faith Christian. Greenwood led three White Plains scorers in double figures with 17 points. Barno had 13 points and eight rebounds. Shelby Wood had 11 points and four assists. Bussey had four points and six rebounds to go with her big block.

Faith’s Stephens led all scorers in the game with 18 points.

Greenwood was the only scorer in double figures in the win over Pleasant Valley. She had 13 points. Mary Clare Young had seven rebounds. Wood had four rebounds and five assists.

Pleasant Valley defeated Faith Christian in the tournament opener 52-34. The Raiders opened a 33-17 halftime lead and coasted. Atleigh Brannon hit three 3-pointers on the way to a team-high 14 points and Mikala Simpson had 12. Stephens led all scorers with 18 points.

Daniel Davenport Memorial Tournament
Girls Bracket

at Faith Christian

Pleasant Valley 52, Faith Christian 34

PLEASANT VALLEY (3-2) — Kara Perry 1 2-2 4, Tiffany Williams 3 0-0 6, McKinley Parris 2 0-0 5, Atleigh Brannon 5 1-2 14, Kaylee Lawler 0 0-2 0, Kaitlyn Strickland 0 1-2 1, Kendall Johnson 2 0-2 4, Emily Cochran 1 0-2 2, Mikala Simpson 3 6-10 12, Baily Scott 2 0-2 4, Courtney Upton 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 10-24 52.

FAITH CHRISTIAN (1-4) — Logan Boyd 1 1-2 3, Emily Sills 0 2-3 2, Madison Stephens 7 3-6 18, Elizabeth McCullough 1 0-0 2, Regan Crosby 0 0-0 0, Jaz Groce 4 1-3 9. Totals 13 7-14 34.

Pleasant Valley 11 22 14 5 — 52
Faith Christian 4 13 7 10 — 34

3-point goals: Pleasant Valley 3 (Parris, Brannon 3); Faith Christian 1 (Stephens). Total fouls: Pleasant Valley 17, Faith Christian 18. Fouled out: Groce.

White Plains 40, Pleasant Valley 38

WHITE PLAINS (3-1) — Rian Chandler 2 0-0 4, Hannah Barno 3 1-2 8, Korie Burgess 0 2-2 2, Chasity Nelson 0 0-0 0, Amber Greenwood 5 2-3 13, Grey Young 0 0-0 0, Shelby Wood 1 3-6 5, Landry Bussey 1 0-0 2, Mary Clare Young 0 0-0 0, Halaya Harmon 1 0-0 2, Jocelyn Harris 1 2-2 4. Totals 14 10-15 40.

PLEASANT VALLEY (3-3) — Kara Perry 4 0-0 8, Tiffany Williams 3 2-2 8, McKinley Parris 2 0-0 6, Atleigh Brannon 1 2-4 5, Kendall Johnson 0 3-4 3, Mikala Simpson 2 0-0 4, Baily Scott 1 0-2 2, Team 1 0-0 2. Totals 14 7-12 38.

White Plains 12 15 11 1 — 40
Pleasant Valley 10 11 5 11 — 38

3-point goals: White Plains 2 (Barno, Greenwood); Pleasant Valley 3 (Parris 2, Brannon). Technical fouls: Wood. Total fouls: White Plains 11, Pleasant Valley 19. Fouled out: Simpson, Scott.

White Plains 49, Faith Christian 46

FAITH CHRISTIAN (1-5) — Emily Sills 1 0-0 2, Madison Stephens 7 3-4 18, Montana Huie 1 1-1 3, Ragan Crosby 1 0-0 3, Elizabeth McCullough 1 0-0 3, Logan Boyd 4 0-0 10, Jaz Groce 3 0-3 6. Totals 18 4-8 46.

WHITE PLAINS (4-1) — Rian Chandler 0 0-0 0, Hannah Barno 5 1-2 13, Korie Burgess 1 0-0 2, Amber Greenwood 8 1-3 17, Grey Young 0 0-0 0, Shelby Wood 5 0-1 11, Landry Bussey 2 0-0 4, Mary Clare Young 1 0-0 2, Halaya Harmon 0 0-0 0, Jocelyn Harris 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 2-6 49.

Faith Christian 12 10 10 14 — 46
White Plains 22 11 9 7 — 49

3-point goals: Faith Christian 6 (Stephens, Crosby, McCullough, Boyd 3); White Plains 3 (Barno 2, Wood). Total fouls: Faith Christian 12, White Plains 9.

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