3A GIRLS SE SUB-REGIONAL: Trinity disposes of Reeltown in quick fashion
Reeltown’s Ashley Flurry is surrounded by Trinity’s Maddie Smith and Emma Kate Smith in Monday’s game. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
There wasn’t much drama in Monday’s AHSAA Class 3A Southeast Sub Region game between Trinity and Reeltown, unless you count the time between points scored by the Reeltown Rebels.
The Rebels struggled to get the ball in position for a shot, forced into a half-dozen turnovers in the first four minutes alone as the Wildcats rolled to an 81-24 victory at Captain Jack Court on Monday.
Emma Kate Smith settled the issue in the first minute of the game, sinking three quick 3 pointers as Trinity rolled to a 10-0 lead. Reeltown’s first shot at the basket resulted in two follow-up shots with Yonna Kimble finally scoring the Rebels’ first basket with 6:17 left.
The Wildcats responded by scoring the next 20 points of the game to take a 30-3 lead into the second quarter and then 13 more unanswered points on the way to a 47-6 halftime lead.
Smith ended up making eight of her 11 3-point attempts to finish with 28 points, quickly erasing any doubt in the outcome.
“When she gets going like that, it is nice for us,” Trinity coach Blake Smith said. “She could’ve hit a lot more tonight, we just didn’t let her, but she was definitely feeling it, that’s for sure.”
Smith also had five assists and four steals, but the rest of her supporting cast was productive as well. Maddie Smith had 14 points, eight assists and five steals, Mya Moskowitz had 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds, Kaylee Peevy scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds and Mary Alice Sasser had eight points.
“They came out and played hard,” Smith said. “And did the whole game, regardless of the score. They’re doing what we ask them to do, which is competing the whole game. That’s what it’s going to take for us.”
Trinity (26-5) advances to the Southeast Regional semifinals, where the Wildcats will face Houston Academy on Thursday at 6 p.m. in Garrett Coliseum. The other semifinal will pit Prattville Christian against Pike County, also on Thursday, at 3 p.m.
MaKayla Langston led the Rebels (10-10) with eight points.
Smith inserted his reserves in the game for much of the second and fourth quarters, the latter of which included a running clock, and he was pleased with their performance as well.
“We tried to get other people shots,” he said. “But while saying that, we don’t want our best players to not be aggressive. They can’t formulate those bad habits.
“(Reeltown) had a couple of really big girls, so I thought Emma Moody, Sarah Grace (Merrill), some of those girls came in and battled for rebounds and that’s what we want, physical and play hard. And I thought they moved the ball well.”