TUESDAY ROUNDUP: St. James boys headed to regional; PCA falters; Trinity soccer sweeps ACA

Coach Nigel Card led the St. James Trojans to a win over Randolph County in the Central Sub-Regional round on Tuesday. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE
Can St. James use its football success to make a deep run in the boys’ basketball playoffs?

The Trojans got a late start in basketball while they were competing in the football playoffs, but four of the five returning starters were ready by the time they opened the season with a 65-64 overtime win at Catholic on Dec. 5.

The biggest question for the Trojans was how they would replace the team’s best player, graduated senior Bradley Thomas.

“Bradley was the most important player that has come through St. James basketball,” junior forward KJ Jackson said. “I mean, we went the fartherest (in the playoffs) with him leading our team. He was amazing. He could have played college basketball if he wanted to.

“But we’re the same team. We just all got a little bit better and that’s what is going to put us in position to be back in the same place we were with Brad.”

Last year’s team made history by beating Booker T. Washington in the regional finals to earn its first-ever trip to the state tournament (where the Trojans lost to Jacksonville 51-37). In the 28 years of region play prior to last year, St. James had only reached the regionals four times.  

A lot of their success last year could be traced to the play of Thomas. Replacing him would be key to St. James’ success this season.

“I don’t think you do,” St. James coach Nigel Card pointed out. “The philosophy of how we approach it is going to be totally different than we approached it last year. Bradley got us out of so many situations because he had really, really good ball skills and he understood when to be extremely aggressive. My guards are feeling their way. They’re more of a system-type player. Bradley could get out of the system any time and do things.”

But the development of those guards has created a different type of expectation. Guards Ethan Beard and Clint Houser, a pair of returning starters that created plenty of fireworks as receivers on the football team, have improved as shooters and the third guard, Paxton Wingard, is crucial for perimeter scoring.

“It’s a different team because we’re more versatile this year,” Jackson said early this season. “It’s going to take longer because we’re not centered around our point guard but we’re going to get back to being a strong team.”

 The Trojans earned just their sixth trip to the regionals since that format was adopted 30 years ago with a 63-21 win over Randolph County in a 3A sub-regional game at home on Tuesday. Wingard scored 14, Jackson added 12 and Beard had 10 as St. James held the overmatched Tigers to just five points over the first three quarters while building a 51-5 lead.

In a close game -- which every remaining game this season should be -- the Trojans will need contributions from each of the starting five on both ends of the floor. Several defensive schemes, such as the Trojans’ pressure package, were installed recently as the team continues to work on catching up after missing a month for football.

“They’re very similar, but not quite as good defensively as we were a year ago,” Card said. “But we still have those tendencies where we can play aggressively out of our 2-3 (zone) and get some steals and easy baskets on the other end.”

 How far can it carry the Trojans? St. James will play a talented Southside team on Monday and, should it advance, have three days to prepare for Sumter Central or Dadeville. They could win both games or lose either based on their style of play, but after winning 12 straight games to get to this point, it would be hard to convince the players they’re not a team of destiny.

“I think (the football championship) helped the skill group (of football players) understand that they could compete and win at a high level,” Card said. “We have such a really good group of kids. They like to compete, they play hard all the time. That makes a coach’s job easy.

 “You’ve got to give credit to the kids because we got such a late start because of football. If you look at other teams, they’ve played quite a few more games. So we’re still, at times, getting better. Sometimes, we go backwards a little bit but we’re still trying to get our legs under us and get ready for the competition down the stretch.”

BOYS BASKETBALL

Bibb County 54, Prattville Christian 35

CENTREVILLE -- Conner Williams led the Panthers with 10 points and five rebounds as PCA closed out the season with a loss in a 4A sub-regional game in the Bibb County gym on Tuesday night.

Brady Roberson added nine points for PCA, followed by Carson Roberson with six points, Cade Segars with five points and Collier Connell with three points. PJ Evans grabbed 5 rebounds.  

Bibb County will play Corner on Saturday in the Central Regionals, while PCA ends the season at 15-18. PCA’s only senior, Carson Roberson, finishes his career as one of the most prolific shooters in Alabama High School Athletic Association history. His 126 made three pointers last season is tied for 11th most in AHSAA history and his 363 career 3-pointers rank 12th.

Autaugaville 74, Notasulga 61

AUTAUGAVILLE -- Jaden Nixon had 32 points as the Eagles advanced to the regionals for the fourth consecutive year with a 74-61 win over the Blue Devils in a 1A sub-regional matchup on Tuesday in the Autaugaville gym.

DeShawn Hall added 14 for Autaugaville, which was playing in a sub-regional for the 15th time in the last 16 years. The Eagles will play R.C. Hatch in the Central Regional semifinals on Thursday at either 4:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. in Birmingham’s Bill Harris Arena.

BOYS SOCCER

Trinity 5, Alabama Christian 0

Kip Brown and Jackson Champion both scored a pair of goals and Will Owen added another as the Wildcats shut out ACA 5-0 on Tuesday.  

Kirby Lumpkin and Champion both had assists in the win.

Montgomery Academy 6, Catholic 1

Montgomery Academy defeated Catholic 6-1 at Catholic on Tuesday night.

Will Belsterling scored the Knights’ only goal with an assist by goalie Harrison Howell.

Catholic will travel to Dale County on Friday for the Knights’ first area match.

GIRLS SOCCER

Trinity 6, Alabama Christian 0

Ella Wiswall scored three goals, Hastings Avant had two and Ella Hammonds Shannahan scored one goal as the Wildcats defeated ACA 6-0 on Tuesday.

Goal keeper Mary Collin McDuffe got the shutout for Trinity (2-1-1).