Jackets’ two fates ride on coin toss
- Updated: January 27, 2015
Both Oxford teams tie for first in area, but have a lot riding on this morning’s coin toss
By East Alabama Sports Today
PELL CITY — It has come down to the toss of a coin to determine the playoff fates of both Oxford basketball teams after their games with Pell City Tuesday night.
Both teams finished in a tie for first place in class 6A Area 10 as the result of their games: The boys won 44-30 to earn a share of the area title with Chelsea, the girls lost 40-32 to drop into a tie with Pell City.
The coin toss will come Wednesday morning at Oxford High School, but there’s a lot more than determining a tournament host riding on it. In a three-team area, the winner of the toss ostensibly earns a pass into the sub-regional tournament since the top two teams from each area move on.
“I’m not a big fan of flipping a coin to determine the outcome of a competitive sport,” Oxford coach Joel Van Meter said. “I think two teams who battled each other on the floor are short-changed a big when being named area champ comes down to a coin flip.
“I just wish there was a better way of settling it based on what you do on the floor.”
This all came about in two different manners.
The boys (9-15) put together a great defensive effort as they held Pell City (2-21) to just 18 points from the floor, 12 off 3-pointers. The Yellow Jackets used a 16-0 run to finish the first quarter, but their hosts battled hard the last three quarters and kept the Jackets within sight before eventually losing their 21st straight game.
“Coach (William) Grant is a good coach and he is not going to let you run away with it,” Van Meter said. “We are not the type of team offensively that can win games by big margins. We can grind it out with you, but the most we are going to win a game by is 10-12 points. We are just not going to score points in bunches and will have low-scoring games.”
With three players suspended over the last few games and one quitting the team, the Yellow Jackets have not had a full roster available until tonight. Nine players scored, with Jakolbie McClendon leading the way with 13 points and Kaleb Kidd adding 11.
“We have guys that have continued to fight in practice and are helping us now at the end of the season,” Van Meter said. “Players like Chris Jarman and Zachary Lackey are doing a great job. They are good kids. They stand for all the right things and are battling every day.”
It was a different story for the girls (11-11), who were looking to go 4-0 in the area. They got off to a fast start, then scored only one field in each of the second and third quarters.
Tremeria Britt hit a 3 and a 2 and Ebony Kelley had two put backs to give them an 11-4 lead after one quarter of play. In addition to the cold shooting that followed, the Jackets gave up 10 points off turnovers and found themselves down 27-19 after three quarters.
Alexus Davis came off the bench and ignited Oxford with six points in the first minute of the second half to chop the deficit to 29-27. The Yellow Jackets were down two with 2:34 to go when Pell City’s Mary Luker closed the door with two 3-pointers.
“The two three’s hurt us and we did not even put a hand in her face,” Oxford coach Tonya Peoples said. “The percentages go way up when you do not defend the 3 and get a hand in her face. We just did not play good defense.”
BOYS BOX SCORE
Oxford 44, Pell City 30
OXFORD (9-15) — Kaleb Kidd 3 5-5 11, Jalen Moore 0 1-2 1, Querriun Mason 4 5-9 13, Jakolbie McClendon 2 1-1 6, Jacob Baker 0 1-2 1, Torry Robertson 0 1-2 1, Daunte Lauderdale 2 0-0 4, Chris Jarman 0 1-2 1, Zachary Lackey 3 0-0 6. Totals 14 15-23 44.
PELL CITY (2-21) — Chris Kennedy 3 3-4 12, William Daniel 0 0-0 0, Griffin Wright 2 2-4 6, JaMichael Lipscomb 1 0-2 3 , Brendan Satterwhite 1 4-6 6, Gabriel McKinney 0 0-2 0, Trevor McClendon 1 0-0 2, Jonathan Wilson 0 1-2 1, Javion Johnson 0 0-2 0. Totals 8 10-22 30.
Oxford 16 7 10 11 — 44
Pell City 3 8 7 12 — 30
3-point goals: Oxford 1 (McClendon); Pell City 4 (Kennedy 3, Lipscomb).
GIRLS BOX SCORE
Pell City 40, Oxford 32
OXFORD (11-11) — Makayla Kidd 0-6 1-3 1, Winter Taylor 0-10 4-5 4, Makayla Lowery 0-2 0-0 0, Tremeria Britt 2-14 2-8 7, Ebony Kelley 3-4 0-0 6, Jordan Smith 4-9 0-0 8, Alexus Davis 2-4 2-2 6, Grace Mitchell 0-3 0-2 0. Totals 11-52 9-20 32
PELL CITY (10-15) — Akeera King 1 2-2 4, Kaylen Millender 5 3-4 13, Mary Lucker 3 1-2 9, Candace Constable 1 0-0 2, Jada Collins 1 1-2 3, Ashantee Wade 0 0-1 0, Courtney Jordan 0 6-9 6, Morgan Roberts 1 1-2 3. Totals 12 14-22 40.
Oxford 11 4 4 13 — 32
Pell City 4 12 11 13 — 40
3-point goals: Oxford 1-12 (Makayla 0-2, Winter 0-2, Kayla 0-2, Britt 1-6); Pell City 2 (Lucker 2).
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