In the previous meeting a month ago, Pike Liberal left the gym feeling good about themselves and were not afraid to crow about it in the six-point win over ACA. The visiting Patriots left the Alabama Christian gym shell-shocked Friday night after taking a 55-27 beating. The Eagles ran circles around the visitors in a convincing victory.
Mac Moorer hit a trio of threes to help stake the Eagles to a 13-2 lead midway through the opening period. ACA closed the quarter with a set play that ended with Sam Davidson finding Darius Gardner in the lane for a layup and a 19-7 advantage heading to the second. Alabama Christian turned up the defensive pressure in the second as they forced nine Patriot turnovers and outscored the visitors 24-9 in the quarter. Jayden Jones led the offense with eight points in the period as seven different players scored in the half.
The Eagles held Pike Liberal scoreless for over six minutes in the third quarter as they built a 49-16 cushion. For the second time in a week, ACA took the air out of the ball and slowed the pace to run the clock out. Like the victory formation in a football game, the Alabama Christian faithful know a win is right around the corner when the offense spreads the floor and works the clock. Mac Moorer scored twice and Jayden Jones once for the team’s only points as the team took just five shots over the final eight minutes.
Mac Moorer was the game’s leading scorer with 20 points. Jayden Jones scored ten points with two rebounds, assists and blocks while Tyree Saadiq finished the night with eight points, five assists, five steals and four rebounds. Darius Gardner controlled the boards with nine rebounds and contributed four assists and two blocked shots.
ACA plays in the Area tournament on Tuesday night against the host team, St James.