Lady Eagles Start New Year with a Blowout

Girls

Alabama Christian enjoyed an easy night on the court with a 59-13 demolition at Pike Liberal Friday night. The Eagles scored the games first twenty-two points in a contest that was never in doubt. The win evens the team’s record at 7-7.

Rachel Rine scored the night’s first points with an old fashioned three point play as she was fouled on the made bucket. All five starters scored in the period which was puncuated by Izzy Warrick’s three to close the quarter. Pike Liberal scored first in the second quarter, but ACA responded with fifteen consecutive points led by Katelyn Sutton, who scored eight points during the run. Alabama Christian led 40-5 at the break.

Jaide Newkirk highlighted the third quarter as she hit her first career 3-pointer as the Eagles expanded the lead to as much as forty-nine points. The fourth period had a running clock and all of the Eagle’s subs played the entire quarter. The final score was 59-13.

Katelyn Sutton led three Eagles in double figures with 14 points, two assists and two steals. Rachel Rine scored 13 points with seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals while Jaide Newkirk also scored 13 with six rebounds, three steals and three blocks.

The Lady Eagles open Area play in their next game as St James visits ACA on Tuesday, January 10th.

Boys

The boys game started like the girls game with ACA scoring the first five points of the game on a Mac Moorer three and a Darius Gardner two-pointer. Unfortunately, that would be the high point of the evening. The Eagles did not score a point over the next five minutes of the quarter as Pike Liberal scored ten points and never trailed again on the night. A basket at the first quarter buzzer and the first five points of the second gave the Patriots a 17-9 advantage. The teams played even the rest of the half as ACA trailed 17-25 at intermission.

Again in the second half, the Eagles scored the first five points and cut the Pike Liberal lead to three points. ACA would not score again in the period as the team managed just seven shots over the final five and a half minutes of the quarter. The Patriots led 36-22 after three as they scored the last eleven points. ACA fought in the fourth, but could get no closer than six points and fell 38-44.

Mac Moorer led the team with seven points and two assists. A trio of players scored six points. Jayden Jones had six with three rebounds, Christian Snipes had six with five rebounds, and Devin Mosely had six with three rebounds and three steals.

The Eagles next play PCA on Monday, January 9th, before opening Area play.

Lady Eagles Defeat Tallassee in a Close Game

Girls

In the first meeting, two weeks ago, ACA handled Tallassee easily with only six players. Tuesday night, the Eagles were short just one player and struggled to find an offensive rhythm all night. Senior Rachel Rine’s presence was definitely missed. 

Campbell Hammett scored the first points of the night and the two teams traded baskets throughout the opening period. The contest was tied 8-8 as neither team scored over the last two minutes of the quarter. Early in the second the visiting Tigers took their first lead of the game with an offensive rebound and score off a missed free throw. ACA tied the game on two different occasions, but could not regain the lead and trailed 19-20 at the intermission. Izzy Warrick and Jaide Newkirk each scored six points in the half to pace the offense.

The lead changed hands five times in the third period, but a pair of Katelyn Sutton free throws gave the home team the lead for good with 21.3 seconds left in the quarter. Izzy Warrick and Maddie Traywick scored the first two baskets of the final period to give ACA a 36-31 lead. Tallassee responded and tied the game 40-40 with just over a minute left in the game. Jaide Newkirk scored in the paint and Campbell Hammett made a steal and scored to make it 44-40. After Tallassee made one of two free throws, Hammett grabbed an offensive rebound on an Eagle missed freebie and scored to seal the game. The last four possessions of the game ended with both teams making one of two free throws and Alabama Christian hung on for the 48-43 victory.

Jaide Newkirk was the game’s leading scorer with 16 points as she dominated the inside with 18 rebounds and four blocks. Campbell Hammett added 11 points with four rebounds and three steals while Izzy Warrick had 10 points with four rebounds.

Boys

ACA came out on fire in the boy’s game as a bewildered Tallassee coach called his second timeout of the quarter with 3:11 left and his team trailing 13-2. Mac Moorer and Conner Mark combined for three made threes in the first five minutes of the game. The Tigers settled down and cut the lead to 15-8 by the end of the period. The end of the quarter saw the first of seven attempts to stall or hold for a last shot by the Tallassee coach. Although they would eventually win the game, the visitors only scored once when they tried to slow the pace. Tallassee scored the first ten points of the second period to take their first lead of the night, and would never trail again. ACA trailed 18-21 after two quarters.

The offenses for both teams disappeared in the third period as the two teams combined to make just seven shots from the floor as Tallassee outscored ACA 9-6 to extend the lead to six points. ACA continued to struggle as the Tigers pulled away in the fourth. Trailing by just three points, the Eagles gave up eleven straight points to trail 29-43. Both teams added a basket in the final two and a half minutes as Tallassee prevailed, 45-31.

Tyree Saadiq’s ten points led the offense with four rebounds and four assists. Conner Mark had seven points while Mac Moorer finished with six points. Mark, Moorer and Christian Snipes were all held scoreless in the second half. Darius Gardner led the team with five rebounds.

ACA Sweeps Thorsby with Road Victory

After winning their first game of the year against Thorsby a few weeks ago, the Eagles completed the season sweep with a 60-41 defeat of the Rebels. ACA started fast as they opened up an 11-3 lead midway through the first period as four different players scored. The home team responded and closed the gap to one point as they scored the first points of the second quarter. The two teams played evenly to start the second, but Alabama Christian pulled away late with an 11-0 run, punctuated by a Conner Mark steal and score, for a 33-18 lead. The team moved the ball well in the stretch with three assists on five made baskets. The Eagles led 33-21 at the break.

Conner Mark scores after a steal.

The two teams traded threes to start the second half as Mac Moorer and Conner Mark hit from deep and Thorsby made a three and converted an and-one opportunity. With ACA leading 39-27, the Eagles scored seven straight points to extend the lead to 46-27 with almost two minutes left. The third ended with the Eagles leading 50-35. Devin Moseley scored the first four points of the fourth to spark the offense. The defense allowed only six points in the final period as the Eagles won by nineteen points, 60-41.

Jayden Jones drives to the hoop.

Mac Moorer led all scorers with 20 points and added five rebounds and two assists. Christian Snipes had 14 points, four rebounds and two assists while Jayden Jones finished with eight points. Tyree Saadiq led the team with eight rebounds and five assists.   

ACA Boys and Girls Sweep Ellwood Christian

Both varsity teams won their fourth game of the season as they dominated at Ellwood Christian in Selma. Alabama Christian overpowered the home standing Eagles as the boys won 90-19 and the girls won by a score of 75-34. The boys point total was the most since 2008 and the seventy-one point margin of victory is the second biggest in program history. The Lady Eagles offensive output was the best since 2010.

Jayden Jones drives to the basket for two.

The boys led 33-9 after a quarter and extended the lead in every quarter for the rest of the game. All ten players played and scored on the night. Four players scored in double figures led by Jayden Jones with 23 points. Christian Snipes scored 18 followed by Mac Moorer with 15 and Cole Barsukoff with 11 points.

Katelyn Sutton hits a layup.

The Lady Eagles were also impressive in their game against Ellwood. Leading 42-22 at the half, the squad took away all doubt of the outcome by outscoring its opponent 25-4 in the third and cruised to a forty-one-point triumph. Five players reached double figures as Katelyn Sutton scored 18 points, connecting on four threes. Rachel Rine scored 15 points while Campbell Hammett and Jaide Newkirk both had 13 and Izzy Warrick had 11 points.

ACA Survives Road Test at LAMP

Boys

A young team, learning a new coach, a new system, and how to finish games, held off LAMP in a 52-50 thriller Friday night. The Eagles have won three of their last four games and are showing improvement every time out. 

Christian Snipes hit the first shot of the game, but LAMP controlled much of the opening period and led 11-6 with 2:26 left. Devin Moseley and Mac Moorer hit back-to-back threes to give ACA a 12-11 lead. The lead switched hands three more times in the final 96 seconds as LAMP held a 15-14 advantage at the end of the quarter. Neither team scored during the first two minutes of the second quarter. Snipes broke the scoreless drought and put the Eagles back up by one. The teams traded baskets as the lead changed four times over the next two minutes. The home-standing Tigers finally put together consecutive scores and once again built a five-point lead, 25-20. Snipes and Darius Gardner combined for seven straight Alabama Christian points to take a two-point lead, but LAMP hit a triple late to take a 28-27 advantage into the half. 

Darius Gardner guards the LAMP ballhandler.

LAMP scored the first five points of the second half to build their biggest lead of the game, 33-27. Once again it took ACA a while to get in a rhythm as they scored their first points more than two and a half minutes into the period. With 1:15 left in the third, Mac Moorer connected from downtown to give the Eagles the lead for good. Christian Snipes added two free throws one possession later and ACA took a 40-37 lead to the final quarter. The Eagles looked poised to run away with the contest as the lead extended to seven points early in the period on a Snipes basket. To LAMP’s credit, they fought back and tied the score 48-48 with 1:09 remaining. ACA turned the ball over, but the Tigers returned the favor with an errant throw on a fast break opportunity. On the next possession, Darius Gardner was fouled going to the hole and calmly sunk his free shots with 33.8 seconds left. The defense forced a LAMP turnover and Gardner hit two more freebies with 20.8 seconds to ice the contest. The home team scored at the buzzer for the final margin of 52-50.

Tyree Saadiq looks for an open teammate.

Christian Snipes scored a game-high 24 points with seven rebounds and three blocks. Darius Gardner scored eleven, hitting all six of his free throws, with nine rebounds while Mac Moorer had ten points. Tyree Saadiq had a team-high five assists as he directed the offense.

Girls

The Lady Eagles had their chances against LAMP Friday night but shot poorly from the floor and the line as the game got away from them in the fourth quarter. ACA shot just 27% from the floor and made one of twenty 3-point attempts.

Alabama Christian scored the first six points of the game and looked ready to blow LAMP out, but it never happened. The Lady Tigers methodically ran their offense and trailed by only one point at the end of the first, 7-8. In the second, the contest remained close as the lead changed hands a couple of times. Rachel Rine and Jaide Newkirk scored the last four points of the half to give the Eagles a 20-17 advantage.

The Eagles built the lead to five on three different occasions in the third, but LAMP responded every time. The Tigers held ACA scoreless for over three minutes in the middle of the period and hit a three in the final seconds for a 30-28 lead. In the fourth quarter, Alabama Christian wilted under the pressure LAMP produced. The home team outscored its opponent 11-2 to start the quarter and stretched the lead to double digits. Overall, the Eagles were outscored 8-19 in the period and lost 36-49.

Rachel Rine produced a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds with three steals. Jaide Newkirk had eight points with twelve rebounds and two blocks while Katelyn Sutton had seven points, all in the first half, with four steals and three rebounds.

Short Handed Lady Eagles Run Over Tallassee

Girls

ACA dressed only six players Monday night due to other school activities and injury, but the team was unphased by the lack of players as they blitzed Tallassee 67-36 on the road. Alabama Christian more than doubled up the Tigers in the first quarter to lead 16-7 and did it again in the second for a 34-16 halftime advantage. The Lady Eagles continued to pull away in the second half for the decisive thirty-one-point triumph. 

Jaide Newkirk became just the fourth different player in program history to score at least 30 points in a game with a 31-point performance. The last player to score 31 in a game was Christina Hayes in 2008. Rachel Rine finished with 20 points followed by Katelyn Sutton with 10 points and Izzy Warrick with six points.

Boys

For the second game in a row Coach Jim Sanderson faced off against a former player as his Eagles played at Tallassee Monday night. The home team jumped out early and built a 24-12 lead after a quarter. ACA fought their way back into it as they cut the lead to single digits by halftime, 33-25. The Eagles managed just 13 points in the second half as they fell to the Tigers 50-38.

Christian Snipes led the offense with 13 points. Mac Moorer, who made all three of the team’s 3-pointers, scored 11 followed by Darius Gardner’s 10 points.

Both Alabama Christian teams play at LAMP Friday night in the third of six consecutive road games.

ACA Boys Week in Review - Eagles Win Two of Three

ACA took two of three on the week to win their first games of the year. Veteran coach Jim Sanderson led the squad to its first triumphs of the year. After losing to Notasulga the Eagles rebounded with wins over Thorsby and Thomasville.

11-29-22 Notasulga

Alabama Christian began the week on Tuesday and fell to Notasulga in a hotly contested affair, 47-48. Neither team led by more than seven points on the night. Darius Gardner and AC Walters were both available to play and added depth to the ACA rotation. Tyree Saadiq scored the games first points two minutes into the first period. The Blue Devils scored at the buzzer on a reverse layup to lead 12-9 after one. Notasulga outscored ACA 8-4 over the first four minutes of the second quarter to gain their biggest lead of the night, 20-13. The Eagles closed the half on a 10-3 run to tie the game at intermission, 23-23. Four different players scored the last ten points as Christian Snipes and Devin Mosely both had buckets and Darius Gardner and Mac Moorer both hit triples, the last of which tied the game with 36.3 seconds remaining.

Mac Moorer fires from deep.

Gardner scored the first four points of the second half for Alabama Christian. Devin Moseley closed the quarter with two free throws for a 33-32 lead with 1:38 left. The score remained the same for the rest of the period. The offense featured Christian Snipes in the final quarter as he scored ten of the team’s fourteen points. Trailing by two points, Snipes was fouled with 32.8 seconds left in the game. The freshman made the first but missed the second attempt. AC Walters grabbed the rebound and scored his only two points of the game to give the Eagles a 47-46 lead. The defense held and retained possession with 14.9 seconds left in the game. However, the inbound man did not hold his spot as he attempted to pass the ball in and was called for traveling and a crucial turnover. Notasulga scored quickly on the inbounds play and regained the lead, 48-47. After an Eagle timeout and two delays trying to figure out how much time should be on the clock, the home team inbounded with nine seconds remaining. Alabama Christian drew a foul and had a chance for the win with 1.7 seconds left, but missed both free throws. The Blue Devils collected the rebound and the game was over. Free throws were the key to the outcome as Notasulga hit all five of theirs in the fourth and ACA connected on just two of eight attempts.

Tyree Saadiq drives to the basket.

Christian Snipes led the team with 18 points and added eight rebounds and two blocks. Mac Moorer finished with eight points and two assists while Darius Gardner had seven points and three rebounds. Tyree Saadiq led the team with eleven rebounds and five assists.

12-1-22 Thorsby

ACA secured their first win of the season and gave Jim Sanderson his first as coach of the Eagles. Alabama Christian defeated Thorsby 61-52 in a contest filled with strange goings on. The Rebels raced to a 7-2 lead, but ACA answered and never trailed again as Darius Gardner hit two freebies for a 9-7 lead with 2:29 left in the first. The margin stretched to seven points by the end of the quarter as Mac Moorer and Sam Davidson hit treys on consecutive possessions for a 16-9 advantage. Thorsby scored the first five points of the second and the score stayed close through the rest of the half. Christian Snipes closed the half with a putback bucket to give the Eagles a 26-21 lead the break.

Coach Jim Sanderson gives instructions to his team.

Darius Gardner scored nine of the team’s first eleven points in the second half to give Alabama Christian their biggest lead of the night at 37-27. At this point in the period, the strange happenings began. As Thorsby hit three 3-pointers and ACA scored one bucket, the score should have been 39-38 in favor of the home team, but the scoreboard read 39-39. As the scorer’s table was trying to figure that out, the Eagles went to the foul line and made the first of two free throws. The only problem was the refs didn’t see it because of the discussion about the score and the made shot was disallowed. The referee running the clock struggled all night as he seemed to be confused by the technological wizardry of the scoreboard control. The period ended with ACA holding a slim one-point lead, 40-39. The Rebels tied the score one last time at 43-43 before the Eagles ran off nine straight points and forced a timeout from the visitors with 3:20 left. Four different players scored in the run, highlighted by a Cole Barsukoff three. Unlike the game against Notasulga, the Eagles hit their free throws down the stretch, connecting on seven of ten over the final seventy-two seconds. The second unusual item was the ejection of a Thorsby player with just 16.5 seconds left as he said something the lead official didn’t like. No technicals or free throws were assessed, just sent the player off the floor. When the final horn sounded, the home team enjoyed its first victory of the year.

Darius Gardner scores two of his team-high 25 points.

Darius Gardner led the offense with 25 points, scoring 21 in the second half and adding eight rebounds. Christian Snipes had 18 points and seven boards while Mac Moorer finished with 10 points and two assists. Tyree Saadiq led the team with four assists.  

12-3-22 at Thomasville

Like the Lady Eagles, the boy’s team handled the opening quarter on the road very well as they led 14-4 after eight minutes. Conner Mark and Darius Gardner both connected twice from long distance to spark the offense. Christian Snipes picked up his third foul with 3:28 left in the half with a 20-11 lead. The rest of the team held their own to close the period as Sam Davidson and Gardner both scored in the final minute for a 24-16 cushion at the break. 

Sam Davidson handles the defensive pressure.

Alabama Christian had a strong third quarter as they outscored the Tigers 13-8. Christian Snipes scored seven in the period to lead the team as Darius Gardner, Mac Moorer and Conner Mark each scored for the Eagles. Snipes scored the first points of the final quarter for a 39-24 lead, the biggest of the night. With 6:58 left in the game, Snipes fouled out with the lead still at fifteen points. Without the freshman center on the floor, the Thomasville offense caught fire. The Tigers outscored ACA 23-5 over the next five minutes to take a 47-44 lead. At one stretch, the opponent connected on 3-pointers on four consecutive possessions. Down three, AC Walters hit one of two freebies to cut the lead to 45-47. After a defensive stop, Tyree Saadiq found Conner Mark behind the arc and the sophomore drained it for a 48-47 lead with 48 seconds left. The defense allowed only one shot and stole the ball twice from the home team to hold on for a dramatic one-point victory.

Conner Mark eyes his man on defense.

Christian Snipes led the way with 15 points and nine rebounds. Darius Gardner had 14 and eight boards while Conner Mark finished with 11 points and three rebounds. Although Tyree Saadiq did not score he contributed mightily with eight assists and six rebounds.

ACA will visit Tallassee and LAMP next week and look to continue their win streak.

Eagles Lose Both Games in Thanksgiving Tournament

The Eagles opened the season Monday night as they hosted Abbeville in the ACA Thanksgiving Tournament. The year’s first game was the latest start of a season since 2005. Coach Jim Sanderson coached his first game as the head man at Alabama Christian.

Mac Moorer gave ACA its only lead of the game with a first-quarter trey, but Abbeville responded quickly. Although the game was close most of the night, the visiting Panthers never trailed after they regained the lead midway through the opening period. The Eagles trailed 7-14 after one quarter. Devin Moseley sparked the offense with back-to-back threes to cut the lead to 17-22 in the second, but Abbeville scored the last two buckets of the quarter to take a 26-17 lead into the locker room. 

Christian Snipes tips the season off against Abbeville.

ACA leaned heavily on Christian Snipes in the second half as he scored 14 of the team’s 28 points over the final two quarters. Abbeville had an answer for everything ACA threw at them and extended the lead to thirteen points at the end of the third. The Panthers scored six points in the final 30 seconds to make the score look worse than it really was. Abbeville defeated the Eagles 62-45.

Tyree Saadiq drives to the bucket for two.

Christian Snipes led the team with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Mac Moorer had 11 points and two steals while Devin Moseley had 10 points, three rebounds and two steals. Tyree Saadiq had a team-high six assists and he and Sam Davidson both had three steals.

Tuesday, ACA faced Sipsey Valley in the second game of the tournament. Both teams struggled offensively throughout the contest. The Eagles scored the first five points of the game as Devin Moseley and Conner Mark both connected from the field. Neither team scored over the next two and a half minutes, but Sipsey Valley scored nine points over the final 3:45 of the period to take a 9-5 lead into the second quarter. The Bears held a 17-9 lead late in the half, but Moseley and Christian Snipes both scored to cut the lead to four at intermission.

Devin Moseley battles for the ball with a Sipsey Valley player.

The second half began with another two-and-a-half-minute scoring drought for both teams before Tyree Saadiq scored to cut the Bear’s lead to two points. Christian Snipes gave the lead back to ACA late in the third with an offensive rebound and a free throw after the bucket for a 23-21 lead. Both teams traded scores to finish the period as Alabama Christian led by two after three. In the fourth, the offense went cold and Sipsey Valley took advantage with a 15-2 run for their biggest lead of the night with 1:19 left. Sam Davidson and Snipes added late scores, but the visiting Bears won the game 40-31.

Sam Davidson watches the Sipsey Valley ball handler.

Christian Snipes led the team with 13 points and added six rebounds followed by Devin Moseley with eight points and a team-high ten boards. Conner Mark and Mac Moorer both scored three while Tyree Saadiq and Sam Davidson both scored two points. Saadiq led the squad with five assists and two steals.

ACA Ends Season with Opening Round Loss to LAMP

After winning their last two Area games to cause a three-way tie at the top, Alabama Christian fell to LAMP in the first round of the Area tournament. The Eagles ended up being the number three seed and should have played LAMP (the #2 seed) at the gym of the top seed, BTW-Magnet. Instead, LAMP caught a huge competitive advantage as they were allowed to host the game against ACA. Instead of playing on a neutral court, the game turned into a road contest for the Eagles.

The game was close after a quarter, but the Golden Tigers extended the lead in the second period and took a 22-17 lead into the locker room at the half. The third was the undoing of Alabama Christian as LAMP outscored the visitors 15-3 to take a 37-20 lead into the fourth. The game was played evenly in the final period, but the outcome was already sealed in the 49-30 LAMP triumph. D’Andre Sneed led the team in scoring in his final game with seven points while Devin Mosely finished with six points.

Eagles Win Two Over LAMP to Close Out Area Play

Alabama Christian hosted LAMP to end Area play in the regular season. With a victory, both teams would be tied for first place in the Area. The girls started the night with a 54-44 win over the Golden Tigers and the boys finished the evening with a 47-40 victory over the visitors.

The Lady Eagles gave up a three to start the contest, but ran off eleven straight points to take an 11-3 lead with 4:31 left in the opening period. Two Jaide Newkirk free throws extended the lead to 18-5, the biggest of the half, with 1:30 remaining in the quarter. LAMP clawed back into the game as they outscored ACA 15-7 over the last nine and a half minutes of the half to cut the lead to 25-22. Newkirk and Izzy Warrick led the Eagles with seven points apiece in the half.

LAMP tied the score 27-27 early in the third period, but were never able to take the lead. With the contest tied Rachel Rine, Jaide Newkirk and Izzy Warrick scored consecutive buckets to take the lead back to 33-27. Rine connected on a trey late in the quarter to extend the lead to 42-33 after three. The junior point guard scored the first bucket of the fourth and ACA kept a double digit lead the rest of the game. The Eagles effectively ran the pick and roll in the final period to give the offense a boost. Rachel Rine led the offense with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists. Jaide Newkirk finished with 19 points,13 boards and two blocks.

The boy’s game started the same way the girls game had. LAMP scored the first basket and then ACA ran off twelve consecutive points as they overwhelmed the visitors with full court pressure. The first period ended with the Eagles leading 14-5. Avery Stuart’s three pointer gave Alabama Christian a 23-9 lead midway through the second. The Tigers made a run to end the half as ACA turned the ball over seven times over the final four minutes to cut the lead to five points at intermission.

The visitors from LAMP played close to the Eagles in the third period and took the lead for the first time since 2-0 with 2:52 remaining in the third. LAMP led 36-33 to end the third period. LAMP led 40-36 with 4:40 left in the game, but were held scoreless the rest of the way. ACA finished the game on an 11-0 run for the 47-40 victory. Avery Stuart was one steal short of a triple-double and led the squad with 30 points, 11 rebounds, nine steals and four assists. D’Andre Sneed had six points, six rebounds and two blocks.

Both teams visit Trinity on Tuesday for the final away game of the regular season.

ACA Sweeps BTW in Area Play

Alabama Christian won two Area games Tuesday night as the both varsity teams posted victories over BTW-Magnet. The girls completed the season sweep with a 47-39 final over the Jackets while the boys avenged an earlier loss with a 55-48 triumph over the visitors from BTW.

Izzy Warrick drives to the basket against BTW.

In the girl’s contest, both teams hit a three on their opening possession and then hit a dry spell as neither team scored over the next two minutes of game time. BTW led 9-8 after the opening period. Rachel Rine began the scoring for the Eagles in the second period with a three-point play for an 11-10 lead with 6:03 left in the half. However, the Lady Jackets outscored ACA 11-1 over the next three minutes to take their biggest lead of the game, at 20-12, with 2:46 remaining in the quarter. The Lady Eagles erased the lead in just fifty-nine seconds as Rine’s three gave the home team the lead for good, 21-20. ACA finished the half with an 11-0 run to take a 24-20 lead into the locker room. Alabama Christian extended its lead to double digits in the third period and led 38-29 after three. The lead ballooned to fifteen points with an Izzy Warrick layup with 4:46 remaining for a 47-32 lead. BTW scored the last six points of the game for the final margin of 47-38. Rachel Rine paced the offense with 17 points and four rebounds. Izzy Warrick finished with 14 points, five rebounds and four steals while Jaide Newkirk had 12 points and 14 rebounds. Katelyn Sutton led the squad with seven steals and four assists on the night.

Gerrod Green works down low against the Jackets.

In the nightcap, Avery Stuart and Gerrod Green came off the bench to spark the offense in a much needed Area win. The teams played a close first half until BTW hit threes on back to back possessions before intermission to take a 30-21 lead. The Jackets scored the first basket of the second half to open up an eleven point lead over ACA. The Eagles responded by scoring the game’s next nine points to cut the lead to two midway through the third. BTW again closed the quarter with a three pointer to tie the game 40-40 heading into the fourth period. Stuart scored the first nine points in the quarter for the Eagles as he turned up his game. The junior scored twice on put backs on the offensive glass and once on a steal and score to put his team up 49-42. The contest was played evenly the rest of the way with ACA prevailing 55-48. Avery Stuart led all scorers with 25 points and added nine rebounds and three steals. Gerrod Green scored ten points while D’Andre Sneed finished with eight points, four rebounds and two blocks.

The boys team will host PCA Thursday night while both teams will visit Wetumpka to end the week.

Both Varsity Teams Split Games to End the Week

The ACA varsity teams both split their last two games of the week. The Eagles defeated Thorsby at home on Thursday night, but dropped Area games at LAMP on Friday.

On Thursday, the boys team played its second straight game without second leading scorer, Gerrod Green and, leading scorer, Avery Stuart was out as well. The Eagles were beaten by Thorsby earlier in the season, but the squad played with a fight and determination not seen often enough this season. Alabama Christian outscored the Rebels 39-28 in the second and third periods in the 63-58 triumph. Mason Kimbro led the team with 17 points along with six rebounds and three assists while Isaac Warrick produced a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Four other Eagles scored at least seven points as the offense was evenly distributed.

D’Andre Sneed drives to the hole against the Rebels.

Friday night ACA played its second Area game of the year as they visited LAMP. The team jumped out to a 7-1 lead as Devin Mosely hits two baskets and Mac Moorer nailed a three for the early momentum. LAMP closed the gap and Alabama Christian led 11-9 at the end of one. in the second period, ACA started fast again and built a 17-10 lead with 6:18 left in the half. Both teams went cold and neither team scored for three minutes until Clay Williams hit two free throws to build a 19-10 lead. ACA took a 25-17 lead into the locker room. The game stayed tight through the third quarter and the Eagles took a 36-30 lead into the final quarter. The lead disappeared as LAMP took the lead just 90 seconds into the period. The home team stretched the lead to 46-39 with just over two minutes left in the contest. The Eagles tied the game in a minute and four seconds as D’Andre Sneed scored a bucket, Mac Moorer drained a three and after a steal and foul Sneed hit two freebies to tie the game with 1:02 left. LAMP held the ball and was either going to win it or force overtime. Unfortunately, LAMP hit a shot with 1.5 seconds left in the game to come away with a 48-46 win over ACA. D’Andre Sneed led the team with 17 points, four rebounds and four steals while Mac Moorer added eight points with three rebounds.

Isaac Warrick plays tough defense against LAMP.

The Lady Eagles jumped on Thorsby early and led 18-7 after a quarter. The Lady Rebels closed the gap in the second quarter, but ACA outscored its opponent 32-14 in the second half to blow the game open in the 53-32 victory. ACA forced 27 Thorsby turnovers which led to 16 fast break points. Junior Rachel Rine led the team with an all-around performance of 14 points with eight rebounds, four steals and four assists. Jaide Newkirk added 11 points with nine boards with Katelyn Sutton scoring nine points with five steals.

Katelyn Sutton brings the ball up against Thorsby.

ACA started slowly Friday night and trailed 16-6 after the first quarter. The Eagles settled down in the second and cut the lead to 24-20 led by Izzy Warrick who had six points in the period. Rachel Rine was hot in the third quarter with eleven points, but was the only Eagle to score in the period. LAMP took advantage and stretched the lead to fourteen points with a 45-31 lead after three quarters. The teams played evenly in the fourth, but ACA could not overcome the third quarter deficit as LAMP won 65-52. Rachel Rine led all scorers with 24 points as she connected on 13 of 16 free throws. Rine matched Carlie Ainsworth’s school record, set in 2005, for most made free throws in a game. Izzy Warrick scored 14 points with four rebounds while Jaide Newkirk added six points with seven rebounds.

Rachel Rine hits one of her record setting free throws against LAMP.

Lady Eagles Open Area Play with Win Over BTW-Magnet

Wins have been hard to find this season for the varsity basketball teams, but the good news is only four games really count towards the postseason. Area play started Tuesday night as ACA traveled to Lanier High School to play BTW-Magnet. Both varsity teams have defeated the Yellow Jackets in earlier tournaments this year which hopefully would translate into confidence for both teams.

The girls team took advantage of their opportunity and defeated the Yellow Jackets 62-43 to move to 1-0 in Area play. The Eagles started slowly and led by two points after the first and second quarters. BTW’s leading scorer had 17 of the Jackets 24 points in the half. Alabama Christian turned the pressure up with full court defense and pulled away from the home team, outscoring BTW 36-19 in the second half. ACA had four players in double figures in an even scoring offensive effort. Izzy Warrick led the squad with 21 points while Rachel Rine (12), Katelyn Sutton (12) and Jaide Newkirk (11) each hit double digits.

Unfortunately, the boys team did not take advantage of their opportunity as they wilted under the BTW pressure in 58-36 loss. After a close first period, the Yellow Jackets outplayed, out hustled and plainly wanted the game more that the Eagles. Alabama Christian turned the ball over thirty times and gave up fifteen offensive boards. Avery Stuart led the team with 12 points and seven rebounds. Isaac Warrick finished with eight points and four rebounds while Mac Moorer had five points off the bench.

Both teams host Thorsby Thursday night in their next contest.

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.