Spread the wealth
- Updated: December 7, 2015
Ball movement key to Faith’s third straight win; Talladega tops Oxford, Lincoln spoils Hanson’s big night, White Plains changes times
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
If there has been one area Faith Christian has been working to sharpen since the calendar turned to December it’s been its ball movement.
The Lions moved it around as well as they have all season Monday night, especially in the first half, as they rolled to an 87-66 victory over Jacksonville Christian.
Boy, was it smooth. They recorded 16 assists on their 31 field goals – with only nine turnovers — in winning their third in a row to reach .500 for the first time this season (3-3). They were so smooth in the first half they scored 56 points.
“We moved the ball very well,” Lions coach Brad Yarbrough said. “Ball movement has been a point we’ve really been emphasizing this past week – to share the ball and take what the defense gives us. We’re blessed with a few guys who can actually go out and shoot the ball, so we’re trying to take advantage of that.
“That’s what we’re capable of doing night in and night out if we’ll just play our game and not press and try to play other people’s style of ball. We have our style we like to play. If we can just do that, that can be big for us going forward.”
The Lions shot a torrid 57 percent from the floor in the game (31 of 54) and got at least 17 points from four players.
Caleb McCord was their leading scorer with 21 points. Jordan Griswould got 20 despite foul trouble that strapped him to the bench for more than 10 minutes in the second and third quarters. Jameson Adams exerted himself in the post when Griswould was out and had 18 while Alex Taylor had 17, hitting three of four 3-point attempts.
The big four were a combined 28 of 44 from the field. McCord, Griswould and Taylor had 14 of the assists.
“Last year was more of a pass-and-shot one-and-done (approach), and that’s what we’re trying to change this year; we really want to work the ball around,” said McCord, who had six of the assists. “Tonight it worked very well in the first half, especially when Jordan was in. We had both of our big men and were able to use everybody.
“I think the first three games we got scared and so we just started jacking up shots, to see how many shots we could jack up. We got in practice and coach told us that isn’t who we are. We’re starting to feel out who we are and grow as players and I think tonight was a large stepping stone.”
It was clear the Lions are different team with Griswould on the floor. As he sat the entire third quarter with four fouls, the Lions scored only nine points and the Thunder cut its deficit to 11 by quarter’s end.
Griswould returned to the lineup at the start of the fourth quarter and the Lions scored the first 14 points to put the game away. McCord scored eight in the run, including the first six.
Adams, meanwhile, continues to give the Lions high-energy minutes inside. He scored the game-winning layup at Jefferson Christian last week and had 10 points in the second quarter Monday as they were pulling away. Yarbrough called his scoring against the Thunder an “incredible” addition.
“I’ve just been getting more confidence with my shot,” he said. “The first few games I wasn’t really feeling it and this game I started getting into a little bit of a rhythm.”
NOTES: Not to be overlooked was Jack Sills’ game-high 17 rebounds for Faith … JCA’s Antwon Fegans led all scorers with 24 points … There were 59 fouls called in the game and the teams combined to go 48 for 88 from the foul line.
Talladega 48, Oxford 38
TALLADEGA – Oxford’s season-long shooting slump continued with another tough day from behind the arc.
The Yellow Jackets were 2-of-14 from 3-point range in the game. They also were 12 for 21 from the free throw line.
“What do you do as a coach when a team sits back in a 2-3 zone and dares you to shoot it and we can’t make one,” Jackets coach Joel VanMeter said.
Talladega’s Ashton Duncan was the only player on either team to score in double figures. He scored 13 points. Tyrese Scales and Waderrius Tuck had eight points apiece.
Jakolbie McClendon led Oxford with nine points. Zach Lackey and Querriun Mason had seven each.
Van Meter said it was the first game he’s played in the series where Tigers coach Chucky Miller “never pressed a possession.”
The Jackets had a chance to close the gap to one late in the game. They trailed 42-38 with two minutes to play, ran a baseline out-of-bounds play that gave them wide-open 3 from the corner and missed it.
They have made three or fewer 3-pointers in five of their losses. They are 8 for 72 from beyond the arc in those games, 11 for 89 in all six losses.
Lincoln 70, Wellborn 51
The Golden Bears got scoring from all 13 players and needed them all as Wellborn’s Blake Hanson went for 35 points.
Dee Whiteside led the Golden Bears with 21 points, which included several explosive alley-pop dunks. The Bears led 44-18 at halftime and built such a commanding lead their starters didn’t play in the fourth quarter.
Hanson, meanwhile, hit eight 3-pointers for the Panthers, who were playing their first game of the season. He hit five in a 25-point second half.
“He shot the 3-ball well,” Lincoln coach Rush Rutledge said. “He kept them in the ball game by shooting the 3-ball well.”
JSU football playoff impacts games
White Plains officials have announced they are changing the game time of their area basketball games with Jacksonville Friday to avoid a conflict with Jacksonville State’s football game. The games will now begin at 3 p.m.
County basketball sources have told East Alabama Sports Today, JSU athletics department officials have called area basketball coaches to ask if they would change the times of their games to avoid conflicting with the football game.
Organizers of the TV24 Holiday Challenge have canceled its three Friday game to avoid a conflict. Anniston’s boys and girls were scheduled to play Plainview and Alexandria’s boys were scheduled to play Cleburne County.
JCA and Faith Christian players stand poised to see if the ball will fall through the hoop or roll off the rim Monday night.
GIRLS GAMES
Jacksonville Christian 63, Faith Christian 53
Sidney Hancock scored 22 points, most from the left block and sometimes unguarded, to help keep JCA undefeated (4-0).
Hancock scored 18 in the first half, 14 in a 17-0 run that spanned the first and second quarters and put the Thunder in front for good.
“I was just trying to get down there and help my team get points on the board,” Hancock said.
Faith (2-4) closed within six with two minutes left in the third quarter, but JCA scored the last 10 points of the quarter to pull away.
Faith’s Madison Stephens led all scorers with 31 points. She hit six of the Lady Lions’ 10 3-pointers.
Talladega 68, Oxford 47
TALLADEGA – Gabby Johnson hit four 3-pointers in the first quarter and scored 25 points in the game to lead the Lady Tigers.
Winter Taylor led three Oxford scorers in double figures with 15 points. Ebony Kelly had 14 and Jordan Smith had 12. Kelly grabbed 14 rebounds and Taylor had eight.
BOYS BOXSCORES
Faith Christian 87, Jacksonville Christian 66
JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN (1-3) – Jimbo Tolbert 0 0-0 0, Jayni Mosley 4 0-2 8, Detrick Edmondson 0 0-0 0, Elijah McCormack 0 1-2 1, Walter Messer 2 10-15 15, Jayden Mitchell 2 4-6 8, Chase Cobb 0 0-0 0, Antwon Fegans 7 10-17 24, Reed Murphy 4 2-3 10, Austin Dowdey 0 0-0 0, Khu Tu 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 27-45 66.
FAITH CHRISTIAN (3-3) – Caleb McCord 8 5-8 21, Jordan Griswould 5 9-15 20, Jake Balmer 0 0-0 0, Jameson Adams 8 2-3 18, David Wall 0 3-4 3, Grant Martin 0 0-0 0, Jack Sills 3 1-8 7, Michael Kulick 0 0-0 0, Jameson Thacker 0 1-2 1, Alex Taylor 7 0-3 17, Julien Key 0 0-0 0. Totals 31 21-43 87.
Jacksonville Christian 17 18 19 12 — 66
Faith Christian 27 29 9 22 — 87
3-point goals: JCA 1 (Messer); Faith 4 (Griswould, Taylor 3). Technical fouls: Griswould. Fouled out: Messer, Mitchell, Griswould, Kulick. Total fouls: JCA 29, Faith 30. Officials: Gilbert, Watson, Crawford.
Talladega 48, Oxford 38
OXFORD (4-6) – Torrey Robertson 0 2-2 2, Jalen Moon 1 1-2 3, Querriun Mason 2 3-6 7, Jakolbie McClendon 3 2-3 9, Jacob Baker 1 0-0 3, Eugene Leonard 2 0-0 4, Jordan Swain 0 1-2 1, Chris Jarmon 0 0-2 0, Braden Jones 1 0-0 2, Zach Lackey 2 3-4 7. Totals 12 12-21 38
TALLADEGA (6-4) – Fred Dickerson 0 2-2 2, Tyrese Scales 2 4-8 8, Jay Smoot 2 1-2 5, Jarvis McKenzie 0 2-2 2, Ashton Duncan 4 4-4 13, Waderrius Tuck 4 0-4 8, Robert Houston 3 1-1 7, Jaelyn Russ 1 1-2 3. Totals 16 15-25 48.
Oxford 7 10 12 9 — 38
Talladega 9 9 15 15 — 48
3-point goals: Oxford 2 (McClendon, Baker); Talladega 1 (Duncan). Fouled out: Smoot. Total fouls: Oxford 17, Talladega 16. Officials: Holmes, Robinson, Evans.
Lincoln 70, Wellborn 51
WELLBORN (0-1) – D.J. Rhoden 1 0-0 2, Mitchell Raines 0 0-0 0, Eric Johnson 1 0-0 2, Quandarious Moore 0 0-0 0, Ty Kite 1 0-5 2, Ked Harris 0 0-0 0, Jordan Montgomery 3 2-3 8, Junior Towns 0 0-0 0, Jaylun Kelley 1 0-2 2, Blake Hanson 12 3-5 35. Totals 19 5-15 51
LINCOLN (8-1) — Isaac Davis 1 1-2 3, C.J. Orr 1 0-0 3, Zay Caldwell 2 0-0 6, Tyler Hemphill 2 0-0 4, Malik Weed 2 1-4 5, Tarez Ellis 1 0-0 2, Quin Carmichael 2 0-0 4, Dee Whiteside 9 3-4 21, L.J. Carmichael 4 0-0 8, Donte Rivers 1 1-5 3, Brikael Truss 1 1-4 4, Savion Wood 1 0-2 2, Chris Prince 2 0-1 5. Totals 29 7-22 70.
Wellborn 10 8 17 16 — 51
Lincoln 25 19 19 7 — 70
3-point goals: Wellborn 8 (Hanson 8); Lincoln 5 (Orr, Caldwell 2, Truss, Prince). Fouled out: Montgomery. Total fouls: Wellborn 19, Lincoln 15. Officials: Killingsworth, Wilson, Hollingsworth.
GIRLS BOXSCORES
Jacksonville Christian 63, Faith Christian 53
JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN (4-0) – Joeley Cupp 3 0-2 7, Hayley Moses 0 0-0 0, Briah Cupp 1 3-6 5, Sarah Crook 6 2-4 14, Kayla Barnes 2 3-4 8, Sidney Hancock 9 4-4 22, Olivia Jones 3 1-2 7. Totals 24 13-22 63.
FAITH CHRISTIAN (2-4) – Logan Boyd 5 0-0 10, Emily Sills 1 0-2 2, Madison Stephens 11 3-5 31, Sarah Jessica Christjohn 0 0-0 0, Sydnee Johnson 3 0-0 7, Regan Crosby 0 0-0 0, Zana Christjohn 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 3-7 53.
Jacksonville Christian 11 20 21 11 — 63
Faith Christian 12 9 14 18 — 53
3-point goals: JCA 2 (J. Cupp, Barnes); Faith 10 (Boyd 3, Stephens 6, Johnson). Total fouls: JCA 11, Faith 14. Officials: Gilbert, Watson, Crawford.
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