Raiders win close one
- Updated: December 8, 2022
Thursday basketball: Pleasant Valley goes 2 OTs on road to win area opener; Oxford loses its opener on first night with new defense in inaugural Davidson Classic; with scores, box scores and more
BOYS GAMES
Cedar Bluff 63, Coosa Christian 41
Donoho 58, Gaylesville 36
Glencoe 55, Ohatchee 41
Handley 72, Lanett 54
Piedmont 71, Weaver 39
Pleasant Valley 54, Woodland 52 (2 OT)
Saks 66, Cleburne County 52
Larry & Connie Davidson Classic, Oxford
Paulding County (Ga.) 60, White Plains 52
Pinson Valley 62, Oxford 43
GIRLS GAMES
Handley 40, Lanett 39
Ohatchee 71, Glencoe 65
Piedmont 64, Weaver 24
Pleasant Valley 65, Woodland 48
Talladega 34, Etowah 25
Larry & Connie Davidson Classic, Oxford
Oxford 59, Pinson Valley 20
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
WOODLAND – The first games of Pleasant Valley’s season have followed a familiar pattern. The Raiders would play teams they were supposed to handle and they’d take care of business or they’d play superior teams and get beaten soundly.
There were no games in which the Raiders had to play and stay focused from opening tip to final horn.
And then Thursday happened.
In their most intense game of the young season, the Raiders went to double overtime before getting past Woodland 54-52 to win their area opener.
“We’re 2-2, we’re just getting our feet wet,” PV coach Brad Hood said. “These kids are young. They don’t know how to win.. They’re learning. Other than (Kolby) Battles, none ever played varsity at all.
“There was a lot of adversity tonight, but they never quit. They never gave up. I’ve seen many teams over the years – not just ours, but others – with that much adversity a lot of kids pack it in. But they kept fighting. They played full-court for four quarters and two overtimes.”
The Raiders forced both overtimes. Leading scorer Battles fouled out midway through the fourth quarter, but several others stepped up to pick up the slack.
At the end of regulation, Jaden Sparks hit a floater with eight seconds left to tie the game at 41 and the Raiders made a stop at the other end to keep it tied. Then, after a wild final minute in which the Raiders were up by five then down by three, Braxton Williams hit a half-court shot at the overtime buzzer to force another. He actually started the shot from the backcourt volleyball line.
The Raiders went up by five in the second extra period, but the Bobcats cut it back to one. The Raiders sealed it at the free throw line. They were 5-for-8 from the line in the second overtime. Williams was 3-for-4 in the two overtimes.
Woodland’s Christian Beam led all scorers with 27 points and, of course, the Bobcats went to the 6-foot-8 senior – who was generally guarded by a player 12 inches shorter – when they needed a score.
“That puts us in prime position,” Hood said. “We’re 1-0 in the area; that’s something that’s not happened here. We’ve not hosted an area tournament (since 2013). To go 1-0 on an hour, 15 minute road trip to start the season, 1-0 with all that adversity on the road, that’s huge.”
PLEASANT VALLEY 54, WOODLAND 52 (2 OT)
PLEASANT VALLEY – Jaden Sparks 4 0-0 8, Jesse Gannaway 5 3-4 15, Hunter Sparks 3 1-2 7, Bryce Freeman 2 0-2 4, Kolby Battles 5 2-4 12, Shane Cramer 0 0-0 0, Braxton Williams 2 3-4 8. Totals 21 9-16 54.
WOODLAND – Callen Gay 1 1-2 3, Malakai Drummond 1 0-1 2, Braden Taylor 0 0-0 0, Keyon Moultry 1 2-4 5, Noah Waites 1 0-0 2, Levi Screws 4 3-8 11, Brodie Collins 1 0-6 2, Christian Beam 9 9-11 27, Andrew Sanchez 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 15-32 52.
Pleasant Valley 10 10 12 9 4 9 – 54
Woodland 8 13 8 12 4 7 – 52
3-point goals: Pleasant Valley 3 (Gannaway 2, Williams); Woodland 1 (Moultry)
Technical fouls: J. Sparks, H. Sparks, Waites. Fouled out: Battles, Drummond. Total fouls: Pleasant Valley 26, Woodland 21.
Larry & Connie Davidson Classic
OXFORD – When it comes to seeking something to give your young team a chance to be competitive against more veteran opponents and ultimately better in the long run, sometimes you have to go back to go forward.
Oxford coach Joel VanMeter stepped into the vault earlier this week and pulled out a defense he picked up from a coaching mentor and for the most part was pleased with the results after only a few days practicing it.
The Yellow Jackets lost to undefeated Pinson Valley 63-43 in the inaugural Larry & Connie Davidson Classic in their first game in the new defense, but it kept them in the game in the first half. They were up one at the break.
“We’re young, we’re not there yet, but there was a lot of fight from our guys,” VanMeter said. “We changed a couple things defensively we thought would help our guys and it did. They caught on to it.”
The new defense is a matchup zone VanMeter learned from his coach, Donnie Tyndall, at Morehead State. The Jackets had been playing man and switching, but this approach incorporates the same principles of a switching man while staying in the same defensive spots.
“We’ve played this zone before,” VanMeter said. “It’s something you have in your back pocket that you know how to teach and try to figure out if it’s something that fits your team. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. We need it because we’re small. I like it. I think the guys will become confident in it.”
In the first half, the defense held PV to just eight points – all by Terry Coner Jr. – and it helped them to a 23-22 halftime lead. The Indians adjusted in the break and pulled away in the second half. They outscored the Jackets 26-9 third quarter. Ray McCants had all 12 of his points in the quarter, Caleb White had seven of his 13 in it and Coner added five more.
“I was shocked how well they were with it after three days of practice,” VanMeter said. “We’re going to stick with it.”
Coner led all scorers with 19 points. T.J. Allen led Oxford with 13 points. He hit three 3-pointers.
PINSON VALLEY 63, OXFORD 43
PINSON VALLEY – Ray McCants 4 2-2 12, Caleb White 5 3-4 13, Clyde Walters 1 0-0 3, Terry Coner 12 3-5 19, Austin Coner 0 2-2 2, Amari Bowens 3 2-2 9, Cam Frost 1 0-0 2, Riley Sigler 0 1-2 1, Jaylan Tyus 0 0-1 0, Chauncey Thirkill 0 0-0 0, Cam Jennings 1 0-0 2. Totals 22 13-18 63.
OXFORD – Jaylen Alexander 1 1-2 3, Caleb Sanders 0 0-0 0, Dashaun Callaway 0 2-4 2, T.J. Allen 5 0-0 13, Chase Truitt 0 0-0 0, Jordan Kelley 1 0-0 3, Brock Reaves 4 0-0 9, Jayden Lewis 2 4-4 8, Marcus Perry 2 0-0 5, Cristian Gibson 0 0-0 0, Elijah Malone 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 7-10 43.
Pinson Valley 8 14 26 15 – 63
Oxford 15 8 9 11 – 43
3-point goals: Pinson Valley 6 (McCants 2, Walters, T. Coner 2, Bowens); Oxford 6 (Allen 3, Kelley, Reaves, Perry). Total fouls: Pinson Valley 10, Oxford 12. Officials: Howell, Holloway, Hollingsworth.
PAULDING COUNTY 60, WHITE PLAINS 52: Wildcats coach Chris Randall couldn’t have been happier with the way his Wildcats battled against the much-larger Patriots, but they just didn’t have enough to overtake them.
“We did a good job, but it would’ve taken the perfect job,” Randall said. “They’re that good.”
The Wildcats made the Georgians work for their shots and they made eight 3s – five by Frantzyr Chardavoine – but the difference was the points they scored off White Plains’ turnovers.
“It felt like there were seven (players) on the court sometimes,” Randall said. “We weren’t able to turn them over and get anything easy and they probably had 14 or 16 off our turnovers.”
The Wildcats fell behind 21-11 in the first quarter, but rallied behind Luke Bussey and Josh Wheeler to climb back within six at halftime. Bussey scored eight of his 20 points in the second quarter and Wheeler hit a pair of 3s.
The margin stayed between three and six points in the second half, but the Wildcats, who were without one starter and lost another to an early injury, couldn’t overcome it.
PAULDING COUNTY (3-3) – Javonne Williams 4 6-8 15, Kahlil Jones 1 4-8 4, Frantzyr Chardavoine 6 2-3 19, Tyhler Shields 3 1-2 8, Nytrez Philpot 1 0-0 2, Ty Collins 1 2-2 5, M.J. Bataille 0 0-0 0, Momin Chaudery 1 0-0 2, Temidayo Odugbemi 0 0-0 0, George Shumpert 1 0-0 2, Anthony Bush 0 1-2 1. Totals 18 16-25 60.
WHITE PLAINS – Dylan Barksdale 0 0-0 0, Paul Laube 2 0-0 5, Josh Wheeler 2 0-0 6, Coleman Ray 0 0-0 0, Cam Allen 1 0-0 2, Daniel Williams 4 0-0 9, Luke Bussey 6 6-9 20, Carter Johnson 3 4-4 10. Totals 18 10-13 52.
Paulding County 21 16 7 16 – 60
White Plains 11 20 5 16 – 52
3-point goals: Paulding County 8 (Williams, Chardavoine 5, Shields, Collins); White Plains 6 (Laube, Wheeler 2, Williams, Bussey 2). Fouled out: Wheeler. Total fouls: Paulding County 20, White Plains 18. Officials: Calkins, Pratt, McCord.
Regular season
PIEDMONT 71, WEAVER 39: Alex Odam led all scorers with 24 points, but it was Rollie Pinto that really gave Weaver fits with his ability to get open and score 15 points. Ish Bethel (10) also scored in double figures for the Bulldogs. Pinto and Bethel both scored eight points in the first quarter as the Bulldogs took control with a 23-7 lead.
PIEDMONT (2-0) – Alex Odam 11 2-4 24, Rollie Pinto 5 3-4 15, Ish Bethel 4 0-0 10, Colten Proctor 1 0-2 2, Rhett Alford 2 0-0 4, Luke Rhinehart 1 0-0 2, Jake Rhinehart 0 0-0 0, Trevor Pike 3 0-0 6, Cole Wilson 3 0-0 8, Dontavious Jordan 0 0-0 0. Totals 30 5-10 71.
WEAVER – Tristan Brown 4 1-2 9, Elijah Smith 0 0-0 0, Jeffrey Miles 3 0-0 6, Dawson Brooks 3 0-0 6, Dalton Homesley 0 0-0 0, Payton Martin 0 0-0 0, Jackson Williams 1 0-0 2, Zack Garner 2 0-0 4, Armane Burton 5 0-0 10, Austin Snider 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 1-2 39.
Piedmont 23 15 14 19 – 71
Weaver 7 12 12 8 – 39
3-point goals: Piedmont 6 (Pinto 2, Bethel 2, Wilson 2). Total fouls: Piedmont 5, Weaver 10. Officials: Jarrett, Kelley, Mallicoat.
SAKS 66, CLEBURNE COUNTY 52: Jakari Streeter scored 11 of his game-high 25 points in a 26-point first quarter that got the Wildcats going. Dee Elston gave the Wildcats 15 points and Christian Smith had 12.
CLEBURNE COUNTY – Jacob Cavender 3 0-0 8, Dawson Haynes 4 0-0 11, Jackson Miller 0 2-4 2, Silas Altman 0 0-0 0, Rico Huguley 0 0-0 0, Nathan Adams 3 1-2 7, Jake Littleton 6 0-0 12, Greyson Freeman 5 2-4 12. Totals 21 5-10 52.
SAKS – Jakari Streeter 11 1-2 25, Tyreic Fister 0 0-0 0, Christian Smith 6 0-2 12, Jay Weeks 0 0-0 0, Dorrien Walker 1 0-1 2, Anthony Bothwell 3 2-4 9, Tae Elston 1 0-0 3, Dee Elston 6 1-2 15, Keondre Johnson 0 0-0 0, Christian Hall 0 0-1 0. Totals 28 4-12 66.
Cleburne County 19 6 13 14 – 52
Saks 26 11 17 12 – 66
3-point goals: Cleburne County 5 (Cavender 2, Haynes 3); Saks 6 (Streeter 2, Bothwell, T. Elston, D. Elston 2). Total fouls: Cleburne County 16, Saks 10.
DONOHO 58, GAYLESVILLE 36: Jordan Cameron led a balanced Donoho scoring attack with 15 points. Four of the Falcons’ six players scored in double figures.
DONOHO – Jordan Cameron 7 1-1 15, Rich Goad 4 0-1 10, Drew Williamson 5 2-2 14, Sean Keel 2 1-2 5, Cash Worley 0 0-0 0, Sam Johnson 7 0-1 14. Totals 25 4-7 58.
GAYLESVILLE – Collin Henden 4 0-0 11, Kuper Bradley 1 0-0 2, J.J. Yarbrough 0 0-0 0, Matthew Cox 0 0-0 0, Kyler Bradley 5 1-2 13, Tanner Eads 3 2-2 10, Braden Sharp 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 3-4 36.
Donoho 16 16 10 16 – 58
Gaylesville 8 14 8 6 – 36
3-point goals: Donoho 4 (Goad 2, Williamson 2); Gaylesville 7 (Henden 3, Ky. Bradley 2, Eads 2). Total fouls: Donoho 11, Gaylesville 13.
GLENCOE 55, OHATCHEE 41: Aiden Cornutt hit both of his 3-pointers and scored 13 of his game-high 15 points in the second quarter as the Yellow Jackets extended their lead to nine at halftime. Kelbe Crook led Ohatchee with 13 points.
OHATCHEE – Eli Teem 1 0-0 3, Jake Roberts 2 0-0 4, Jesse Baswell 4 0-1 10, Alston Carroll 0 0-0 0, Colby Hester 1 0-3 3, Jake Roberson 2 0-3 4, Nathan Dover 0 0-0 0, Luke Vinson 2 0-0 4, Kelbe Crook 5 2-2 13. Totals 17 2-9 41.
GLENCOE – Cooper Horton 1 3-3 5, Garrett Morgan 3 1-2 7, Aiden Cornutt 5 3-3 15, Wade Segrest 1 0-2 3, Braylen Smith 3 1-2 8, Baylor Langdale 0 2-6 2, Nolan Fairley 1 2-2 5, Andrew Greene 5 0-0 10. Totals 19 12-20 55.
Ohatchee 5 15 13 8 – 41
Glencoe 11 18 16 10 – 55
3-point goals: Ohatchee 5 (Teem, Baswell 2, Hester, Crook); Glencoe 5 (Cornutt 2, Segrest, Smith, Fairley). Total fouls: Ohatchee 20, Glencoe 13.
Girls Games
PLEASANT VALLEY 65, WOODLAND 48: Macey Roper led three PV scorers in double figures with 28 points and the Lady Raiders pulled away in the second half to win their area opener on the road.
Roper scored 12 of her points in the first quarter to get the Lady Raiders (4-0) started, then had nine in the third quarter as they pulled away from a 31-31 tie. Laney Robinson scored 10 of her 14 points in the second half and Rebekah Gannaway hit three 3-pointers and finished with 13 .
“We’re in a three-team area, so I guess every win is big in that,” said PV coach Colton Morris, 4-0 for the first time in four seasons as a head coach. “It was more a big win just because I knew we were pretty evenly matched and I felt defense could be the difference. Defensively we got after them in the second half and quit turning the ball over so much and got better looks
“It was a big win for our self-confidence. We’ve got three seniors and everybody else is just coming up. It’s a big morale boost. We’ve got Ranburne Monday for the next one (in the area). To go in there on a high note is a big thing.”
PLEASANT VALLEY (4-0) – Macey Roper 13 2-4 28, Rebekah Gannaway 5 0-0 13, Kianna Hester 1 0-0 2, Laney Robinson 6 0-0 14, Lilly Robinson 1 0-0 2, Haylie Lee 3 0-3 6, Ella Kate Parris 0 0-0 0, Ashlynn Salster 0 0-0 0. Totals 29 2-7 65.
WOODLAND – Kaylie Simpson 0 3-4 3, Macey Slick 2 0-0 5, Leah Williamson 2 1-2 6, Juliana Lovvorn 4 8-11 16, McKenzie McCormick 3 3-4 9, Alex Raughton 3 3-6 9. Totals 14 18-30 48.
Pleasant Valley 16 15 19 15 – 65
Woodland 12 19 10 6 – 48
3-point goals: Pleasant Valley 5 (Gannaway 3, La. Robinson 2); Woodland 2 (Slick, Williamson). Total fouls: Pleasant Valley 20, Woodland 11.
PIEDMONT 64, WEAVER 24: Lele Ridley (18), Ava Pope (16) and Cayla Brothers (14) all scored in double figures for Piedmont. Brothers also grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.
PIEDMONT – Armoni Perry 0-2 0-0 0, Ava Pope 6-13 1-3 16, Josie Young 0-2 0-1 0, Rylie Anne Holbrooks 1-4 0-0 3, Jaycee Glover 1-5 0-0 2, Lele Ridley 7-12 4-8 18, Cayla Brothers 7-14 0-0 14, Melanie Studdard 1-3 0-0 4, Jenna Duke 1-4 0-0 2, Carson Young 1-2 0-0 2, Morgan Studdard 1-3 0-0 3, Hannah Kate Barber 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-64 5-18 64.
WEAVER – Annalynna Canchucaja 0 0-0 0, Erionna Richmond 0 4-8 4, D.J. Gibbs 2 1-3 6, Ellamae Kines 1 0-0 2, Alayia D’Ambrosia 0 0-0 0, McKenley Davis 1 0-0 2, Aaliyah Marks 2 0-0 5, Madison Atchley 2 0-0 5, Kimora Miles 0 0-0 0, Josselyn Masaniai 0 0-0 0. Totals 8 5-11 24.
Piedmont 20 13 17 14 – 64
Weaver 1 8 5 10 – 24
3-point goals: Piedmont 5-23 (Pope 3, Holbrooks, Studdard); Weaver 3 (Gibbs. Marks, Atchley). Rebounds: Piedmont 21 (Brothers 8). Total fouls: Piedmont 13, Weaver 11. Officials: Jarrett, Mallicoat, Kelley.
OXFORD 59, PINSON VALLEY 20: Oxford’s big three of Xai Whitfield (13), Justice Woods (15) and Mya McGrue (10) combined for 38 points and the Lady Jackets held their visitors to one field goal and five points in the second half to win their game in the Larry & Connie Davidson Classic.
Whitfield and McGrue scored six points apiece in the first quarter to get the Lady Jackets going and Woods had 12 in the middle two quarters. Jada Griffin scored all of PV’s points in the second half and finished with 14.
“We played really good team ball tonight,” Oxford coach Melissa Bennett said. “We made the extra pass, made the right passes.”
PINSON VALLEY – Jada Griffin 4 6-10 14, Jaliyah Anderson 0 0-0 0, Alissa Hawkins 0 2-2 2, Keke Riley 2 0-0 4, Makiya Cabil 0 0-0 0, LaTonya Christian 0 0-0 0, Stephanie Dowdell 0 0-0 0, Alexis Haynes 0 0-0 0. Totals 6 8-12 20.
OXFORD – Xai Whitfield 5 1-1 13, Justice Woods 7 1-2 15, Keziah Mickler 2 0-1 5, LaMya McGrue 5 0-0 10, JaMea Gaston 2 0-0 5, Mileah Prince 0 0-0 0, Bri Wilson 1 0-0 3, Shaniya Calloway 0 0-0 0, Kaylen Kenney 1 2-2 4, Shay Montgomery 2 0-1 4. Totals 25 4-7 59.
Pinson Valley 6 9 2 3 – 20
Oxford 18 22 12 7 – 59
3-point goals: Oxford 5 (Whitfield 2, Mickler, Gaston, Wilson). Total fouls: Pinson Valley 10, Oxford 13. Officials: Howell, Hollingsworth, Holloway.
OHATCHEE 71, GLENCOE 65: Jorda Crook, Whitney McFry and Alyssa Davis combined for 60 points and it was enough to offset a pair of 20-point performances by Glencoe’s Jaxson Sizemore and Kinslee Gray.
OHATCHEE – Tabi Davidson 0 0-0 0, Whitney McFry 5 3-6 16, Jorda Crook 14 5-9 33, Lindsey Zurchin 3 0-0 9, Alyssa Davis 5 1-3 11, Kiana Garber 1 0-0 2. Totals 28 9-18 71.
GLENCOE – Madalyn Amberson 2 0-0 5, Autumn Greene 0 0-0 0, Anna Grace Ponder 1 0-0 2, Kinslee Gray 6 3-3 20, Alli Amos 1 0-0 2, Hailey Hanners 2 1-3 7, Emma Croy 2 0-0 4, Jaxson Sizemore 9 6-10 25. Totals 23 10-16 65
Ohatchee 17 19 18 17 – 71
Glencoe 20 13 14 18 – 65
3-point goals: Ohatchee 6 (McFry 3, Zurchin 3); Glencoe 9 (Amberson, Gray 5, Hanners 2, Sizemore). Technical fouls: Amberson, Gray. Fouled out: Davidson. Total fouls: Ohatchee 16, Glencoe 17.
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