E.A. Sports Today

Cardinals sharp in opener

First game after Christmas nets big win; updates with Talladega’s 13th

By East Alabama Sports Today

MONTGOMERY — There were no post-holiday blues hanging over the Sacred Heart basketball team Friday.

The second-ranked 1A Cardinals got off to a fast start and made easy work of Southside Selma 69-41 in an opening-round game of the Dwight Madison Classic

The Cardinals (9-7) jumped out to a 26-12 first-quarter lead behind 11 points from Diante Wood. They extended it to 42-24 at halftime behind 10 second-quarter points by D.J. Heath.

Wood finished with 20 points and 16 rebounds. Heath had 23 points, six rebounds and five assists. Kevion Nolan had 15 points and five assists.

“They played well as a team,” Cardinals coach Ralph Graves said.

The Cardinals play host No. 2 6A Carver-Montgomery Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Anniston drew a first-round bye and plays its first game in the tournament Saturday.

“They’re one of the top teams in the state,” Graves said of Carver “I’m glad we’re playing them.”

Talladega 64, Winterboro 56

TALLADEGA — The Tigers struggled some from the field but had enough balance to win their opener in the Talladega County Christmas Round Robin.

The Tigers (13-2) got scoring from a lot of places and needed it keep pace with Winterboro’s Jutorrius Cook. D’Angelo Scales had a team-high 13 points, while Josh Madden had 12, Jay Smoot 10 and Desmond Green seven points and 13 rebounds.
Cook led all scorers with 28 points, 17 in the first half.

Cherokee County 59, American Christian 38

ALBERTVILLE — The undefeated top-ranked Warriors (13-0) got 23 points from junior Joel Wester and 11 from freshman Tyren Dupree in winning their opener of the Albertville Civitan Tournament Friday.

Cherokee County will meet two-time defending tournament champion Albertville tonight at 8:30 p.m.

Talladega 64, Winterboro 56

TALLADEGA (13-2) — Morris Echols 1 0-0 2, D’Angelo Scales 5 1-2 13, Calvin Allen 1 1-2 4, Jay Smoot 4 1-2 10, Desmond Green 3 1-2 7, Josh Madden 4 2-3 12, Oderris Jemison 0 0-0 0, Antoine Garrett 1 0-0 2, Kenderrius Smith 2 0-0 4, Josh Wilson 1 1-4 3, Robert Houston 3 1-3 7, Khail Keith 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 8-18 64.

WINTERBORO — Kendrick Barclay 0 1-3 1, Kenyatta Brown 0 0-0 0, Jutorrius Cook 13 2-9 28, Victor Griffin 0 0-0 0, Phillip Cook 4 1-4 9, Quint Hale 1 3-4 5, Leon Estelle 1 0-0 2, A.J. McGhee 1 0-0 2, Tae Graham 2 5-13 9. Totals 22 12-33 56.

Talladega 23 20 8 13 — 64
Winterboro 17 10 12 17 — 56

3-point goals: Talladega 6 (Scales 2, Allen, Smoot, Green 2). Total fouls: Talladega 26, Winterboro 16. Fouled out: P. Cook.

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