E.A. Sports Today

Prep basketball

White Plains girls score area victory at Cleburne County, and JCA girls win home finale. Alexandria boys break 90 points against Talladega again. White Plains boys stay on schedule. Pleasant Valley, Piedmont boys victorious.

Thursday scoreboard

GIRLS
White Plains 55, Cleburne County 46
Jacksonville Christian 33, Gaylesville 30
Sand Rock 53, Piedmont 30
Talladega 57, Alexandria 43
Spring Garden 64, Cedar Bluff 33
BOYS
Alexandria 95, Talladega 59
White Plains 61, Cleburne County 36
Pleasant Valley 56, Coosa Christian 50
Piedmont 45, Sand Rock 29
Gaylesville 76, Jacksonville Christian 62
Spring Garden 50, Cedar Bluff 38

By East Alabama Sports Today

HELFIN — Injuries turned a promising season into an adversity test for White Plains’ girls. On Thursday, the scoreboard said what first-year coach Clay Sprayberry knows well … they haven’t given up.

Cooper Martin led three White Plains players in double figures with 13 points, and the Wildcats beat Cleburne County 55-46 in a Class 4A, Area 10 game.

The victory lifted White Plains to 9-16 and ended a 14-game losing streak after an 8-2 start.

Injury losses include center Bella Higgins, who sustained an ACL tear. Cassidy Arnold, one of White Plains’ top guards and scoring threats, suffered a knee strain at Cherokee County on Jan. 9 and hasn’t played since.

Through it all, Sprayberry has channeled colleague and White Plains’ boys coach Chris Randall: “You’re either up or getting up.”

The Wildcats picked themselves up Thursday. Their other top performers.

—Braeton Moran: 12 points (four 3-pointers).
—Abbie Dickeson: 11 points.
—Addi Bradley: nine points.
—Brooksly Thielker: eight points.

Cleburne County’s top performers:

—Faith Brown: 24 points (two 3-pointers).
—Hannah Turley: nine points (one 3-pointer).

JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN 33, GAYLESVILLE 30: Katie Beth Hudson led the way with nine points and 11 rebounds, and JCA won its home finale.

The Thunder’s other top performers:

—Addy Lee: eight points, 13 rebounds, three assists, five steals.
—Sophie Williams: five points, 10 rebounds, two steals.
—Abigaila McNeal: three points, 13 rebounds, two steals.

SAND ROCK 53, PIEDMONT 30: Kaitlyn St. Clair hit a 3-pointer en route to 19 points to lead Sand Rock to victory over Piedmont.

Top performers for Piedmont (14-9):

—Carson Young: six points (one 3-pointer).
—Josie Young: five points (one 3-pointer).

Boys

ALEXANDRIA 95, TALLADEGA 59: Jaylen Henderson led four Alexandria players in double figures with 25 points, including one 3-pointer, and the Valley Cubs scored 187 points in two games with Talladega this season, winning both.

Alexandria won 92-84 at Talladega on Dec. 11.

The Valley Cubs’ other top performers:

—Drake Davis: 21 points (six 3-pointers).
—Quendavion McDowell: 14 points.
—Cole Wheeler: 10 points (two 3-pointers).

Talladega’s top performers:

—Jace Robinson: 17 points (two 3-pointers).
—R.J. Jones: 12 points.
—Ronson Moten: 10 points.

WHITE PLAINS 61, CLEBURNE COUNTY 36: Josh Wheeler scored 14 points (one 3-pointer), and White Plains won in Class 4A, Area 10 play to stay on course to force a coin toss to determine the area-tournament host.

The Wildcats’ other top performers:

—Daniel Williams: 12 points (one 3-pointer).
—Coleman Ray: nine points (one 3-pointer).

Cleburne County’s top performers:

—Lyric Ware: seven points (one 3-pointer).
—Grey Freeman: seven points.

PLEASANT VALLEY 56, COOSA CHRISTIAN 50: Hunter Sparks hit one 3-pointer on the way to a team-high 17 points, and Pleasant Valley improved to 10-8.

The Raiders’ other top performers:

—Jaden Sparks: 11 points (two 3-pointers).
—Noah Johnson: 10 points (two 3-pointers).
—Braxton Salster: eight points.

PIEDMONT 45, SAND ROCK 29: Chance Murphy hit three 3-pointers on the way to 11 points to lead Piedmont.

The Bulldogs’ other top performers:

—Colton Proctor: 10 points (one 3-pointer).
—Cole Wilson: nine points (three 3-pointers).

GAYLESVILLE 76, JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN 62: Jesse Gannaway led JCA with 26 points, 11 rebounds and three assists.

JCA’s other top performers:

—Noah Lee: 14 points, 20 rebounds, three assists.
—Moses Averette: 11 points, eight rebounds, two assists.

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