TWICE AS NICE: Carver sweeps 5A semis
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Alondra Gray had 15 points and three steals for Carver’s girls on Thursday. (Staff Photo) Staff Report BIRMINGHAM - James “J.J.” Jackson was around the last time the G.W. Carver Wolverines won a state title. He has plans to see the next one in about 24 hours. The Wolverines swept two games in Birmingham on Thursday in the Class 5A semifinals with the girls defeating Erwin, 54-51. The boys followed with a win over Wenonah with the same identical score, 54-51. “It is definitely a great day for the Carver Wolverines,” Jackson said. “This is a great feeling to know that we could win both. But we have a game left and we can’t assume anything.” Jackson played on the team that won a championship in 1983. The team followed with a title in 1984. Jackson had graduated and was playing college ball in Texas before later transferring to Alabama. “We had great players then but this group is special too,” Jackson said. “They’ve been trough a lot.” Just a month removed from the controversial probationary period served after last year’s fiasco in the Central Regional game against Valley, the Wolverines used a physical defense to limit Wenonah to 30 percent from the field and 16 percent behind the 3-point arc. “We want it bad,” Roquez Johnson said. “We’ve worked hard to get here and we don’t want to stop.” Craig Sword led Carver with 18 points while Johnson had 15 points and 12 rebounds. The girls were equally tough defensively but it was Shatavia Farris who proved to be the catalyst with 21 first-half points to help Carver build a 27-20 lead at halftime. “My knee was hurting but it feels OK right now, knowing we are one win away,” Farris said referring to a knee injury suffered in the sub-regional game two weeks ago. Farris was limited to three points in the second half but she was dominant on the boards, grabbing 21 rebounds. Guard Alondra Gray added 15 points and played a large role in 19 turnovers by Erwin. She had three steals. “I thought we played well but we weren’t able to put them away,” Carver coach Michelle Simmons said. “We got the plays we needed in the end.” Erwin had a chance for a final shot with six seconds remaining but Tiffany Kelly’s steal sealed Carver’s win. The girls will play Fairfield Saturday at 1 p.m. while the boys will face Lee-Huntsville at 3 p.m. |
