Hot Wheels burn Etowah
- Updated: February 17, 2021
White Plains’ Wheeler hits six of his eight 3-pointers in first half in 83-58 win that sends Wildcats to Sweet 16 for first time since 2016
By Gregory Kirby
For East Alabama Sports Today
You know it has to be your night when one of your players misses a dunk and the deep rebound goes right to one of his teammates and he hits a 3-pointer.
That was just one of the ways fate smiled upon White Plains Wednesday night.
Between good fortune like that and the outside shooting of Jacob Wheeler, the Wildcats buried Etowah 83-58 in the Class 4A subregionals.
They’ll host Westminster Christian in their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2016 Friday. Westminster knocked thee Wildcats out of the regionals each of the last two times they made it (2015 & 2016).
“We’ll have to play our best game of the year to get by them,” White Plains coach Chris Randall said.
Wheeler was the one who turned that missed dunk by Walker Osteen into a trey and kept hitting from behind the arc.
He hit eight 3-pointers in the game, six in the first half, and finished with 28 points.
“My teammates got me open and got me easy shots,” Wheeler said.
“Our guards did a good job of breaking the press and finding shooters once they crossed half-court,” Randall said. “We kept making the extra pass and it seemed like the ball found Wheels more times than not and he was able to make a lot of open 3s.”
He wasn’t the only one. The Wildcats made nine of their 14 3-pointers in the first half while opening a 50-24 halftime lead.
“One guy makes six 3s in the first half it makes things a lot easier for you,” Randall said. “The basket looks bigger for everybody.”
Brody Baker had 21 points for White Plains and Osteen had 13.
White Plains 83, Etowah 58
ETOWAH – Trent Davis 5 2-5 13, Ethan Foster 0 0-0 0, Martavious Davis 0 2-2 2, Quin Wright 3 2-2 9, Kahlil Hughley 1 0-0 3, Devan Greer 0 0-0 0, Dezmin Blair 1 0-0 3, Dee Spears 5 5-6 19, Christopher Harden 0 0-2 0, Josh Graham 0 0-0 0, Omarion Finch 1 0-0 2, Steven Jones 1 0-0 3, Brevan Knight 1 2-2 4. Totals 18 13-19 58.
WHITE PLAINS – Tucker Pearson 0 0-0 0, Quin Wilson 2 2-2 8, Jaden Chatman 0 1-2 1, Jacob Wheeler 9 2-2 28, Landon Senciboy 2 0-0 6, Brody Baker 9 1-3 21, Jesse Hubbard 2 0-0 4, Walker Osteen 5 3-4 13, Garrett Wilson 0 0-0 0, Z.J. Rosario 0 0-0 0, Cole Senciboy 0 0-0 0, Braden Knight 1 0-0 2, Kendrick Ball 0 0-0 0. Totals 30 9-13 83.
Etowah 14 10 16 18 – 58
White Plains 28 22 20 13 – 83
3-point goals: Etowah 9 (T. Davis, Wright, Hughley, Blair, Spears 4, Jones); White Plains 14 (Q. Wilson 2, Wheeler 8, L. Senciboy 2, Baker 2). Total fouls: Etowah 15, White Plains 16. Officials: Guyton, Harrell, Askew.
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