Week in Review - Guthrie Notches First Win as ACA Coach

Augusta Guthrie picked up her first win of the season as the leader of the Lady Eagle program in a 41-23 victory at Thorsby on Thursday night. Alabama Christian faithful hope this is the first of many wins in the long tenure of Coach Guthrie as she leads the girl’s basketball program. The girls lost two out of three as they had a busy week coming off Thanksgiving break. The boys lost both games they played this week.

Coach Guthrie talks to her team during a timeout.

The week began with a Tuesday matchup against MA. Only the girls played on Tuesday due to MA still being in the football playoffs, although they managed to field a team for their own Thanksgiving tournament the previous week. MA is a perennial power in girls basketball and they dominated the game from the opening tip. The visiting Eagles scored the first eleven points of the game and led 17-1 after a quarter. Katie Chappell closed the first half with back-to-back buckets but ACA still trailed 27-8 at the break. The deficit grew in the second half and the Lady Eagles were beaten 52-17. Izzy Warrick led the Eagles with seven points, four rebounds and four steals. Katie Chappell and Rachel Rine each scored four points while Chappell pulled down a team high eight rebounds.

Izzy Warrick drives for two.

The Lady Eagles hit the road for the first time this season on Thursday night with a visit to Thorsby. The Rebel’s gym was barely bigger than the court as about twelve inches separated the baseline and the wall. The Rebel offense was Arctic Circle cold in the first half as they scored just one bucket from the field. ACA did not take advantage of the anemic offense and led just 14-4 at the break. Rachel Rine came off the bench to spark the squad and scored eight of the team’s fourteen first half points, including a four-point play on her very first shot. The Eagles led 12-1 after one period, but managed only two points in the second quarter for the ten-point halftime lead. The two teams played evenly in the third period as ACA increased its lead by just one point, to 22-11, headed into the final quarter. Katie Chappell scored four of the team’s eight points in the quarter to help keep the lead in double digits. The two teams combined to score just 33 points over the first three quarters, but exploded in the fourth period to combine for 31 points. The Rebels cut the lead to 27-22 halfway through the period, but ACA responded with a 14-1 run to finish the game for the 41-23 triumph. The Lady Eagles moved the ball and found the post to pull away late as four of the last six baskets were assisted. Rachel Rine led the team with 14 points followed by Izzy Warrick with 11 points, four rebounds and four steals. Katie Chappell finished with six points and a team high eleven rebounds while Katelyn Sutton led the squad with six assists.

Rachel Rine takes a shot against Thorsby.

After nine days off, the boys team played Thorsby on Thursday night and the rust showed. The team could not put together an extended stretch of winning basketball and it cost them in the 66-48 loss to the Rebels. The game was close through the first two quarters as the 28-21 advantage Thorsby had at the half was the biggest lead for either team. Avery Stuart put the team ahead, 10-9, for the last time with a little more than two minutes left in the first period. With the game tied 14-14, Thorsby closed the first half on a 14-7 run to take the lead into the locker room. The Eagles showed a spark of life to start the second half as Devin Mosely scored and Gerrod Green added a free throw after a steal in the first forty seconds of the period to cut the lead to four points. The home team scored the next nine points over the next two minutes as ACA committed two turnovers and gave up three offensive rebounds during the stretch. Isaac Warrick and Stuart combined for six consecutive points to cut the score to 30-37 for the last serious run the Eagles had on the night. Thorsby led 47-34 after three quarters and led by double figures throughout the final period. Avery Stuart finished with 28 points and three rebounds. Isaac Warrick had eight points, eight rebounds and three steals while Gerrod Green had eight points, seven rebounds and five steals.  

Avery Stuart hammers one at Thorsby.

The week ended with both varsity teams hosting Highland Home. In the girls game, points were hard to come by as the teams combined to miss 35 free throws on the night. Jaide Newkirk carried the offensive load as she scored eight of the team’s eleven first half points. Highland Home outscored the Eagles 11-2 to start the second half to build a 26-13 lead with three minutes left in the third period. ACA cut the lead to five late in the game, but missed several key free throws to prevent them from getting any closer. The Squadron did just enough to record the 37-30 road win. Jaide Newkirk led all scorers with 19 points with eight rebounds. Rachel Rine finished with five points, four rebounds and three steals while Katie Chappell had four points, thirteen rebounds and three assists.

Jaide Newkirk lays in two of her team high nineteen points.

The boys game pitted a very big, confident team in Highland Home against the Eagles who are still trying to find an identity this season. ACA kept it close in the first quarter as Avery Stuart hit two threes early to keep it tight. The Squadron led 20-15 at the end of the quarter. The game got away from Alabama Christian in the second quarter as Highland Home blanked the home team 18-0 over the first six minutes of the period. The lead had ballooned to 42-19 by halftime in favor of the visitors. The second half was much of the same and Highland Home cruised to a 73-43 win over Alabama Christian. Avery Stuart was the top scorer with 15 points while Gerrod Green had eleven and D’andre Sneed had eight points.

D’andre Sneed goes coast to coast for two against Highland Home.

Both squads will host St James and Trinity next week.

ACA Opens Varsity Basketball Schedule

Alabama Christian opened the Varsity basketball season Friday night as the boys and girls hosted Marbury. The Bulldogs were a late replacement on the schedule due to Highland Home still being in the football playoffs. Both Eagle teams will look much different in 2021/2022. Second year coach Steven Thomas has only two players returning from last year's squad on the boys team as six players graduated and three decided not to participate this season. The girls have a new coaching staff as Augusta Guthrie takes the reins, assisted by Spenser Cantrell. Both coaches played college ball at Faulkner. The Lady Eagles will be very young this season as seven of the eleven players are freshmen.

Jaide Newkirk brings in a rebound in the middle of the Marbury team.

The Lady Bulldogs reached the 5A Final Four last year and ACA would have their hands full against a quality opponent. The game was close in the opening quarter as Katie Chappell put the Eagles up 9-8 on a feed from Rachel Rine with just over two minutes left in the period. Chappell scored seven of the nine points in the first as Marbury led 13-9 headed to the second quarter. Marbury subbed a new five in the second period, which might have been their starters, and they cruised to a 40-15 lead at the half as they outscored the Eagles 27-6 in the quarter. Alabama Christian continued to fight in the second half and outscored the Lady Dawgs 17-11 in the third period. The Eagles got as close as sixteen down at 45-29 after Katelyn Sutton, Izzy Warrick and Jaide Newkirk scored on three consecutive possessions. Marbury led by nineteen at the end of the third and went on to beat ACA 67-40.

Izzy Warrick gets ready on defense.

Katie Chappell opened her senior season with a double-double as she led the squad with 19 points and 16 rebounds with four steals. Newcomer Rachel Rine scored seven points with a team high four assists while Jaide Newkirk and Izzy Warrick each scored five points.

The boys game was tight throughout as neither team led by more than seven points. After allowing Marbury to score the first five points of the game, ACA chipped away at the lead and tied the game 9-9 after Gerrod Green had a steal and a bucket. Mason Kimbro hit a basket at the end of the quarter to give Alabama Christian a 14-13 advantage after a quarter. The Bulldogs outscored ACA 9-1 to start the second period, but the Eagles quickly tied it after back-to-back threes by Avery Stuart. Three more buckets gave ACA its biggest lead at 30-23 late in the half. Marbury hit three free throws in the final ninety seconds to close the gap to 30-26 at the half.

Avery Stuart tips off the season against Marbury.

Marbury retook the lead midway through the third period and the lead changed hands four times over the final four minutes of the quarter as Marbury led 43-38 after three. The Eagles had to fight the whole fourth quarter to climb their way back in it after falling behind 47-40 with 6:33 left in the game. The home team got as close as one point down, but could never take the lead back. Twice, the Eagles had chances to take the lead with the ball, but failed to score both times. Marbury outscored Alabama Christian 5-0 over the final 26 seconds to pull out the 62-55 victory.

Gerrod Green scores two from close range.

Avery Stuart led the team with 18 points with seven rebounds and three steals. Gerrod Green scored 14 points with seven steals and five boards. Mason Kimbro and Clay Williams both scored eight on the night as Williams also collected five rebounds.

Both teams will play in a Thanksgiving tournament hosted by Alabama Christian next week.

Eagles Fall to BTW-Tuskegee in Regionals

It took ACA almost a quarter to adjust to the gym, the noise and most importantly its opponent, but the Eagles came up just short in a 67-60 loss to BTW-Tuskegee. On three different occasions, Alabama Christian pulled to within a bucket of the Golden Eagles, but could never get the lead. The Eagles trailed by as many as 11 in the first period, but Avery Stuart scored the last two baskets of the quarter to cut the lead to 18-11 after the first eight minutes.

Avery Stuart looks for an opening against BTW.

Alabama Christian scored the first two points of the second quarter to cut the lead to 18-13, but then committed fouls on three straight defensive possessions that allowed BTW to score six points and open the lead to 24-13. ACA responded with a 10-0 run to cut the lead to one point as DeAndre Sneed, Braden Alford and Avery Stuart each scored in the outburst. After trading turnovers, the Eagles remarkably fouled on three straight possessions again and allowed the Golden Eagles to take a 31-23 lead. BTW led at the half, 34-25.

BTW scored the first eight points of the second half and it felt like the game might slip away, but to the Eagles credit they responded with an 18-3 run to pull within two points with just over a minute left in the third quarter. Caden Perry helped lead the charge with seven points during the run. The quarter ended with BTW leading 49-43. The Eagles pulled to within five points twice in the final period, but that was close as they could get. Alford hit the last basket of the game for the final margin of 67-60.

Jalen Clark drives to the basket.

Avery Stuart scored 20 points to lead the Eagles with five rebounds while Braden Alford had 11 points with five rebounds and three steals. Jalen Clark recorded another double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds with three steals and Caden Perry finished with 10 points and five rebounds.

Alabama Christian Beats Bibb County to Advance to Regionals

Big time players step up in big time moments and that is exactly what Jalen Clark and Avery Stuart did Wednesday night as they led the Eagles to a 56-52 win over Bibb County. Clark, who has been a scorer his whole career, has not had to carry the offensive load this season, but he answered the call when needed in the Sub-regional game and Stuart continues to be a reliable offensive weapon for the ACA attack. The duo combined for 41 of the team’s 56 points in the 56-52 triumph.

Jalen Clark looks to break down his defender.

The Choctaws held an early 4-0 lead until Clark drained a three for the Eagles first points of the contest. ACA scored the last five points of the period on three Caden Perry free throws and a Clark stick back and led 13-8 at the end of one. Alabama Christian led 17-10 with 6:30 remaining in the half, but Bibb County pulled even by the half as the teams left the floor tied 26-26. ACA managed only eight points in the third quarter and trailed 39-32 late in the period when Braden Alford came up with a steal and drew a Choctaw foul at the buzzer to earn two chances at the free throw line. Standing alone on the court, the senior hit both attempts to trim the lead to 39-34. The momentum from that play did not last long as Bibb County grabbed its biggest lead of the night at 44-36 with 6:14 left in the contest. With 4:01 remaining and trailing 46-41, the Eagles finally got the run they needed as they scored nine consecutive points in 87 seconds to take a 50-46 lead. The run started with a Clark rebound of a missed free throw. The senior hit Stuart on the run for a basket and a foul. After the made free throw the lead was cut to two points and Stuart scored on the next two trips down the floor to give ACA a 48-46 advantage. Braden Alford forced a turnover and even though he missed the layup, Clark got the put back for the 50-46 lead with 2:34 left in the contest. Bibb County tied the game with 54.3 seconds remaining, but Avery Stuart knocked down two free throws with 37.1 seconds left on the clock. After ACA missed a pair of free throws, Bibb County had a chance to tie the game or take the lead, but Hayes Hunt blocked the Choctaw shot and saved the ball to Clark, who was fouled, with just 7.2 seconds remaining. Clark calmly hit the free throws for the 56-52 win and a trip to Regionals.

Avery Stuart takes the Choctaw defense to the basket.

Jalen Clark led all scorers with 22 points, 16 coming in the first half, and recorded a double-double with 11 rebounds. Avery Stuart carried the offensive load in the second half with 16 points after intermission, 14 in the fourth period, and finished the night with 19 points, three rebound and three blocks.

ACA advances to Regionals for the first time in 23 years and will travel to Tuskegee to take on Booker T Washington on Friday night.

Alabama Christian Defeats BTW for Area Title

The boys team looked to duplicate the achievement of the Lady Eagles and win the final game of the Area tournament Saturday afternoon against the Yellow Jackets of BTW. ACA accomplished the task with a 70-47 victory to take the title. Both teams started tight as it took both teams almost two minutes to score the first points of the game. Hayes Hunt put the Eagles ahead for good with a put back basket and a 4-2 lead and ACA led 12-10 after one. Once again the second quarter started slowly as neither team scored in the first two minutes of the period. However, once ACA did score the flood gates opened and the Eagles blitzed the Yellow Jackets with a 22-2 run to close out the half. The highlight of the quarter was a steal and slam by Avery Stuart to give Alabama Christian a 20-12 lead. The half ended with the Eagles holding a commanding 34-12 lead.

Hayes Hunt drives to the basket against the BTW defense.

The Eagles stretched the lead to 24 points in the third period and Coach Thomas began to substitute freely as many players were able to play in the second half. Despite the many substitutions, Alabama Christian outscored the Jackets 36-35 in the half for the 70-47 winning margin. Tournament MVP, Hayes Hunt led the Eagle attack with 15 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks while Avery Stuart had 14 points with four rebounds and three blocks. Braden Alford scored 12 points while Preston Hicks added 11 points, three rebounds and three assists. All four double digit scorers were named to the All-tournament team.

Braden Alford shoots a three from the corner.

The Eagles will host Bibb County on Tuesday night in the Sub-regional round of the playoffs.

ACA Breaks Streak with Victory Over Trinity

December 8, 2015 was the last time ACA had defeated Trinity in basketball until Tuesday night. The Eagles broke an eleven game losing streak to the Wildcats with a 57-50 triumph on their home floor. After a Trinity basket to start the scoring, Alabama Christian scored eleven straight points from four different players to open an 11-2 lead midway through the opening quarter. The Eagles remained aggressive throughout the first half and kept the lead between six and twelve points until halftime. Hayes Hunt scored with four minutes to go in the half to give the Eagles their biggest lead at 25-13 and the home team led 28-17 at intermission. The Wildcats responded in the third quarter and erased the Eagle advantage to take a 43-42 lead into the final period. Trinity scored the first points of the fourth quarter and the Eagles countered with nine consecutive points as four different players scored over the next four minutes to take 51-45 lead into the final three minutes of the game. Trinity could never get closer than four points as Avery Stuart and Braden Alford knocked down their free throws in the final minute to help secure the win. Stuart led all scorers with 19 points, hitting all seven of his free throws, and added nine rebounds while Jalen Clark finished with nine points, five rebounds and five steals. Elijah Collins scored eight points with three rebounds and Caden Perry had eight points, seven rebounds and three blocks.

Avery Stuart readies to drive down the floor against Trinity.

The Lady Eagles were overwhelmed by a very talented Trinity squad, 56-24. Izzy Warrick hit an early three to cut the Wildcat lead to 4-3 and that was as close as ACA would ever get. Trinity scored the next ten points and led 23-4 at the end of one. It was more of the same in the second quarter and the Trinity lead was extended to 43-15. The Eagles outscored the Wildcat’s second unit in the fourth quarter, 6-0, but it wasn’t near enough in the 32 point defeat. Senior Michaelyn Manning was the offense for ACA as she scored 19 of the team’s 24 points on the night along with a team high seven rebounds and five steals.

Michaelyn Manning drives the lane and draws the foul against Trinity.

Alabama Christian wraps up the regular season Friday night as they visit Elmore County.

Eagles Swept by Wetumpka

Alabama Christian hosted 6A Wetumpka Friday night and were beaten in both varsity contests. The Lady Eagles had not played Wetumpka since 2003 and kept the game close for three quarters, but were unable to keep pace in the fourth period as the Indians pulled away for a 52-34 win. After ACA scored the first bucket of the game, Wetumpka ran off nine straight points for a seven point lead, but only scored once more the last four minutes of the period. Michaelyn Manning scored four points in the final minute of the quarter to cut the lead to 11-6 after one. Once again, the Indians stretched the lead to start the second and led 23-11 midway through the period, but like the first quarter the offense stalled and the Eagles scored the last six points of the half to trail 23-17 at intermission. In the second half, a quick bucket by Manning and a put back by Heather Ford cut the Wetumpka lead to a single basket. The quarter remained close and the Eagles trailed 33-28 heading to the fourth. Wetumpka outscored ACA 19-6 in the last period to close out the game. Manning led the offense with 15 points and five rebounds. Sarah Johnson scored eight points with four rebounds and Jaide Newkirk added four points.

Michaelyn Manning pulls up at the foul line for a jumper.

The boys game was a close affair, but the Eagles just could not get over the hump and take the lead. A tough night at the line didn’t help matters as ACA missed twenty free throws in a whistle happy game that saw 49 fouls called between the two teams. Alabama Christian trailed 18-13 after one quarter as Elijah Collins scored five points to pace the Eagles. ACA still trailed by five with five minutes left to go in the half when Jalen Clark and Hayes Hunt combined to score the last ten Eagle points of the first half to cut the Indian lead to 29-27 at the break. Wetumpka scored the first eight points of the second half to open up a ten point lead and were able to maintain at least a five point lead for the remainder of the contest. Alabama Christian made a run very late in the game as Avery Stuart scored six points in the last forty seconds, but it wasn’t enough as the Eagles fell 57-51. Stuart led the Eagles with 14 points and four rebounds while Jalen Clark had 11 points and six rebounds and Hayes Hunt added 10 points and seven rebounds.

Avery Stuart battles for a loose ball against a Wetumpka defender.

Alabama Christian next plays Trinity on Tuesday night, February 2nd.

Michaelyn Manning Ranks Eighth in Career Points After LAMP Game

Senior Michaelyn Manning passed Heather Dailey and Suzy Stowe to move into eighth place in points scored in program history. Manning’s 14 points against LAMP gives her 744 points for her career. ACA defeated the Golden Tigers, 40-25, to clinch the regular season Area title and secured a spot in the sub-regionals. The game was tied 6-6 midway through the opening period when Manning and Izzy Warrick hit back-to-back threes to give the Eagles a lead they would never relinquish. Late in the second quarter, Heather Ford scored five consecutive points to stretch the ACA lead to 23-9 as the Eagles took control of the game. In the third period, neither team could score as the two opponents combined for only ten points. Alabama Christian led 27-17 heading to the final period. The Lady Eagles connected on 7 of 10 free throws in the fourth to keep LAMP at arm’s length and won the contest by 15 points. Manning led the offense with 14 points, seven rebounds and three steals while Ford had seven points with eleven rebounds and four blocks. Katie Chappell had seven points, five rebounds and three steals and Izzy Warrick finished with seven points, three rebounds and three steals.

Heather Ford scores down low for the Eagles.

The boys also had a chance to clinch a spot in the sub-regional round against LAMP Friday night and the Eagles beat the Golden Tigers, 57-42. The game was tightly contested for the first ten minutes as ACA led 14-13 one minute into the second quarter. Alabama Christian scored the next 13 points in the game and held LAMP scoreless for over six minutes and led 27-16 at the half. The second half started with a bang as Avery Stuart stole the ball and hammered home a two-hand dunk for the first bucket of the quarter. LAMP responded and cut the score to 35-30 with 2:29 remaining in the third and the period ended with the Eagles leading 37-30. ACA scored the first eight points of the final quarter and looked ready to put LAMP away, but was unable as LAMP once again closed the gap and trailed 47-40 with two minutes left in the game. The Eagles hit eight of nine free throws in the final 1:42 of the game to expand the lead and beat LAMP 57-42. Stuart led the Eagle attack with 24 points and four rebounds and Braden Alford scored nine points. Caden Perry added seven points with five rebounds while Hayes Hunt grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the team.

Avery Stuart drives to the bucket for two points.

Both teams continue play Tuesday night against BTW-Magnet in an Area match up.

ACA Boys and Girls Remain Undefeated in Area Play

Both varsity squads remained atop the Area standings as Alabama Christian defeated BTW-Magnet twice Tuesday night. In the boys game, ACA never trailed and held the Yellow Jackets to just four points in the first quarter. Hayes Hunt found Elijah Collins under the basket to give the Eagles their biggest lead of the half at 21-8. ACA pulled away in the third period outscoring BTW 16-8 and were led by Avery Stuart who scored 12 points in the frame. Alabama Christian almost duplicated the feat in the final period as they outscored their opponent 15-8 to finish the game with a 54-28 victory. Avery Stuart led the team in scoring with 14 points and eight rebounds while Braden Alford scored 12 points. Hayes Hunt had an excellent all around game and was just two assists short of a triple-double. The sophomore scored ten points with eleven rebounds and eight assists.

The Eagle defense awaits the BTW ball handler.

The Lady Eagles had one of their best offensive nights of the season as they defeated the Lady Jackets 65-33. ACA led 11-9 with 2:45 remaining in the first quarter and exploded for twelve consecutive points to finish the period led by Michaelyn Manning who scored six points during the run. Alabama Christian led 38-20 at the half. The Eagles outscored BTW 27-13 in the second half for the easy 32 point triumph. One highlight of the final period was a Jaide Newkirk basket for her first points of her varsity career. Michaelyn Manning was the game’s leading scorer with 24 points with five assists, five steals and three rebounds. Katie Chappell scored 12 points with eight rebounds, six steals and three assists while Izzy Warrick had 11 points with four rebounds.

Cayla Schofield blocks a BTW shot.

ACA continues play this week as they travel to Thorsby Thursday night.

Lady Eagles Win Third in a Row Against Highland Home

ACA continued its winning ways Tuesday night with a 53-33 victory over Highland Home. Seniors Sarah Johnson and Michaelyn Manning each scored six points in the first quarter as the Lady Eagles led 12-6 after one period. Alabama Christian scored the first eight points of the second quarter and built a 26-14 lead heading into the locker room at the half. The offense slowed down in the third period as ACA did not score from the field for the first five minutes of the quarter, but the defense was able to keep the Squadron off the board to take a 35-22 lead to the final period. The Eagle offense picked up the pace in the fourth quarter and pulled away for the 53-33 triumph. Jaide Newkirk and Maddie Traywick both made their varsity debuts in the closing minutes of the contest. Four Eagles finished in double digits as Michaelyn Manning had 17 points with six steals, four assists and three rebounds. Katie Chappell scored 12 with nine rebounds while Sarah Johnson had 10 points, four rebounds and four steals and Izzy Warrick added 10 with six rebounds and four steals.

Izzy Warrick drives the lane against Highland Home.

In the second game of the evening both teams had trouble putting the ball in the bucket as Alabama Christian fell 43-38 to Highland Home. The Squadron led for the majority of the first half, but an Elijah Collins free throw with 18.8 seconds remaining in the half tied the game 16-16. ACA built a five point lead early in the third quarter, but Highland Home kept it close and trailed by two after three. Again, the Eagles jumped out to a five point lead with six minutes left in the game, but the offense stalled from there and ACA was outscored 12-2 down the stretch for the five point loss. Senior Jalen Clark had nine points with seven steals and three rebounds. Avery Stuart also had nine points with eight rebounds, three steals and three blocks while Braden Alford added eight points.

Elijah Collins draws a foul on the drive.

Alabama Christian next plays at St James on Friday night.

Alabama Christian Wins Both Games Against Holtville

The Lady Eagles continued their dominance over Holtville with a 53-18 drubbing of the Lady Bulldogs. After Holtville scored the first bucket of the game, ACA ran off 14 straight points and the game was essentially over. The Lady Eagles led 33-11 at the half and throttled down in the second half as they took off the press and played half court defense. Michaelyn Manning was the best player on the court and was one steal short of a triple-double as she led the Eagle attack with 20 points, ten rebounds, nine steals and six assists. Izzy Warrick scored 11 points with six rebounds and Katie Chappell added seven points with six rebounds and two assists.

Michaelyn Manning connects on two of her twenty points.

The boys avenged a loss from earlier in the season with a 55-45 win over the Bulldogs. After a Holtville sharp shooter (#5) hit two early three-pointers, Jalen Clark took the defensive assignment and did not allow him another three for the remainder of the game. Hayes Hunt put ACA ahead for good with a put back of his own miss late in the first quarter for a 9-8 lead. Caden Perry drained a three to give the Eagles their biggest lead of the first half with a 21-12 lead in the second period. Alabama Christian led 25-21 at the half. The Eagles opened the second half with back to back steals and layups to lead 29-21, seconds into the quarter. Holtville closed the gap to 29-27, but the Eagles led by five heading to the final period where they outscored Holtville 11-2 to take a 47-33 lead midway through the quarter. The Bulldogs scored ten of the next twelve points to cut the lead to 49-43 with 1:54 remaining. Avery Stuart scored the last six points for the Eagles as ACA held on for the victory. Stuart led the team with 21 points, 14 in the final quarter, with five rebounds and four steals. Jalen Clark scored 10 points with four rebounds and three assists while Braden Alford added seven points and two steals.

Avery Stuart races to the goal after a steal.

ACA hosts Highland Home Tuesday night in their next contests.

ACA Sweeps LAMP in Area Opener

Both the boys and girls teams begin Area play with a 1-0 record as Alabama Christian was victorious at LAMP on Friday night. The boys broke a ten game losing streak against LAMP and recorded the most points in a game this season in the 71-59 defeat of the Golden Tigers. The Eagles controlled the game in the first half and led 36-21 at the half. ACA stretched the lead in the third period and led 54-33 as they headed to the fourth. LAMP tried to get back in the game in the final period, but the Eagles had built too big a lead and walked away with the 71-59 victory. Caden Perry connected on all nine of his free throw attempts in the second half and led the offense with 25 points. Sophomore Avery Stuart scored 15 points while Preston Hicks added six and DeAndre Sneed contributed five points.

In the opener, the Lady Eagles beat LAMP for the fifth consecutive time with a 43-32 triumph over the Lady Tigers. The teams combined for 40 fouls and 55 free throws attempts in the physical game. Michaelyn Manning tied a school record with 19 free throw attempts in the contest. The game was close through the opening half as the Eagles held a 24-19 advantage after two quarters. In the third quarter Alabama Christian held LAMP without a field goal and increased the lead to 33-23 going to the fourth. The teams played evenly in the final period and the Lady Eagles went on to win 43-32. Manning was the game’s leading scorer with 22 points with 11 rebounds and four steals. Izzy Warrick scored seven points with six rebounds while Heather Ford had six points and sixteen rebounds.

Both teams begin a busy week as the host Holtville on Monday night.

Boys and Girls Lose at Home to Catholic

To look at the matchup on paper, the Lady Knights were bigger and more experienced than ACA and seemed to have an advantage over the Lady Eagles. Although the final score of 50-41 might indicate that Catholic won easily, it was anything but an easy win. The lead changed hands four times in the first quarter and Catholic led 12-11 after one. Catholic scored the first five points of the second quarter, but a three pointer by Sarah Johnson and a bucket by Michaelyn Manning cut the lead back to one. The two teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half and ACA trailed 23-20 at the intermission. Catholic scored the first 12 points of the second half and it looked like the Lady Eagles had run out of gas, but they responded with a 17-4 run capped by a Katie Chappell bucket which cut the lead to 39-37 with six minutes remaining. Catholic handled the run and closed the game outscoring ACA 11-4 down the stretch for the 50-41 win. Sarah Johnson scored 11 points with seven rebounds and two assists as Katelyn Sutton had 11 with two steals. Izzy Warrick had nine points with three steals. Katie Chappell pulled down eight rebounds to lead the team.

In the nightcap, the boys faced a very athletic Catholic squad and were beaten 63-45. Midway through the first quarter, Avery Stuart scored to pull the Eagles to within four points of the Knights, 11-7, but Catholic scored the next 19 points to hold a 30-7 lead early in the second quarter. ACA actually outscored Catholic 38-33 for the remainder of the game, but the 19-0 run was too much to overcome. Sixteen points was as close as the Eagles could get through the rest of the game. Senior Braden Alford led the Eagles in scoring with 12 points and two rebounds. Caden Perry had nine points with six rebounds and two blocks while DeAndre Sneed had eight points with a rebound and a steal.

Both teams will visit LAMP on Friday to open Area play.

Eagles Finish Fourth in CCC Tournament

Alabama Christian won its first game in the Capital City Conference Holiday Tournament on Friday night against a short-handed MA squad to advance to the winner’s bracket for their next two contests. The Eagles held a 29-15 lead at the half, but managed only six points in the second half in the 35-33 victory over MA. Braden Alford led the Eagles with 11 points. Caden Perry had seven points, six rebounds and two blocks and Hayes Hunt added six points with five rebounds.

In the second game, ACA took on Trinity for the second time this season. Like the game on Friday night, the Eagles had a solid first half and led the Wildcats, 29-28, but the offense struggled in the second half producing only 12 points in the 51-41 loss. Caden Perry led all scorers with 18 points and Avery Stuart had 11 points while Hayes Hunt added nine points.

Hayes Hunt plays defense in the lane.

In the finale on Monday, ACA battled PCA in the third place game. The Eagles did not handle the PCA pressure in the opening period and trailed 15-4 after one. Although Alabama Christian outscored the Panthers over the final three quarters, the first quarter hole was too deep to overcome in the 58-51 loss. In the second half, the seven man rotation ACA used seemed to light a spark under the team with their strong play. Avery Stuart led ACA with 23 points, 21 in the second half, with eight rebounds and three steals. Caden Perry had 12 points while Hayes Hunt added 10 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.

ACA (4-5) hosts Catholic on January 5th after the Christmas break for their next game.

ACA Defeats St James in Close Contest

The Eagles were looking for their third consecutive win on the young season as they hosted St James on Tuesday night and came away with the victory in a low scoring, tightly played contest, 38-36. The Trojans scored the first bucket of the night, but would never lead again after Braden Alford tied the game just over a minute into the contest. Although the Eagles led the rest of the night, they could build a lead no bigger than eight points due to the team’s poor free throw shooting. Luckily, St James could not take advantage as they suffered from the charity stripe as well. Both teams combined to miss 28 free throws on the night.

Jalen Clark glides to the basket for a layup.

ACA (3-2) led 22-18 at the half and stretched the lead to eight points at the end of the third quarter as Jalen Clark knocked down two free throws with no time on the clock after a Trojan foul. The Eagles would head to the final period with a 30-22 lead. The offense scored just two points over the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter and held a slim 32-30 lead with 52.2 seconds remaining in the game. Over the last 52 seconds the two teams committed ten fouls and the game became a free throw shooting contest. The Eagles connected on six of ten free throws and the Trojans only made four of ten in the final minute as ACA won by two points.

Hayes Hunt drives the baseline for a reverse layup.

Hayes Hunt led the Eagle attack with 12 points and had four rebounds and two blocks. Caden Perry scored eight points with eight rebounds and eight blocked shots. Jalen Clark finished the night with eight points, eight rebounds and five steals.

The Lady Eagles began a very difficult week of games with a hard fought loss to the Lady Trojans. At times, ACA (2-4) looked like the better team on the floor and bothered St James with their pressure. However, a second quarter injury took the focus off the game long enough for St James to take advantage and build a lead the Eagles could not overcome. Alabama Christian led 18-15 at the time of the injury, but the Lady Trojans scored the next 13 points in the quarter and took a 30-20 lead into the locker room at the half. ACA fought hard in the second half and cut the lead to two in the third period, but St James led 35-29 after three quarters and outscored the Lady Eagles in the fourth quarter for a 50-39 win over ACA.

Michaelyn Manning led all scorers with 17 points with seven rebounds and seven steals. Katelyn Sutton finished with seven points and two rebounds. Katie Chappell added six points with four rebounds and two steals while Sarah Johnson scored six points with two rebounds.

The Lady Eagles travel to MA on Thursday night for their next game and both teams will visit Trinity on Friday night.

Katie Chappell fights for a rebound.

Eagles Win Second Straight in Victory Over Samson

ACA dominated Friday night with a 50 point win over Samson, 64-14. The Eagles (2-2) led 41-5 at the half on their way to a dominating victory. Samson’s 14 points is the second fewest allowed by ACA in program history. Eleven players were able to score on the night as everyone was able to get quality playing time. Three Eagles hit double digits as Caden Perry led the team with 11 points while Hayes Hunt and Avery Stuart each scored 10 points. Jake Bailey scored seven points while six other players all scored four points.

The Lady Eagles opened the night with a loss to Samson, 61-35. The Lady Tigers built a 34-18 lead in the first half and ACA was unable to overcome the deficit. The Eagles (2-3) showed some fight in the third quarter, outscoring Samson 16-12 in the period, but in the end, Samson proved too strong for the Lady Eagles. Michaelyn Manning carried the offensive load on the night, scoring 19 of the team’s 35 points, including 12 points in the third quarter. Katie Chappell and Sarah Johnson each scored five points with Katelyn Sutton contributing four points.

ACA Varsity Teams Sweep Thorsby

Coach Steven Thomas got his first win as the head coach of the ACA basketball team with a 50-41 victory over Thorsby. Alabama Christian (1-2) took control early hitting 3 three pointers in the opening quarter for a 12-2 lead. As would be the pattern for the game, Thorsby clawed their way back into the contest and trailed 14-11 early in the second period. The Eagles scored eight of the next ten points in the quarter to extend the lead to 22-13 midway through the second. Once again, Thorsby fought back into the game and cut the lead to 24-19 at the half. ACA scored the first nine points of the second half and built its biggest lead of the night at 33-19. The Rebels answered and scored the last 13 points of the period to cut the deficit to one at 33-32, entering the fourth quarter. The contest was tight through the fourth quarter as the lead changed hands four times. Avery Stuart gave the Eagles the lead for good with a steal and a bucket for a 43-41 advantage. Hayes Hunt sealed the game on the next possession as he picked the pocket of Thorsby’s best player and drew the fifth foul of the Rebel as he hit the layup with 1:07 left for a four point lead. In a game of runs, ACA scored the last ten points of the night in a 50-41 victory. Caden Perry led all scorers with 18 points and added three rebounds and three assists. Hayes Hunt scored 12 with four steals and two assists and Braden Alford contributed eight points and three rebounds.

Michaelyn Manning pulls up at the foul line for the jumper.

The Lady Eagles opened the night with a very similar game as the boys played. ACA (2-2) scored the first eight points of the contest and seemed to dominate the first quarter, but only led 12-7 at the end of the period as the Lady Rebels hit a three. The game was tied 14-14 with four minutes left in the half when the Eagles turned up the pressure and finished the quarter with a 14-0 run for a 28-14 lead at the intermission. During the run, Katie Chappell and Michaelyn Manning scored twelve of the fourteen points for Alabama Christian. Thorsby was only able to get as close as eight points in the second half as ACA came away with a 49-33 win. Michaelyn Manning finished the game with 16 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals. Katie Chappell also scored 16 for the game with five rebounds and three assists. Sarah Johnson added seven points and led the Lady Eagles with ten rebounds and six steals.

Both teams travel to Sansom Friday night for their next contest.

Where Are They Now? - Trey Tew

Looking back 35 years to the 1985-86 boys basketball team, we caught up with Trey Tew to talk about his time at Alabama Christian and what he is doing these days. The 1985-86 team finished 11-16 on the season and advanced to the sub-regionals in Coach Ronnie Sewell's last full season with the team. Tew finished second on the team in scoring averaging 12.0 points per game while leading the team in free throw percentage hitting 73.0% of his free throws. The senior was also named to the Montgomery Advertiser All-Metro team.

What year did you graduate from Alabama Christian? 1986

What grades did you attend at Alabama Christian? 8th-12th

What is your favorite memory of Alabama Christian? Our basketball locker room my ninth grade year. We took over a storage area in the top of Faulkner’s gym and made it our own. It allowed our team to really bond. It was eventually taken away from us. We didn’t handle it very well and Coach Sewell let us know about it.

What is your favorite basketball memory? Winning the Area tournament my junior year.

Who took you under their wing when you joined the varsity team? Zane Tarance. He probably didn’t know he did anything. I just really liked the way he played and tried to be as good as he was.

Who was your most memorable teammate? It was actually in baseball. My senior year we had a seventh grader start every game for us. Dmitri Young went on to a solid MLB career. 

What teacher/coach had the most influence on you? Chris Goodman. He started coaching me in the eighth grade and coached me in a sport pretty much through high school. He expected a lot from us, but also took interest in us as people.

Where do you currently live? My wife, Patty, and I live in Dadeville, AL.

What do you do for a living? I’m the Managing Partner of Texas Roadhouse in Montgomery, AL.

Tell us about your family. My wife and I have four children. Paige is 30 years old and lives in Auburn. Blaike is 25 and lives in Prattville. Aaron is 29 and lives in Athens and Cameron is 25 and lives in Los Angeles. We also have a granddaughter, Brielle, and she is about to turn 10.

Rapid Fire

Favorite Food: Spaghetti

Pet Peeve: Punctuality

Person I'd most like to meet: Kenny Chesney

Ride or Drive: Drive

Alabama or Auburn (or other): RTR!!!!

Alabama Christian Drops Two to Loachapoaka in Home Opener

As ACA hosted Loachapoaka Tuesday night, the boys were looking for their first win of the year for Coach Steven Thomas while the Lady Eagles were looking to stay unbeaten on the young season. Neither team reached its goal as the Indians beat Alabama Christian 54-32 in the girls game and 54-50 in the boys game.

The Lady Eagles (1-1) stayed close in the first quarter with Loachapoaka, trailing 14-9 heading to the second. However, the Lady Indians outscored ACA 18-6 in the second period and built a commanding 32-15 lead heading into the half. ACA was only able to get as close as 13 points in the second half and Loachapoaka defeated the Lady Eagles 54-32. Michaelyn Manning led the offense with 13 points and five assists. Katie Chappell had five points with five rebounds and four steals while Heather Ford scored five points with five rebounds and two blocks.

In the boys game, ACA (0-2) was close early in the game, but the Indians finished the opening quarter with an 11-1 run to take a 17-4 lead after the first. The Indian lead stayed around ten points through the second and third quarters and entered the final period with a 46-34 advantage. The Eagles gained some life in the fourth quarter and cut the lead to 54-50 on a Braden Alford basket with over three minutes left to go in the contest. Both teams were scoreless over the last three plus minutes of the game and the game ended with a Loachapoaka 54-50 victory. Alford led the ACA attack with 17 points while Caden Perry scored 13 points and Landon Hunton added seven points.

The Lady Eagles next game will be at Catholic on Monday, November 23rd while the boys are taking the thanksgiving break off and will not play again until December 1st.

Girls Win and Boys Lose in Holtville to Open Season

The 2020/2021 basketball season opened Monday night as Alabama Christian hit the road to play long time foe, Holtville. The schools first met in December of 1967 and ACA holds a 38-35 advantage in the series. With potentially three starters still playing football, the Eagles would be shorthanded against the Bulldogs. Holtville led by eleven points at the end of the first and the Eagles were never able to cut the lead to single digits over the final three quarters. Holtville would eventually win 62-42.

Caden Perry led the Eagles (0-1) in scoring with 13 points with 14 rebounds, four steals and two blocks. Braden Alford had a tough night from the field, but was 7 for 8 from the free throw line to finish with 12 points. Landon Hunton added eight points

The Lady Eagles (1-0) have dominated the series against Holtville over the years and have won all 30 of the previous contests played. The Lady Bulldogs have always struggled to score points against ACA and that trend continued in the season opener as the Eagles prevailed 54-21. ACA started slowly and held a slim 9-6 lead midway through the opening quarter, but the defense sparked a 26-6 run with full court pressure and the game was in hand by halftime. Five Lady Eagles made their varsity debuts against Holtville as Tia Coker, Ashlyn Harris, Lynleigh Stephen, Katelyn Sutton and Izzy Warrick all saw playing time on the night.

Katie Chappell led all scorers with 16 points and added six steals and three rebounds. Michaelyn Manning scored 13 points with five steals while Katelyn Sutton contributed 10 points with four steals. Sarah Johnson and Lynleigh Stephen each scored six points.

Both squads will play their home opener Tuesday night against Loachapoaka.