E.A. Sports Today

Shakin’ off the rust

Girls roundup: Anniston knocks off rust with area win over White Plains; Alexandria, Piedmont score big wins

White Plains’ Angel Bozarth (30) tries to get the ball in bounds against the defense of Anniston’s Shiwanna Jackson. (Photo by B.J. Franklin)

Girls Games
Alexandria 55, Moody 15
Anniston 83, White Plains 29
Cherokee County 59, Jacksonville 49
Ohatchee 61, Cleburne County 59 (OT)
Piedmont 70, Weaver 34
Spring Garden 51, Plainview 44
Vestavia Hills 61, Oxford 44

By East Alabama Sports Today

The Anniston girls basketball team hadn’t played since right before Thanksgiving and coach Eddie Bullock was worried about being rusty.

There may have been some elements of their 83-29 rout of White Plains that left the perfectionist in Bullock a little unfulfilled, but to most everyone else in the gym the Lady Dawgs were as good as ever.

Anniston’s Serena Hardy (10) focuses on the rim despite the defensive pressure being applied by White Plains’ Callyn Martin. (Photo by B.J. Franklin)

They hit 12 3-pointers, had four double-figure scorers, collected 19 steals and didn’t look any worse for the layoff.

“We hadn’t played in about two weeks,” Bullock said. “A little bit rusty, we’re just trying to get it together. They did pretty good, though … Just glad to be able to play.”

Allasha Dudley hit her first three 3-point shots, hit five in the game and scored 23 points; she also had five steals and seven assists. Sacred Heart transfers Alisia Person and Serena Hardy each hit three 3s; they scored nine and 18, respectively. Shiwanna Jackson had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Asia Barclay had 16 points, eight rebounds, six steals and two blocked shots.

The focus wasn’t on the 3, it was on Bullock’s familiar position – defense.

“I told them to play defense,” he said. “We’re supposed to have been focusing on defense because our defense isn’t where it needs to be. I told them if they played defense the offense will come.

“We actually spent like three straight days last week on nothing but defense. We didn’t even touch a ball. I was trying to get them right defensively so when we play against the tough teams (it’s there). I’m trying to get that mindset right.”

The Lady Dawgs came out fast enough. With shots falling and the defense present early, the Lady Dawgs opened a 23-3 lead. White Plains got within 12 midway through the second quarter, but then the defending state champs came back to life and scored the last 14 points of the half to go up 43-17.

Then they outscored White Plains 31-9 in the third with Hardy breaking out for all three of her 3s and 15 points.

Lily Ponder sparked White Plains’ mini rally in the first half with of her team-high 16 points.

Anniston 83, White Plains 29
WHITE PLAINS –
Callyn Martin 0 3-6 3, Cheyenne Cochran 1 0-0 3, Hallie Williams 0 0-0 0, Shaniya Calloway 0 0-1 0, Camden Wilson 0 0-3 0, Lily Ponder 7 2-2 16, Adriana Sotelo 1 0-0 3, Angel Bozarth 2 0-2 4. Totals 11 5-14 29.
ANNISTON – Allasha Dudley 7 4-4 23, Alisia Person 3 0-0 9, Serena Hardy 6 3-5 18, Charliese Simmons 0 0-0 0, Shiwanna Jackson 6 2-2 14, Jade Richardson 0 0-0 0, Aaliyah Henson 0 0-0 0, Nina Farlow 0 0-0 0, Akayla Perry 1 0-0 3, Tykeria Smith 0 0-2 0, Asia Barclay 6 4-5 16, Tanaja Winsley 0 0-0 0, Eleah McCoy 0 0-0 0. Totals 29 13-18 83. 
White Plains    11  6   9    3   –  29
Anniston          25  18 31  9   –  83
3-point goals: White Plains 2 (Cochran, Sotelo); Anniston 12 (Dudley 5, Person 3, Hardy 3, Perry). Total fouls: White Plains 10, Anniston 15. Officials: Allen, Oden, Stringer.

White Plains’ leading scorer Lily Ponder (22) brings the ball up against Anniston. (Photo by B.J. Franklin)

Piedmont 70, Weaver 34

WEAVER – Lele Ridley and Z’Hayla Walker both posted double-doubles for the Lady Bulldogs. Ridley scored 26 points and grabbed 26 rebounds, while Walker scored 13 points and grabbed 14 boards. Ava Pope added 16 points fueled by four 3-pointers. 

Weaver’s Haley Homesley picked up where she left off when the Lady Bearcats went into COVID quarantine. She led all scorers with 21 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.

Piedmont 70, Weaver 34
PIEDMONT –
Ava Pope 4 4-11 16, Jaycee Glover 1 4-6 6, Lele Ridley 9 6-9 26, Cayla Brothers 1 0-0 2, Armani Perry 0 0-5 0, Caycey Brothers 0 0-0 0, Gracie Naugher 0 0-0 0, Z’Hayla Walker 6 1-3 13, Emily Farmer 2 1-2 7. Totals 23 16-36 70.
WEAVER – Madison Atchley 1 3-3 5, Mollie Kirby 0 0-0 0, Kinley Marvasty 0 0-0 0, Jazmyne Gregory 0 0-0 0, Taylor Lawrence 0 0-0 0, Wright 1 0-0 3, D.J. Gibbs 2 0-2 5, Triana Lawrence 0 0-0 0, Naveah Hawkins 0 0-0 0, Haleey Homesley 8 3-6 21. Totals 12 6-11 34. 
Piedmont         11  21 19  19 –  70
Weaver            5    9   12   8   –  34
3-point goals: Piedmont 8 (Pope 4, Ridley 2, Farmer 2); Weaver 4 (Wright, Gibbs, Homesley 2). Fouled out: Kirby, Gibbs. Total fouls: Piedmont 13, Weaver 21.

Cherokee Co. 59, Jacksonville 49

CENTRE – Karlee Perry hit half of Cherokee County’s 12 3-pointers and the Lady Warriors outscored Jacksonville 17-6 in the fourth quarter to pull away from a one-point game. Perry was 6-of-17 from 3-point range and finished with 22 points. The Lady Warriors were 12-of-36 as a team from behind the arc.

Jacksonville’s Amarie Curry led all scorers with 26 points. She also grabbed 12 rebounds. Kayla Broom had 13 rebounds to go with nine points. 

Cherokee County 59, Jacksonville 49
JACKSONVILLE –
Amarie Curry 12-21 2-4 26, Kayla Broom 2-6 4-4 9, Patience Carr 2-9 2-2 6, Ashley Grant 1-6 0-0 3, Maggie Anderson 1-5 0-0 3, Rebekah Gannaway 1-3 0-0 2, Kierra LaCount 0-0 0-0 0, Autumn Carr 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-50 8-10 49.
CHEROKEE COUNTY – Karlee Perry 7-19 2-4 22, Audrey Green 6-15 0-2 16, Mary Johnson 5-9 3-5 15, Ella Garmany 1-5 2-2 4, Sidney Johnson 0-4 2-4 2, E. Allen 0-2 0-0 0, C. Coley 0-2 0-0 0, Audrey Haygood 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-57 9-17 59.
Jacksonville   13  14  16  6   –  49
Cherokee Co. 14  8    20  17 –  59
3-point goals: Jacksonville 3-15 (Curry 0-1, Broom 1-3, Grant 1-5, Anderson 0-1, Gannaway 0-1); Cherokee County 12-36 (Perry 6-17, Green 4-10, Johnson 2-4, Johnson 0-2, Coley 0-2, Haygood 0-1). Rebounds: Jacksonville 44 (Curry 12, Broom 13, P. Carr 7);  Cherokee County 34 (Garmany 9). Fouled out: P. Carr. Total fouls: Jacksonville 14, Cherokee County 12.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login