Quen-tessential shooter
- Updated: December 16, 2014
Williams hits nine 3-pointers, scores 36 in Saks’ rout of Cleburne County
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
HEFLIN – Quen Williams just hit another long-range 3-pointer in the first quarter and all Saks coach Jonathan Miller could do was turn around, shake his head and smile as if to say there’s already been too many to believe.
Then Williams hit another one. And another.
The Wildcats’ gunner couldn’t have gotten off to a better start Tuesday night. He hit his first seven shots from the floor – six from beyond the arc – and scored 20 in the first quarter staking Saks to a big lead in an 86-44 rout of winless Cleburne County.
Williams finished with 36 points, tying Jacksonville’s Cam Horton for the single-game high in Calhoun County this season.
“I was just really feeling it,” he said. “I was confident in my shot and just kept shooting it.
“That was one of the best first quarters I’ve ever had. I just felt like I couldn’t miss tonight and was helping the team get a win. … I just caught fire out of nowhere.”
Well, not exactly nowhere. Williams spent all day watching tape of his favorite NBA shooting star, Stephen Curry. He usually does that the day of a game anyway, but there was just something about Tuesday’s viewing session that just resonated.
After his big first quarter, it was just a matter of how many points he – and the second-ranked Wildcats (6-1) – would score.
Williams’ nine 3-pointers were one fewer than he collected in Saks’ previous three games combined. When he didn’t hit a 3 he got fouled out there and — usually — made the three free throws. He had a 3 from the left corner late in the third quarter for 39 that went down and came out.
He had more points than the entire Tigers’ team through each of the first three quarters and didn’t play in the fourth.
“He’s a good shooter, obviously, but tonight’s the first night this year he’s really been feeling it,” Miller said. “He’s scored a lot of points for us, hit a lot of 3-point shots, but tonight I think he was just in a groove. He was feeling it. He was in a rhythm. That’s probably the first time all year that that’s happened and when he gets going he’s tough to stop.
“When he’s feeling it, he’s very dangerous. He’s dangerous when he’s not feeling it, but when he gets in a rhythm he’s tough to defend.”
The Wildcats got points from every player. They got 12 points from Darion Coleman and 10 from Makel Taylor. Jacob Lee led Cleburne County (0-7) with 16 points.
Cover photo: Saks guard Quen Williams (14) gets some separation from Cleburne County’s Jacob Lee.
Saks 86, Cleburne County 44
SAKS (6-1) – Makel Taylor 3 2-4 10, Darion Coleman 5 0-0 12, Devin Harris 3 0-0 4, Quin Smith 1 0-0 2, Jaylen Britt 2 0-0 5, Deviante Brooker 2 1-2 5, Monty Young 3 0-0 6, Quen Williams 10 7-8 36, Quay McCord 1 0-2 2, Demetrius Powell 2 0-2 14. Totals 32 10-18 86.
CLEBURNE COUNTY (0-7) – Noah Ware 2 0-3 4, Jacob Lee 4 8-10 16, Colton Austin 1 0-0 3, McCain Carlisle 2 0-0 4, Stashun Henson 3 0-1 7, Jeremiah Blake 1 2-5 4, Tyler Norton 0 2-4 2, Jacob Camp 0 0-0 0, Blake Pointer 1 0-0 2, John Robinson 0 2-2 2. Totals 14 14-25 44.
Saks 30 21 25 10 — 86
Cleburne Co. 11 11 12 10 — 44
3-point goals: Saks 12 (Williams 9, Coleman 2, Britt); Cleburne County 2 (Austin, Henson). Total fouls: Saks 19, Cleburne County 14.
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