The Alabama Christian varsity squads last played twelve days ago at Thomasville, but returned to the hardwood Thursday afternoon with games against Westminster-Oak Mountain at Kingwood Church in Alabaster. The girls looked to halt a two-game losing skid while the boys aimed to extend their winning streak to five games. Both teams accomplished their mission with dominating performances as the girls won 55-22 and the boys final was 60-32. The boys victory was the ninth of the season which surpasses the win total from last season. Coach Jake Mitchell and his staff have done an excellent job in their first year with the program.
The girls game was one of milestones and records. Jaide Newkirk moved into the Top 10 career points in the second quarter and younger sister Adalynn Newkirk scored the first of what is sure to be many points of her career. Addison Smith set a new single game record with 11 steals. The home team scored the first three points of the game as ACA was scoreless in their first three possessions. Katelyn Sutton got the team on the board with a three and Izzy Warrick scored after a steal on the press and the Eagles never trailed again. The pressure defense employed by Alabama Christian overwhelmed the Knights who committed ten turnovers in the period. ACA led 16-8 after the first. Sutton, Warrick, and Newkirk each scored early in the second to stretch the lead to 22-8 and force a Westminster timeout with 6:05 left in the half. The Lady Eagles steadily increased the lead through the remainder of the half and took a 32-14 into the closet. Normally I would say locker room, but the locker room was literally a closet. Newkirk (15) and Warrick (10) combined for 25 of the team’s 32 first half points.
ACA outscored the home team 12-1 over the first half of the third period to build a 44-15 cushion despite one the starters fouling out early in the quarter. The defense did not allow a single made basket in the third as all five points from Westminster were from the free throw line. With a 52-19 lead after three quarters, the clock would run continuously and would end the game mercifully. The Eagles only score in the fourth was an Adalynn Newkirk three as Alabama Christian won 55-22.
Jaide Newkirk outscored the opponent with her 23 points and added 12 rebounds and five steals. Izzy Warrick followed with 17 points, nine steals, and seven rebounds. The team recorded 34 steals in the game as all nine players had at least one theft.
Like the girls game, Westminster scored the first basket of the nightcap, but a Mac Moorer trey gave the Eagles a lead they would never relinquish. In fact, after the opening score, ACA ran off twelve straight for a 12-2 lead midway through the first. Jackson Burton saw his first action of the year and scored in the opening period for a 14-4 lead. Burton was very active for the Eagles and gave a solid effort while on the floor. Moorer and Tyree Saadiq both hit threes to close the quarter for a 20-7 advantage. Both teams were cold to start the second as they combined to miss the first seven shots taken until Jayden Jones broke the streak with 5:42 left in the half. Moorer and Saadiq combined to score the next eleven points for Alabama Christian to build a 33-14 lead. Sam Davidson closed the half with a three for a 36-17 score at the break.
Jayden Jones and Tyree Saadiq carried the offense in the third period as the duo combined to score all ten of the squad’s points. Although the team scored just ten points, they held Westminster to seven on 3 for 15 shooting to extend the lead to 46-24 after three. ACA continued to pull away in the fourth quarter finally reaching the magic thirty point lead which triggered the running clock. The home team scored the final three point for the 60-32 final margin.
Mac Moorer led all scorers with 21 points as he connected on four of five shots from long range. Jayden Jones finished with 14 points and five rebounds while Tyree Saadiq had 13 points, six rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Jackson Burton led the team in rebounding off the bench with seven boards followed closely by Darius Gardner and TJ Merritt with six each.
Alabama Christian hosts Notasulga on Friday, December 29, for more holiday games.