Alabama Christian (2-3) defeated PCA for just the second time in program history Thursday night with a 48-47 thriller at home. It was a long night at the gym with four games and an innumerable amount of traveling calls, but the boys varsity squad made it worth the wait.
Amazingly, PCA scored the first point of the night at the stripe for their only lead of the game. Christian Snipes scored on the next possession and the Eagles would never trail again. Snipes and Connor Mark combined for ten points in the opening period as ACA led 14-8 after one. In the second quarter the lead grew to seven on two occasions with Mac Moorer and Connor Mark threes. After Mark’s bucket, PCA responded with five points over the final fifty seconds to trim the lead to 23-21 at the half.
Mac Moorer and Jayden Jones hit back to back shots to open a 28-21 lead early in the third quarter. Late in the period the lead grew to eleven as Moorer connected on his second bomb of the half. With just over a minute left in the third, PCA responded with a three ball and gained immediate possession after a foul was called against ACA on the rebound. The Panthers converted to score five points on the possession which cut the lead to six. Another PCA three at the buzzer cut the lead to 40-36 as the team’s prepared for the fourth. ACA outscored the visitors 8-3 over the first four minutes of the final quarter. Moorer’s fourth three of the night gave ACA a 48-39 lead with just over four minutes to play. If you remember the final score, you realize those were the last points scored by the good guys on the evening. With three minutes left, the Panthers scored to cut the lead to 48-41. After an Eagle miss, PCA scored again to cut the lead to four as they had two offensive rebounds on the possession. On ACA’s next time down the court they were called for their fourth charge of the quarter to give the ball back to PCA. The Panthers hit a three to cut the lead to 48-47 with 1:45 left. ACA tried to run the clock out from there and almost made it, but a turnover with 16 seconds left gave the visitors one last chance. After calling a timeout with 9.9 seconds left, the Panthers ran a play and got a decent look but the ball rattled out and the Eagles hung on for the victory.
Alabama Christian finished with three players in double figures. Christian Snipes had 12 points with three rebounds along with Mac Moorer who had 12 on four made threes. Connor Mark finished with 10 points in the win. Darrius Gardner was again the team’s leading rebounder with six while Sam Davisdon and Tyree Saadiq both had five assists to lead the team.
Alabama Christian will host Ellwood Christian from Selma on Friday, December 1st.