Scott Nickerson
Prattville – 66
Wetumpka – 32
The Prattville Lions varsity girls basketball team used a smothering defense to overwhelm Wetumpka at the start of the game, shutting out the Indians and leading 18-0 at the end of the 1st quarter. After the dominant start, the outcome of the game was never in question.
“We have always had success being a team that pressed full court. It has always been a huge aspect of our identity as a team. This year I have a totally different team and we’ve struggled with our press. We have been tweaking it here and there, game after game, and they found their rhythm,” Head Coach Erica Debois said.
For the Lions, Jayla West had 17 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. Ullyriah Lewis led all scorers with 18 points. Sophomore guard KeLeigh Mullins had 13 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 steals, and 1 block.
“We came out of it early because we executed and asserted ourselves properly and there was nothing more for us to gain by trying to embarrass our opponents. That’s not helping either team and I am just not in it for that,” Debois said.
The Lions record improves to 9-4.
Stanhope Elmore – 60
Chilton County – 57
Playing their third game of the week, the Lady Mustangs gutted out a tough win against the Chilton County Tigers. They avenged an early season loss in Clanton.
The Tigers earned a lead of 7 points, their largest lead of the game in the 3rd quarter, but the Mustangs continued to chip away. That is, until Gabby Harris hit a three pointer to give SEHS their first lead by a point in the final two minutes.
Both teams scored on their next possessions, and the Tigers managed to tie the game with less than 20 seconds remaining.
SEHS Head Coach Kelvin Stokes stated that he trusted his team, and let them play without calling a timeout. The strategy worked. Chilton County defenders rushed at the ball handlers, and the Mustangs found Harris standing open behind the three point line.
Harris knocked down her second three point shot with just four seconds remaining in the game, setting off a huge celebration in the Mustang’s gym.
“We played at their place earlier this season and didn’t play our best, so we had this game circled. But we had to dig deep. When the game was tied with 1:30 left I told them this was why we do all that conditioning in the summer, for moments like this. The girls responded and I’m very proud of them,” Stokes said.
Regarding Harris’ game winning shot, Stokes explained, “Gabby is a great set shooter. She works on that shot at practice a lot. I hope gaining that confidence will help her the remainder of the season.”
Ariel Gilchrist had 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 steals for the Mustangs, and Tamira Smalls had 12 points, 17 rebounds, and 5 steals.
The Mustangs record improves to 8-4.
Wetumpka – 79
Prattville – 62
Varsity boys basketball and Wetumpka senior Nate Rogers had 33 points as the Indians defeated Prattville Thursday night.
Through the first quarter and a half the Indians pulled away with an 11 point lead at halftime. They started the second half shooting multiple free throws after the Lions were assessed a technical foul at the end of the first half and beginning of the 2nd half.
For the Lions, Ty Bryant had a big night, scoring 27 points to go along with four rebounds and four steals. Donovan Brown added 14 points for the Lions.
“When we got those shots off the technical foul calls, that lit a fire and we took advantage of it and once we got in their heads it was pretty much over with then,” Rogers said in regard to the strong start to the second half.
Stanhope Elmore – 52
Chilton County – 43
Trailing 23-14 late in the 2nd quarter, the Mustangs scored the last 9 points of the half, highlighted by an amazing buzzer beating shot by Tyrone Williams that traveled 3/4 of the length of the court and sent the home crowd wild.
In the 3rd quarter, Kaleb Sanders hit a three point shot on back to back possessions to give the Mustangs a five point lead that they never relinquished. He hit another three early in the fourth to extend the lead to double digits.
Charles “Tripp” Johnson III, who scored 15 points the night before against Percy Julian, followed it up with 8 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Williams had 12 points and Corian Gilder had 11 points.
“After halftime, we knew we had to turn up the intensity to win. Our shots weren’t falling in the first half so we knew that meant we had to work harder coming out of the break. We played as a collective unit, and this ultimately gave us the W! Also, Coach Cochran gave us the spark we needed, during halftime, to finish the game,” Johnson III said.
The Mustangs record improves to 6-7.
