CAPITAL CITY CLASSIC: Trinity boys, PCA teams open with victories
Calhoun’s Rachel Ray is pressured by Baylee Rogers and Leah Cate Wilson in Prattville Christian’s win in the Capital City Classic on Monday at Trinity. (Ryan Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
he Trinity boys opened play in the 29th annual Jack Schweers Capital City Classic with a 73-33 romp over BTW Magnet, while the Trinity girls took the day off after BTW Magnet pulled out of the tournament.
The boys were one of four victorious teams on the first day of the tournament, along with Prattville Christian, Gulf Shores and Wetumpka. The Trinity girls earned a first-round bye and will make their debut in the tournament on Wednesday against Catholic at 4 p.m.
The Knights were victorious in the first round with a win over Tallassee, while Pleasant Grove and Prattville Christian also won, setting up a second-round battle between the defending state champions on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m.
In an attempt to fill the void left by BTW Magnet, the JAG girls will play one game in the tournament on Wednesday, facing Calhoun at 10 a.m.
BOYS
Trinity 73, BTW Magnet 33
John Morris led the Wildcats with 20 points, but all 10 players who dressed scored in the first half as Trinity took a 21-0 lead into the second quarter.
Cayson Keller added 16 points and Perrson Clements had nine as Trinity led 44-9 at the half and took a 40-point lead into the fourth quarter, triggering a running clock.
Michael Reese led BTW Magnet with 22 points.
Prattville Christian 56, Catholic 53
Cade Segars led the Panthers with 24 points, four rebounds and took three charges as the Panthers defeated Catholic in an opening-round game on Tuesday afternoon.
PJ Evans added 12 points and seven rebounds for PCA (6-7), followed by Collier Connell with 11 points and Brady Roberson with five points and five assists. Lathan Rybarczyk grabbed nine rebounds and Justin Chapman grabbed six.
PCA will play Wetumpka on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. in the tournament semifinals, while Catholic (2-2) will play Montgomery Academy at 1 p.m.
GIRLS
Prattville Christian 65, Calhoun 11
With BTW Magnet electing not to play in the tournament, the Panthers changed first-round opponents and played Calhoun in the opening round of the tournament on Tuesday.
Free throws by Rachel Ray and Kamelia Hunter provided the only points for Calhoun in the first half as the Panthers built a 52-2 lead at the half. PCA led 62-2 in the third quarter before Calhoun’s Layla Gary hit a runner in the lane with 3:49 remaining for the Tigers’ first basket of the game.
Avery Rogers had 18 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Kayden Carr added 17 points, five steals and four assists to lead PCA, all in the first half.
Leah Cate Wilson added 10 points and 10 rebounds, Jenna McClendon had seven points and four rebounds and Ally Blankinchip had four points and seven assists. Baylee Rogers added three points and eight rebounds, Reagan Houston had three points and four rebounds and Chelsea Cutler scored three points.
The defending 4A state champions (10-2) will play defending 5A state champion Pleasant Grove on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. in the semifinals.
Regular season results
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Park Crossing 57, St. James 37
Natalie Barton led the Trojans with 15 points as 6A Park Crossing snapped St. James’ eight-game winning streak with a win in the Thunderbirds’ gym on Monday night.
Kaitlin Mitchell added 12 points for St. James, followed by Ava Card with eight points.
Saniya Jackson led the Thunderbirds with 20 points, followed by Maliyah Weeks with 13, Kamryn Kelly with nine and Tariah Magee with eight.
St. Jame (10-3) travels to Orange Beach for the Mako Classic and will open play with Rogers on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Autauga Academy 49, Macon East Academy 45
PRATTVILLE -- Keagan Roney had 26 points, 11 rebounds, an assist, two steals and three blocked shots for the Knights in their 49-45 loss to the Generals in the Autauga Academy gym on Monday.
Jacob Johnson added 11 points, two rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals for Macon East (3-7).
Hooper Academy 61, Evangel Christian 58
HOPE HULL -- Chris McCoy scored eight of his 13 points in the fourth quarter as the Colts held off Evangel Christian 61-58 on Monday for their sixth consecutive win.
Nolan Cole and Luke Mosley each had 20 points to lead the Colts in the tightly contested matchup, with the Lions leading 15-12 at the end of the first quarter and 27-23 at the half before McCoy, Cole and Mosley combined for 18 of the Colts’ 20 points as Hooper rallied to take a 43-41 lead into the final period.
Tylon Shine led Evangel with 19 points, followed by Will McCord with 11 and Jamar Nickerson with 10.
Both teams now take a break for Christmas. Hooper (7-3) will return to action on Dec. 28 at home against Chambers, while Evangel (5-7) will take the court on Jan. 5 at home against Lakeside.
Wetumpka 79, Prattville 62
PRATTVILLE -- Ty Bryant scored 29 points, along with four rebounds and four steals, in Prattville 79-62 loss to Wetumpka on Thursday at Powell Gym.
Donavan Brown added 14 points and four rebounds for the Lions, followed by Isaiah Bradley with eight points, four rebounds and three steals and Xavier Dunn with eight points and six rebounds.
The Lions (3-13) return to action on Thursday with an area game at home against JAG.
29th ANNUAL JACK SCHWEERS CAPITAL CITY CLASSIC TOURNAMENT
At Trinity
BOYS
Tuesday
Game 1 -- Trinity 73, BTW Magnet 33
Game 2 -- Gulf Shores 63, Tallassee 60
Game 3 -- Wetumpka 55, Montgomery Academy 50
Game 4 -- Prattville Christian 56, Catholic 53
Wednesday
Game 5 -- BTW Magnet vs. Tallassee, 1 p.m.
Game 6 -- Montgomery Academy vs. Catholic, 1 p.m.
Game 7 -- Trinity vs. Gulf Shores, 2:30 p.m.
Game 8 -- Wetumpka vs. Prattville Christian, 2:30 p.m.
Thursday
Game 9 -- Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 11:30 a.m.
Game 10 -- Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 11:30 a.m.
Game 11 -- Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 3 p.m.
Game 12 -- Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 4:30 p.m.
GIRLS
Tuesday
Game 1 -- Trinity --BYE
Game 2 -- Catholic def. Tallassee, Score not available
Game 3 -- Prattville Christian 65, Calhoun 11
Game 4 -- Pleasant Grove def. Montgomery Academy, score not available
Wednesday
Game 5 -- Calhoun vs. JAG, 10 a.m.
Game 6 -- Tallassee vs. Montgomery Academy, 10 a.m.
Game 7 -- Trinity vs. Catholic, 4 p.m.
Game 8 -- Prattville Christian vs. Pleasant Grove, 11:30 a.m.
Thursday
Game 9 -- Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 8, 10 a.m.
Game 10 -- Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 10 a.m.
Game 11 -- Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 1 p.m.
Game 12 -- Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 2:30 p.m.