CHAPMAN TIPOFF (GIRLS): Catholic topples Pike Road; PCA wallops Stanhope Elmore
Catholic’s Hannah Smith fires up a shot during the Lady Knights’ win over Pike Road on Monday. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
Pike Road proved to be no match for Catholic in the first game of the Coach Larry Chapman Foundation Tipoff Classic at Montgomery Academy’s Joe Mooty Court on Monday morning as the Knights raced to a double-digit lead minutes into the contest on the way to a 57-37 win.
With the Patriots’ leading scorer, Jazz Johnson, sitting out of Monday’s contest with a sprained ankle, Pike Road struggled to find any offensive rhythm for much of the game.
Catholic’s Hannah Smith, meanwhile, scored 10 of her 18 points in the first quarter to put the Patriots away quickly.
“Jazz was out today, one of their better players, so that helped us and hurt them,” Catholic coach Jill Clark said. “Then, another girl (KJ Fencher) went out and that helped us and hurt them. I thought our press was working good. Defense, we still have to hit the boards a little harder and passing, there were just too many turnovers. We’ve got to take care of the ball better.”
With Madison Triche and Johnson sitting out with injuries, the Patriots were already shorthanded and Fencher’s ankle injury in the third quarter left Pike Road with few experienced offensive weapons. Emerson Sporh led the Patriots with 12 points, followed by Samone Patterson with 11, all in the second half, and Fencher with eight, all in the first half.
“I get a lot out of this game,” Pike Road coach Barry Fencher said. “We’ll get something out of it. They’ve got to learn how to play hard.”
Allyse Rudoph added 16 points for Catholic, followed by Heaven Bailey with 10.
Catholic (5-1) will play Prattville Christian in the semifinals on Tuesday at 10 a.m., while Pike Road (2-3) will play Stanhope Elmore on Tuesday at 10 a.m
“We’re going to be a good team,” Fencher said. “We’re going to be a lot better than we were last year. We’ve got a lot more pieces.”
Loachpoka 43, Montgomery Academy 23
The Eagles struggled to find any offense, hitting just one basket in the first quarter, and could never close the gap on a Loachapoka team that pulled away for a 43-23 win in the opening round of the tournament.
The game was the season opener for Montgomery Academy (0-1), which got nine points from Kersten Daniel and six from Caroline Waller.
“It’s hard to simulate games in practice,” Montgomery Academy coach Reg Mantooth said, “and when you’ve got so many of them that have never played on varsity and you try to simulate how the game is going to go, it’s hard in practice. It was kind of what I expected. We’re not going to score a lot, but unlike last year there are a lot of 10th graders that are going to play and get better, so I think we’ll get better throughout the year.”
Jasmyn Thomas led Loachapoka with 24 points, helping the Indians to a 12-point halftime lead with 10 points in the second quarter. Kayla Dowdell added eight.
Loachapoka will play Brew Tech in the tournament semifinals on Tuesday, while Montgomery Academy will play Marbury. Both games are at 1 p.m.
Prattville Christian 78, Stanhope Elmore 12
Hannah Jones and CoCo Thomas combined for 24 points in the second quarter to turn Monday’s tournament opener into a rout as the Panthers held the Mustangs without a basket in the second and third quarters.
PCA led 15-5 at the end of the first quarter, 44-5 at the half and 71-6 at the end of the third quarter.
Jones finished with 31 points, nine rebounds and six steals while Thomas had 21 points and 10 rebounds. Neither played in the fourth quarter. Avery Rogers had 12 points, eight assists and four rebounds, Kayden Carr had five points, eight assists and six steals and Jenna McClendon had five points, six rebounds and five steals. Leah Cate Wilson scored four points and Baylee Rogers grabbed four rebounds.
Rylee Williams led Stanhope Elmore with six points.
PCA (4-1) will play Catholic in the semifinals of the tournament on Tuesday at 10 a.m., while Stanhope Elmore will play Pike Road at 10 a.m.
COACH LARRY CHAPMAN FOUNDATION TIPOFF CLASSIC
At Montgomery Academy
GIRLS
MONDAY’S RESULTS
Catholic 57, Pike Road 37
Brew Tech 57, Marbury 55
Prattville Christian 78, Stanhope Elmore 12
Loachapoka 43, Montgomery Academy 23
TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE
Catholic vs. Prattville Christian, 10 a.m.
Pike Road vs. Stanhope Elmore, 10 a.m.
Brew Tech vs. Loachapoka, 1 p.m.
Marbury vs. Montgomery Academy, 1 p.m.
WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE
Seventh place game, 9 a.m.
Fifth place game, 9 a.m.
Consolation finals, noon
Championship game, 1:30 p.m.