GIRLS BB: Catholic holds off Trinity for win; MA topples ACA; STJ wins area opener

Catholic’s Jordan Robinson drives the baseline for a shot in the Knights’ win over Trinity on Tuesday. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

Catholic jumped out to an early lead on Trinity, survived several Wildcat rallies, and held off the three-time defending state champions for a 60-50 area win on Tuesday night, but Catholic coach Courtney Ward didn’t want to talk about her team’s offense.

“It was just going in at halftime and getting into them, letting them realize that we are not going to be good on offense unless we get our defense together,” she said. “Point blank, period. We are getting beat in the middle and every time we get beat in the middle, something (bad) happens. We’re going to foul or they’re going to get a 3-pointer put up. 

“It just comes down to heart and who wants to break down and guard somebody, close out, box out, get a rebound and secure it and then going in and doing what we do to win the game.”

Ward made her point. The Knights scored just seven points in the third quarter and the Wildcats scored a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Lilly Smith and a 3-pointer to open the fourth by Ellie Causey to pull within 42-38, but the Catholic defense took over at that point, both on the boards and by shutting down the open looks on the perimeter

It was the second meeting of the two teams following a 53-44 win by Catholic in the Jack Schweers Capital City Conference Tournament on Dec. 20. The two teams will meet again on Jan. 30 at Trinity, likely a fourth time in the area tournament and quite possibly a fifth time in the regional finals.

Ultimately, only the fifth meeting counts, with the winner advancing to the state tournament in Birmingham. That gives Trinity coach Blake Smith a few more opportunities to figure out how to stop Hannah Smith, who had 11 points in the first quarter to get the early lead and finished with 22 points.

“We held her to 11 in the first game and we knew that was a little bit of fool’s gold,” Smith said. “But the better the other players play, the more it’s going to open it up for her. She got some big offensive rebounds and putbacks tonight.”

Catholic jumped out to a 22-13 lead in the first quarter.

“When we came out with our press, it was doing pretty good,” Ward said, “but we were getting in foul trouble a little bit and having trouble getting certain people in certain spots to continue to have success in our press.”

The Wildcats pulled within 22-19, only to see Catholic extend the lead. They cut into the deficit again late in the second quarter and again in the third quarter, only to watch the Knights extend the lead.

Both coaches were frustrated a little late in the third quarter. Ward was unhappy the Knights allowed Trinity to pull back into the contest, while Smith was upset the Wildcats couldn’t keep Catholic from extending the lead each time.

“There are some points in time where I’ve got to let them learn from their mistakes of trying to do stuff on their own,” Ward said. “I think we scored eight points (actually seven) in the third quarter and that’s because they went away from what we normally do and what we know how to do and were just trying to make stuff happen instead of playing good defense.”

Jordan Robinson added 11 points for Catholic (10-5), including a pair of crucial baskets to allow Catholic to build the lead in the fourth quarter.

“In order for us to get to where we want to go, we’re going to have to eliminate those short little runs,” Smith said. “Because, all of a sudden, two mistakes turns into six points on the other end. I think part of it is playing in those games and your mental strength getting better. You get mentally tougher, longer.

Lilly Smith led Trinity (10-6) with possibly the best game of her career, scoring a game-high 25 points along with eight rebounds and four assists on the offensive end of the court while holding Hannah Smith to just three points in the second and third quarters.

Ellie Causey added 13 points and six rebounds, while Micaiah Shelton had 10 rebounds

Catholic improved to 2-0 in 4A Area 5 play and will remain home to play Tallassee on Friday. Trinity dropped to 1-1 in area play and will travel to Tuskegee to play Booker T. Washington on Friday.

St. James 102, Dallas County 17

Jordyn McRae led five players in double figures with 19 points to lead the Trojans past Dallas County 102-17 in the 3A Area 5 opener at St. James on Tuesday.   

Kaitlin Mitchell followed McRae in scoring with 17 points. Natalie Barton and Lily Stanford each scored 16 points, Kaden Fair added 14 points and Sydney Johnston had nine.

St James (15-3 overall, 1-0 in area play) will remain home to play Montgomery Academy in an area game on Friday.

Hooper Academy 53, Edgewood Academy 51

ELMORE -- Marilyn Fleming and Henlee Garvin camp up with the key baskets and the key stops in the paint as the Colts won a thrilling 53-51 victory over the Wildcats in a Class A Region 1 Area 2 game in the Edgewood gym on Tuesday night.

Fleming had 14 points in the first half and finished with a game-high 20, while Garvin had 11 points, including eight in the second half, to stay ahead of Edgewood.

The Wildcats’ top post player, Jadah Townsend, had just one point in the first quarter, but added 14 points in the second quarter and finished with 32 points. Savannah Wood added nine.

Katie Robinson added 10 points for Hooper (10-6), followed by Jade Taylor with eight.

The Colts (2-0 in area play) return home to play host to The Oaks in an area game on Thursday.

Montgomery Academy 54, Alabama Christian 51

The Lady Eagles earned a road win on Tuesday, defeating Alabama Christian, 54-41. Garland Thomas led all scorers with 28 points to go along with six steals and four rebounds.

Kaci Armistead added 10 points, going 7-8 from the free throw line, with seven rebounds, five steals, and two assists. Bailey Davis and Emilyn Trott had eight and six points a piece, while Davis also had seven rebounds, four steals, and four blocks.

For ACA< Adalyn Newkirk had 20 points and nine rebounds. Campbell Hammett added seven points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals while Addison Smith scored six points, grabbed three rebounds, and had three steals.
With win, MA improves to 6-9 overall, 2-0 in Area play. The Lady Eagles will travel to take on area foe, and top-ranked St. James at 6 p.m.

ACA fell to 5-8, 0-3 in area play and will travel to Holtville on Friday.

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Prattville Christian  55, American Christian  25

TUSCALOOSA-- Eighth graders Laney Little and Avery Mann helped the Panthers remain unbeaten in area play with a 55-25 win over American Christian Academy on Tuesday in the ACA gym.

Little had 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Mann connected on five 3-pointers to finish with 15 points. Reagan Houston filled the stat sheet with 11 points, nine rebounds and seven assists and Leah Cate Wilson added eight points, 14 rebounds and four assists. Baylee Rogers grabbed five rebounds.

 PCA (7-11) improved to 3-0 in area play and will return home to play host to Holt on Friday in another area game.

Prattville Christian 54, Billingsley 13

PRATTVILLE -- Reagan Houston tied a school record with eight 3-pointers, finishing with 26 points and four rebounds in the Panthers’ 54-13 win over the Bears on Monday night.

Laney Little added 13 points and eight rebounds, Baylee Rogers had 11 points, nine assists and five rebounds and Leah Cate Wilson grabbed 11 rebounds.

PCA (6-11) will travel to American Christian for an area game on Tuesday.