PREP HOOPS RECAP: Macon East advances past Hooper in AISA Tourney
Hooper Academy’s Porter Henry is defended by Macon East’s Jeremiah Carnegie in Tuesday’s AISA first-round matchup. (Tim Gayle)
Compiled by TIM GAYLE
CECIL -- For a while, it didn’t look like either team wanted to advance to the AISA Elite Eight.
Macon East Academy, which had already beaten Hooper twice in the regular season, stumbled out to an early lead but the Knights’ advantage on the boards was the only thing keeping them in the lead as they had repeated breakdowns on defense which allowed the Colts to stay within striking distance.
“We played really well the other night at their place and beat them handily,” Macon East coach Glynn Lott said. “I think we felt like we’d walk out here and they just wouldn’t play tonight. We kind of went through the motions. We made a run right before the half, but I didn’t feel like we played very good defense tonight. We usually play a lot better on defense than we played tonight.”
Macon East (11-7) found enough big shots from Maurice Poole to keep the lead and finish off the Colts 64-56 in the first round of the AISA Class AA state tournament in the Macon East gym on Tuesday night. The Knights will continue play in the Elite Eight on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Multiplex against Sparta, while the Colts saw their season come to an end on Tuesday night.
“We just never got going this year,” Hooper coach Tommy Norman said. “We got started and immediately were quarantined for two weeks. Then we got playing a little bit and started losing games (from the schedule because of COVID-19 effect on opponents). We just never really recovered from that.”
The Colts fell behind 7-0 on Tuesday and Macon extended the lead to 13 points at the half as Poole hit a pair of 3 pointers following Hooper turnovers against the Macon press.
To make matters worse, Hooper played without Rusty Moseley, losing their best post presence.
“We got outrebounded and he’s my biggest guy,” Norman said. “That could have been a difference if he had been here. I’ve got to give it to Macon. They made shots when they had to make shots. That little point guard (Poole) they had, every time we started closing the gap a little bit, he’d make a shot. We’d try to sink in to stop the interior passes and then he’d make a shot. We’d slide out, then they would throw the ball inside. That really hurt us a lot. He played a heck of a game.”
Poole finished with 20 points, followed by Chase Dumas with 15 and Tyler Daniels with 14. Mark Jones led Hooper with 15 points, followed by Porter Henry with 14.
And while every team has faced unique challenges because of COVID-19, few teams can match the challenges faced by Macon East, a team that started the season under head coach Lincoln Glass before his sudden dismissal seven games into the season. Into that void stepped Lott, the school’s headmaster, head football coach and head softball coach who hasn’t coached boys’ basketball in two decades.
“We’re still trying to figure each other out,” Lott said. “We’re still looking for an identity on offense. We don’t run many plays. I’m trying to get them to run a play and they’re trying not to run one, so we kind of have a mutual agreement on that.”
The Knights were 3-4 under Glass, but have turned around their fortunes under Lott, going 8-3 with an overtime loss to area rival Chambers, the Class A runner-up last season; and losses to Springwood and Glenwood, a pair of teams in the AAA Elite Eight.
“We all agreed that the main thing was (the players),” Lott said, “trying to make sure they had everything they needed. They were put in a situation that wasn’t something they earned or asked for. I’ve asked them to help me as much as I’m trying to help them because it’s been a give-and-take thing to work with them on what they do and not change a lot.
“I put in a couple of set plays just so I would know a play instead of just calling their plays and trying to figure them out. I’m still trying to figure out some of the plays.”
Defense is the strength of the Knights, but offense can often be a challenge before Glass and Lott have two distinctly different offensive styles.
“We’ll play good enough defense to keep us in the game,” Lott said. “We have the potential that everybody can score. We’re real balanced. That’s the biggest thing on offense is we’ve been spreading it around. I like to play more up-tempo than Coach Glass did but they’ve always been a good defensive team.”
He admitted there are times he isn’t sure what his players are trying to do on offense, but it’s a feeling he’s had in the past.
“I’ve coached girls’ basketball for a long time,” he said. “They run a lot of stuff where you don’t know what they’re doing, so that’s been beneficial.”
Saturday’s meeting between Macon East and Sparta is the second this year. The two met in the fifth game of the regular season, with the Knights winning 49-36, but that was a team coached by Glass. This time, Macon East might not have the same success on offense.
“We’re still trying to find an offensive identity,” Lott said. “It’s probably not a good time to try and still find one, but we are.”
BOYS BASKETBALL
Evangel Christian Academy 57, Meadowview Christian 20
Cyrek Smith scored a season-high 19 points, hitting five 3 pointers in a first-round playoff win over Meadowview Christian in the Evangel gym on Tuesday night.
Nii Addy finished with 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Lions.
The defending Class A state champions advanced to the AISA Elite Eight and will face Restoration Academy on Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl.
Springwood School 61, Success Unlimited Academy 36
Tyrese Ferguson scored 18 points to lead Springwood to a first-round playoff win over the Mustangs in the Success Unlimited gym on Tuesday night.
Eli Westbrook added 14 points and Calvin Crabb had 13 for Springwood, which will face Tuscaloosa Academy in the AISA Class AAA Elite Eight on Monday at 11:30 a.m. in the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl.
Montgomery Academy 67, Marbury 63
Britton Kohn had 17 points, 13 rebounds and four assists to lead the Eagles in their last home game of the season.
Jamal Cooper chipped in 14 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, while Thomas Kirkham and Nigel Walker each scored eight points on 4 of 5 shooting from the floor. Kirkham also had 9 rebounds. James Snead chipped in six points and 11 rebounds.
Montgomery Academy (8-9) will play its final regular season game on Thursday night at Chilton County.
Autaugaville 51, Prattville Christian 48
PRATTVILLE -- Jacob Comer scored 18 points and handed out four assists, but the Panthers fell just short of upsetting the unbeaten Eagles (23-0) in the PCA gym on Tuesday night.
Carson Roberson added 15 points for PCA, followed by Coleman Hunter with 10 points, five rebounds and five assists. PCA (8-18) remains home to play host to St. James on Friday at 7 p.m.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Trinity 56, Alabama Christian 24
Maddie Smith had 17 points, seven steals, six assists and four rebounds to lead the Wildcats past Alabama Christian in the ACA gym on Tuesday night.
Mary Alice Sasser scored 13 points to go along with four assists. Emma Kate Smith also had 13 points, along with eight steals, seven assists and five rebounds. Kaylee Peevy grabbed nine rebounds and scored seven points.
Michaelyn Manning led the Eagles with 19 points.
Montgomery Academy 55, Marbury 35
Chloe Johnson had 14 points, six rebounds and four assists to lead the Eagles to a 20-point win over the Bulldogs on Tuesday night.
Leighton Robertson added 12 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three blocks, while Anaya Thomas had 10 points and seven rebounds for the Eagles.
Montgomery Academy (21-2) will travel to Chilton County on Thursday.
Prattville Christian 71, Autaugaville 7
PRATTVILLE -- Ella Jane Connell led the Lady Panthers with 18 points, eight steals, five assists and four rebounds in an easy victory over the 1A Eagles in the PCA gym on Tuesday night.
CoCo Thomas added 15 points and 12 rebounds, followed by Avery Rogers with 11 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals. Hannah Jones added nine points and 11 rebounds, while LB NeSmith scored nine points and Sydney Lee had four points and four assists. Sarah Williams and Naomi Taake each grabbed four rebounds.
PCA (21-5) remains home to play host to St. James on Friday at 5:30 p.m.