CHAPMAN GIRLS FINAL: PCA wallops Brew Tech to earn tourney championship
Avery Rogers drives for layup during PCA’s win over Brew Tech in the Larry Chapman final at Montgomery Academy. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
Prattville Christian started off the season with a pair of wins, but Panther coach Jason Roberson figured the Coach Larry Chapman Foundation Tip Off Tournament would be a good gauge for his team, which was missing post players Hannah Jones and CoCo Thomas from a team that has won three consecutive state championships.
“We’re playing without the ‘Twin Towers’ for the first time,” Roberson said. “CoCo was here to watch us and was in the locker room and she said she’s proud of us because we lost two good players, but we looked around the room and we’re like, we still have a lot of really good players. We’re used to winning, these ladies are winners, so I think our identity is to do whatever it takes to do to find a way to win.
“It may look a little different because we don’t have Hannah and CoCo, but the results, so far, have been the same. I think we just proved to ourselves that no matter who we end up being in January and February, we can be a team that has a legitimate shot. And that’s all you can ask for.”
The defending 4A state champions jumped out to a quick 14-point lead and cruised to a 57-31 rout of 5A Brew Tech in the championship game of the tournament.
“The last two games in this tournament, we haven’t started off great,” said senior shooting guard Avery Rogers. “In the first game against St. James, we only had nine points at halftime. So I think each game, we’ve been trying to start off a little better, just more aggressive and with a lot of energy.”
Rogers, the only starting senior, drained a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter and another in the second to earn most valuable player honors after scoring 62 points with the help of 14 3-pointers in three games. She also had four rebounds and four assists in Wednesday’s game.
“We’ve been in a situation where our seniors have always stepped up,” Roberson said. “When Ella Jane (Connell) was a senior, she scored 39 points in the state championship game because she was a senior and she didn’t want to lose. Last year, Coco Thomas had 29 points and 14 rebounds in the state championship game. This season, our senior is Avery Rogers and she’s going to do what it takes to help us win. To come here in this tournament against pretty good competition and score 20 or more in all three games, I’d say is a pretty good tournament.”
Freshman Kayden Carr had a huge role in Wednesday’s win as well, drawing the assignment of guarding Brew Tech’s Erin Martin, one of the state’s top players. Carr, like Rogers, had a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter, another in the second and another in the third to finish with 16 points and four rebounds, but Carr’s biggest impact was on defense where she held Martin to one field goal in the first half as the Panthers built a 35-12 cushion.
“I think Erin’s an unbelievable player,” Roberson said. “She hit some shots, but I think Kayden did exactly what we asked of her -- force her to make tough shots. And give her credit, she made some tough shots but I think we did a pretty good job on her.”
Martin had 13 points in the third quarter and finished with 19, the only Ram in double figures.
For the Panthers, Jenna McClendon had nine points to go with a game-high 12 rebounds, followed by Baylee Rogers with six points, Ally Blankinchip with three points and four assists, Laura Beth NeSmith with three points and Leah Cate Wilson with four rebounds.
Carr and Baylee Rogers joined Avery Rogers on the all-tournament team. The senior also received the Coach Larry Chapman Sportsmanship Award and a better understanding of her team’s identity.
“Even though we lost some players, we still have good players and we can still win basketball games and be just as competitive as we have been the past few years,” Rogers said.
PCA (5-0) will play host to Montgomery Academy on Tuesday.
COACH LARRY CHAPMAN FOUNDATION TIP OFF TOURNAMENT
at Montgomery Academy
GIRLS
Monday’s results
Prattville Christian 48, St. James 40
Brew Tech 44, Alabama Christian 40
Pike Road 53, Catholic 52
JAG 38, Montgomery Academy 30
Tuesday’s results
Prattville Christian 52, Pike Road 30
St. James 59, Catholic 37
Brew Tech 38, JAG 35
Montgomery Academy 42, Alabama Christian 38
Wednesday’s results
Seventh place, Catholic 68, Alabama Christian 41
Fifth place, St. James 47, Montgomery Academy 19
Third place, Pike Road 40, JAG 23
Championship, Prattville Christian 57, Brew Tech 31
All tournament: Kerstin Daniel, Montgomery Academy; Ava Card, St. James; Audry Blaine, Pike Road; Ariana Abner, JAG; A’mya Bell, Brewbaker Tech; Jayla Griffin, Brewbaker Tech; Erin Martin, Brewbaker Tech; Baylee Rogers, Prattville Christian; Kayden Carr, Prattville Christian. MVP -- Avery Rogers, Prattville Christian.
Coach Larry Chapman Character Award: Avery Rogers, Prattville Christian.
JUNIOR VARSITY
GIRLS
Monday’s results
St. James 46, Pike Road 37
Montgomery Academy 25, Alabama Christian 21
Tuesday’s results
Consolation, Pike Road 52, Alabama Christian 9
Championship, St. James 35, Montgomery Academy 13
All tournament: Madison Williams, Alabama Christian; Hayden Scott, Pike Road; Kierston Thomas, Montgomery Academy; Kayden Fair, St. James. MVP -- Lilly Stanford, St. James.