GIRLS SUB-REGIONALS: PCA rips Montevallo to advance to regional semis
PCA’s Jenna McClendon looks to pass in the Lady Panthers’ win over Montevallo in Monday’s Sub-regional game. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
PRATTVILLE -- A lot of Prattville Christian Academy’s games this season look very similar to Monday’s 81-18 demolition of Montevallo in the 4A sub regionals.
It’s hard to tell just how battle tested the Panthers are, considering some of the competition this season, particularly in their area.
“That’s a good question,” PCA coach Jason Roberson said. “I do think we’ve played an extremely tough schedule, outside of our area. We’ve played St. James three times, we’ve played Trinity twice, we’ve played Spring Garden, we’ve played some really, really good teams. I think those types of teams will be there in the end. So we’re just hopeful that we’ll be there in the end, also.”
PCA (30-3) took the first step toward returning to the state tournament with a win over Montevallo as Hannah Jones had 23 points and nine rebounds and Avery Rogers connected on six 3-pointers to finish with 20 points, nine steals and seven assists.
PCA will face Hale County in a 4A Central Regional semifinal on Feb. 21 at either 9 a.m. or noon in Birmingham’s Bill Harris Arena. Montevallo ends the season at 14-16.
Montevallo wasn’t expected to put up much of a fight and fell behind 21-0 before finally scoring late in the first quarter and 36-2 before scoring again midway through the second quarter. The defensive effort in holding the Bulldogs to seven field goals (three of which came from Jailin Ivory’s nine-point performance) has been a trademark of the Panthers this season.
“I think we push it more on the fastbreak and we’re a lot quicker on defense,” Jones said.
Are the Panthers actually better by subtraction? PCA graduated the school’s career scoring leader, Ella Jane Connell, creating questions entering this season on just how good the Panthers could be.
“We’re a different team because she’s not a part of it, but we still have four starters back,” Roberson said. “And those four starters are better players this year than they were last year. They’ve improved a good bit.”
One of those, forward CoCo Thomas, didn’t play for the second consecutive game after injuring her shoulder against BTW Magnet in the area tournament, but Roberson said “she could have played, we were just being on the cautious side to make sure she’s 100 percent on Feb. 21.”
Leaving Thomas on the bench allowed Roberson to start both Ally Blankinchip and Jenna McClendon, who alternate with the four returning starters depending on whether the Panthers need defensive quickness (Blankinchip) or rebounding (McClendon).
“We have two sophomores that have really stepped up into that fifth spot,” Roberson said. “Ally Blankinchip plays her role so well. She gives 100 percent on defense, does the little things right, she doesn’t try to do too much. And it’s nice having a sophomore that’s 6-foot-3 that you can bring in as well. She’s got a ton of potential. I’m telling you, Jenna McClendon is going to be a superstar before it’s said and done.”
On Monday, McClendon had 10 points, 12 rebounds and seven steals, while Blakinchip had four points and four rebounds. Point guard Kayden Carr added nine points, five assists, four rebounds and four steals, while reserves Laura Beth NeSmith had eight points, Baylee Rogers had five points and Leah Cate Wilson grabbed four rebounds.
“This year, we’ve got seven players that have been fulltime varsity the whole year that we know can play against any type of competition,” Roberson said. “We’re a little deeper this year.”
When asked if that made Prattville Christian a better team this season, Jones quickly shook her head, thought about it for a minute and finally relented.
“I guess we are,” she said. “I think we’re a little quicker.”
That quickness, Roberson said, actually developed through the chemistry of this year’s squad as it tried to find its identity in the wake of Connell’s departure.
“Ella Jane was an unbelievable player but speed and quickness, she’d tell you, was not her game,” Roberson said. “I believe we’re a faster team, a quicker team that can get out and run a little more. We’re able to play a few different defenses that we didn’t mix in as much last year because of that.”
Connell’s magic in distributing the ball on offense or making plays on her own in 2022 actually led to a better defensive unit in 2023, Rogers said.
“She was a really, really good player,” Rogers said. “The main thing she did is lead our offense. I think our mindset kind of had to shift to the defensive end even more and we had to focus on getting better in that area.”
The Panthers have held 23 of their 33 opponents under 40 points, but they’ve also won 19 games by 30 or more points, which could be a cause for concern with more closely contested games on the horizon.
“I think we’ve played a lot of really good teams this year and I think those games have prepared us for what is coming up in the playoffs,” Rogers said. “I think we’re pretty confident that if we play our best we can do pretty good.”
The four returning starters know what it takes to win a state championship, which should help as the season is reduced to its final four games for those teams advancing to the finals.
“I would just say keep up the hard work in practice and film and just be dedicated and put in extra work to try and improve ourselves each and every day,” Jones said.
It’s a strange new path for the Panthers, who won a pair of 3A titles and were rewarded by being promoted to 4A by the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Competitive Balance Factor, which elevates the most successful private schools in classification.
“I definitely feel like we’re in a weird place,” Rogers said. “We’re back-to-back state champions, but we’ve moved up a classification. In some ways, people see us as this really good team and in other ways we’re kind of still the underdog.”
That could work in PCA’s favor. On the other hand, they will be facing successful programs with a deeper bench in the higher classification.
“Especially when you get to the final four, it’s tough, “ Roberson said. “3A, 4A, 5A, you’re talking about some really good teams. I don’t want to say 3A wasn’t tough because we had to scratch and claw at the end of those games just to come out on top. When you get to that point, the teams want it so much that the teams really fight.
“They’re good teams, in the first place, if you get there. Then, the atmosphere’s great and everybody’s pouring themselves into it. It doesn’t get any better than that.”