After winning both games yesterday, ACA came home and won two more to close out the calendar year. The Eagles (10-4) defeated Notasulga 52-38 while the Lady Eagles (8-5) handled the Blue Devils 55-13.
Alabama Christian traded baskets with Notasulga to start the boys game as the lead changed hands four times in the first three minutes. Trailing by a point, Tyree Saadiq put the Eagles up one, 6-5, and the lead would not change for the rest of the afternoon. Connor Mark and Mac Moorer hit back to back bombs followed by a Jayden Jones two to extend the lead to 14-5. Mark and Moorer connected again later in the period to give ACA a 20-8 lead after one. The second quarter was played evenly as Alabama Christian never led by more than fourteen and Notasulga was never closer than eight points. The Eagles led 32-21 at the break.
ACA turned up the heat defensively in the third period scoring eight consecutive points for a 40-23 advantage as four different players scored in the run. The two teams both scored seven points to end the third as the home team held a 47-30 lead. The defense continued to shine as the Devils did not score over the first three minutes in the final quarter. Neither team scored over the final 2:45 of the contest as ACA won the game, 52-38.
Mac Moorer led the offense with 21 points as he connected on eight of ten shots from the field. Jayden Jones finished with ten points, four rebounds, and three assists while Connor Mark contributed ten points of his own with three rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Darius Gardner led the team with eight rebounds and Tyree Saadiq produced five steals and five assists.
Katelyn Sutton missed most of Thursday’s game with foul trouble, but she more than made up for it Friday with a magnificent game against Notasulga. The junior point guard made eight of eleven shots and led the team in rebounds and assists. ACA overwhelmed its opponent as they shutout Notasulga in the first period to lead 22-0 after the first eight minutes. The trio of Sutton, Jaide Newkirk, and Izzy Warrick scored all of the points in the quarter. The visitors managed just four shots in the first and committed ten turnovers. Neither team scored to start the second until Warrick broke the string more than three minutes into the period. The Blue Devils scored their first points of the game with three minutes left in the half. Alabama Christian led 31-4 at the half led by Sutton’s 14 points.
The starters rested for chunks of the second half, but with just nine players there was only so much Coach Cantrell can do. Marcy Gregory and Madison Williams both scored in the quarter as the offensive opportunities spread to everyone. The Lady Eagles led 46-12 at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth, Addison Smith joined the scorers column and Katelyn Sutton put an exclamation on her performance with a three to close out the scoring in the 55-13 final.
Katelyn Sutton led all scorers with 22 points and added eight rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Jaide Newkirk finished with 15 points and six rebounds while Izzy Warrick added a double-double with ten points and ten steals.
Alabama Christian will finish their Christmas break and return to the court Friday, January 5th, at Ellwood Christian in Selma.