Cubs find offense
- Updated: December 12, 2016
Boys roundup: Alexandria overcomes injuries to beat Wellborn; Piedmont rallies to beat Saks in OT, White Plains gets past Cleburne County
Romeo Dye (22) got Alexandria going against Wellborn with 12 points in the first quarter. (Photo by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)
Monday’s Games
Alexandria 75, Wellborn 54
Spring Garden 53, Faith Christian 44
Lincoln at Talladega Co. Central
Piedmont 78, Saks 68 (OT)
Weaver 80, Cedar Bluff 66
White Plains 66, Cleburne County 41
Tuesday’s Games
Handley at Anniston
Hokes Bluff at Pleasant Valley
Lincoln at Pell City
Ohatchee at Weaver
Southside at Alexandria
Spring Garden at Jacksonville Christian
Talladega at Central-Clay County
Wellborn at Jefferson Christian
White Plains at Jacksonville
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
ANNISTON (Dec. 12) — When Alexandria lost two of its biggest threats the last time out at Jacksonville State you could almost see Valley Cubs coach Jason Johnson reciting in his mind, “Offense, offense, wherefore art thou, offense.”
Of course, it had to be a guy named Romeo who answered the call.
With the ninth-ranked Valley Cubs uncertain where their points would come, Romeo Dye stepped up and provided the early spark that propelled the Cubs to a 75-54 victory over Wellborn.
The Valley Cubs lost top threat Dalton Dodd and sixth-man Jamal Tucker to ankle injuries in Saturday’s loss to Oxford in the TV24 Holiday Showcase. Dodd arrived at Monday’s game with a boot on his left ankle and on crutches; he’s scheduled to be re-examined Tuesday.
Even before those injuries hit, the Valley Cubs were missing Joe Tucker and Thorn Thornton.
But Dye went for 19 points, while inside threats Chase Smitherman and Josh Tucker scored 15 and 12, respectively.
“Some of the guys had to take on some more responsibility and actually provide some production,” Johnson said. “We were pleasantly surprised by tonight, just because the kids didn’t cower down and they took to a challenge and got a little better tonight.”
The Valley Cubs (7-1) have been trying to get it more inside as a rule, but it was Dye’s outside shooting that got them going. The sophomore point guard hit three 3-pointers and scored 12 points in the first quarter as the Cubs jumped out to a 10-point first quarter lead. It was 16 at halftime.
“I just got open shots and I made them so I kept shooting,” Dye said. “I was hitting them in warm-ups so I felt like I was going to be hot so I just kept shooting them.
After Dye loosened up the Panthers, the Valley Cubs started taking the ball inside, which got them to the free throw line, and they pulled away. The Cubs were 30-of-53 from the free throw line in the game.
“We just got in an offense that mainly fed the big men because they weren’t fronting; (Johnson) just said ‘feed ‘em and let them work,’” Smitherman said. “We knew we had to step up and do something with Dalton and Jamal getting hurt, had to have some more scorers. They gave us the opportunity, I guess we ran with it and did what we practiced.”
It’s not immediately known how long the Valley Cubs are going to be in this shorthanded, but as long as they are you can expect them push the ball on offense to get as many easy shots as they can and ramp up the defensive intensity.
“We just have to run our stuff and trust the system and the guys who get the shots just have to start making some,” Johnson said.
Saks’ Jalen Borders (24) challenges Piedmont’s Austin Brazier. (Photo by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)
Piedmont 78, Saks 68 (OT)
ANNISTON — Easton Kirk hit a 3-pointer with 1.8 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and force overtime, then hit four of Piedmont’s eight free throws in the extra period.
The Bulldogs put together a furious rally to come back. Devaughn Beason scored nine of his team-high 19 points in the first quarter as Saks opened a 21-13 lead and the Wildcats led throughout regulation.
Kirk hit four 3-pointers in the game and finished with 18 points. Teammate Taylor Hayes led all scorers with 20 points. He scored six in overtime and was 10-for-10 from the free throw line in the game. Austin Brazier added 18.
White Plains 66, Cleburne County 41
HEFLIN — Michael McGuirk (22) and Macy Carr combined to scored as many points as the Tigers did as a team and their supporting cast help put the Wildcats over the top.
The Wildcats were looking to wipe the bad taste from Saturday’s loss to Talladega from their mouth and did it with a 16-3 first quarter against the Tigers. McGuirk had eight points in the quarter and 12 in the first half.
Piedmont’s Taylor Hayes (11) drives between Saks’ Chuck Taylor (R) and Jalen Borders. (Photo by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)
MONDAY’S BOYS BOX SCORES
Alexandria 75, Wellborn 54
ALEXANDRIA (7-1) – Devan Grant 0 6-10 6, Chase Smitherman 7 1-4 15, Austin Taylor 2 1-4 7, Jake Weathington 2 0-0 5, Dru Davis 2 2-7 6, J Cunningham 1 1-4 4, Romeo Dye 3 10-12 19, Jared Ponder 0 1-2 1, Josh Tucker 2 8-10 12. Totals 19 30-53 75.
WELLBORN (1-3) – Chuck Taylor 0 0-0 0, Mitchell Raines 1 0-0 2, Eric Johnson 0 0-2 0, Jordan Montgomery 4 0-3 8, Devin Machristie 5 0-0 12, Ked Harris 0 0-0 0, Kameron Goodwin 0 1-2 0, Pat Harris 0 0-0 0, Dennis Towns 0 0-0 0, Austin Cooper 0 0-0 0, Blake Hanson 10 8-10 29, Kelvin Evans 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 9-15 54.
Alexandria 18 19 21 17 — 75
Wellborn 8 13 15 18 — 54
3-point goals: Alexandria 7 (Taylor 2, Weathington, Cunningham, Dye 3); Wellborn 3 (Machristie 2, Hanson). Technical fouls: Hanson. Fouled out: Johnson, Montgomery. Total fouls: Alexandria 14, Wellborn 29. Officials: Chambers, Batey, Hollingsworth.
Piedmont 78, Saks 68 (OT)
PIEDMONT – A.J. Fairs 3 0-0 8, Cardavion Myers 3 1-1 8, Taylor Hayes 5 10-10 20, Derrick Baer 1 0-0 3, Easton Kirk 5 4-4 18, Carl Myers 1 0-0 3, Lee Stanley 1 0-0 2, Austin Brazier 8 2-5 18. Totals 25 17-20 78.
SAKS – Darien Brisky 3 2-2 8, Devaughn Beason 7 4-5 19, Laderrick Bell 3 0-0 8, Alphonza Ward 4 0-1 11, Tray Huguley 5 1-1 11, Jamal Stone 2 0-0 6, Jaylon Young 1 0-0 2, Jalen Borders 1 1-2 3. Totals 26 8-11 68.
Piedmont 13 18 14 18 15 — 78
Saks 21 15 13 14 5 — 68
3-point goals: Piedmont 9 (A.J. Fairs 2, Cd. Myers, Baer, Kirk 4, Cl. Myers); Saks 8 (Beason, Bell 2, Ward 3, Stone 2). Fouled out: A.J. Fairs. Total fouls: Piedmont 15, Saks 16. Officials: Lemon, Stringer, Smith.
White Plains 66, Cleburne County 41
WHITE PLAINS – Jaylen Jackson 0 2-2 2, Peyton Morgan 4 0-0 8, Dylan McCareeth 0 0-0 0, Justin Foster 0 0-0 0, Austin Bussey 2 0-0 5, Andrew McCarter 0 0-0 0, Michael McGuirk 7 5-6 22, Drake Preston 0 0-0 0, Macy Carr 7 5-8 19, Gavin Burrage 0 2-4 2, Brett Beaver 3 2-4 8. Totals 23 16-24 66.
CLEBURNE COUNTY – Stashun Henson 2 1-5 7, Brock Swafford 1 0-0 2, Josh Brown 3 0-0 8, Caleb Brown 0 0-0 0, Isavia Brown 2 1-2 5, William Morrow 1 0-0 2, Landon Embry 4 2-8 10, Avery Gentry 1 3-4 5, Parker Freeman 0 0-0 0, Noah Holloway 0 0-0 0, John Robinson 0 2-2 2. Totals 14 9-21 41.
White Plains 16 9 18 23 — 66
Cleburne Co. 3 8 17 13 — 41
3-point goals: White Plains 4 (Bussey, McGuirk 3); Cleburne Co. 4 (Henson 2, J. Brown 2). Total fouls: White Plains 14, Cleburne County 17.
Josh Tucker (32) and Chase Smitherman (11) gave Alexandria an edge on the inside. (Photo by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)
To view a complete gallery of photos from the Piedmont-Saks and Alexandria-Wellborn games, visit www.bjfranklin.smugmug.com
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