CHAPMAN GIRLS TOURNEY: PCA opens with win over St. James
St. James’ Morgan Lilly tries to drive on Baylee Rogers of Prattville Christian in Monday’s Larry Chapman Tourney at Montgomery Academy. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
It wasn’t your typical opening round matchup.
The two best girls basketball teams in the Coach Larry Chapman Foundation Tip Off Tournament found themselves facing off in the opening round and Prattville Christian shook off some early struggles against St. James’ defense and hit a few timely perimeter shots to defeat the Trojans 48-40 on Monday afternoon at Montgomery Academy’s Joe Mooty Court.
For three-time defending state champion Prattville Christian (3-0), it was an early test to see how the Panthers would fare without post players Hannah Jones and CoCo Thomas, the foundation of the last the last three state titles. The Panthers didn’t fare too well in the first half, managing just two field goals in the first quarter and two more in the second to fall behind 15-9.
“St. James is an unbelievable team,” PCA coach Jason Roberson said, “and I think our team just decided to come out in the second half and be more aggressive. We were too passive in the first half. We started to attack a little bit more and it changed the momentum of the game.
“Of course, it’s always nice when some shots start to go in.”
St. James (2-2) has reached the regional finals in each of the last three years and went to the 4A finals two years ago, but many of the Trojans on the court on Monday were underclassmen trying to learn their roles on defense.
“(Roberson) went in at halftime and he made some adjustments to how he was going to run offense out of our 1-3-1,” St. James coach Katie Barton said, “and we didn’t counter the adjustments we needed to make on defense. Baylee Rogers hit some big shots in the second half. We didn’t make those adjustments that I need us to be making out of our defensive sets.”
Baylee Rogers hit three 3-pointers in the third quarter as part of a 20-point explosion that rallied the Panthers to a 10-point lead. Avery Rogers scored all 20 of her points in the second half, including six on a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and six more at the free-throw line to hold off the Trojans after they trimmed the deficit to five points.
“I think we played like a team early (in the season),” Barton said. “I see some good moments and then I see some moments where we aren’t as disciplined yet and there are adjustments that I could make as a coach that I probably wasn’t making in some of those games.”
Baylee Rogers had 15 points and Jenna McClendon had 12 for PCA, which faces Pike Road in the semifinals on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m.
Ava Card had 14 points and Natalie Barton added 12 for St. James, which plays Catholic on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m.
Pike Road 53, Catholic 52
Jazz Johnson hit the game winner with two seconds left to help the Patriots defeat Catholic in an opening round game of the Coach Larry Chapman Foundation Tip Off Tournament on Monday at Montgomery.
Audrey Blaine led the Patriots with 17 points, followed by Johnson with 13 and KJ Fencher with 12. The Patriots will face Prattville Christian in a second-round game on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m., while Catholic will play St. James.
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 schedule
Game 5 -- Prattville Christian vs. Pike Road, 11:30 a.m.
Game 6 -- St. James vs. Catholic, 11:30 a.m.
Game 7 -- Brew Tech vs. J.A.G., 2:30 p.m.
Game 8 -- Alabama Christian vs. Montgomery Academy, 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday’s schedule
Game 9 -- Loser Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8, 9 a.m.
Game 11 -- Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 7, noon
Game 12 -- Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 8, 9 a.m.
Game 13 -- Finals, Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7, 1:30 p.m.
JUNIOR VARSITY
GIRLS
Monday’s results
St. James 46, Pike Road 37
Montgomery Academy 25, Alabama Christian 21
Tuesday’s schedule
Consolation, Pike Road vs. Alabama Christian, 9 a.m.
Championship, St. James vs. Montgomery Academy, 9 a.m.