Thursday, December 8, 2011
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Thursday, December 8, 2011 |
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Community | Obits | Editorial & Columnists | Society | Sports | Education | Classified Ads | Calendar of Events | Features | Newsbriefs | Legals | Archives | Subscriptions | New Photo Gallery |
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MA takes two from Chiefs By BARRY BURLESON
Marshall Academy basketball teams tipped off District 1-AA play Tuesday, Nov. 29, with a split versus North Delta. MA squads also swept Class AAA Magnolia Heights and split with Oak Hill Academy last week. The Patriots’ record improved to 8-2, while the Lady Patriots went to 5-6. MA-North Delta The Patriots were red hot out of the starting gate. They went up 19-1 after one quarter en route to a 57-19 win. MA hit 10 threes – three from Dakota Dailey and two each from Peyton Lewis, Brad Bennett and Andy Burleson. Lewis and Dailey scored 13 points each. Bennett added 12. “Dakota, Peyton and Brad came out firing on all cylinders,” Coach Dailey said. “Andy and Aaron (McAlexander) hit some huge first-half baskets to take away any hope. It got out of hand early. “Our depth will force me to keep some of our more experienced players on the floor for extra minutes, when up fairly big. We just have several who can play at a high level.” The Lady Patriots battled hard against a favored North Delta squad before losing 43-37. The Marshall girls trailed by just two at the half and tied the game at 32 following three periods. “One or two possessions at the end was the difference,” Coach Dailey said. Elizabeth Skelton had 18 points, including four threes. Emma Elgin scored 17. “I’m really proud of the girls,” he said. “I felt we would be able to compete with them by February; it just came a little quicker than I thought. The kids executed defensively extremely well.” He said Skelton had the most complete game of her career, while Elgin had another solid game on both ends of the floor. “Lane (Cunningham) and Chelsey (Gilliam) had very good games on the defensive end and on the boards.” Bradi Beard had 24 for the Green Wave. “We have to find a way to slow her down a little the next time,” Dailey said. MA-Magnolia Heights The Patriots were again on fire from beyond the three-point line. They hit 11 long-range bombs in a 66-29 rout of the Chiefs. Four of the threes came in the first as MA went up 17-7 – two from Lewis, one from Bennett and another from Burleson. The lead was 37-13 at the half when McAlexander hit a running jumper, was fouled and sank the free throw. All Patriots got playing time.
Josh Mask hit a couple of fourth-quarter threes as the Pats won by 37. “The Chiefs did what we knew they would, and that’s battle with all they’ve got,” Coach Dailey said. “Coach Whiteside’s teams always do.” Scoring in double figures were Bennett with 17, McAlexander with 16 and Lewis with 14. “Brad is a testament to what dedication and work ethic will do for you,” Coach Dailey said. “Aaron was feeling it; you could see in the way he carried himself. Peyton has all the tools to be a special player. Andy hit some timely shots and defended well. Josh came off the bench on fire; he has a sweet little stroke.” The Lady Patriots got 24 points from Elgin in a big 53-32 win over the Lady Chiefs. She hit back-to-back shots early, and Skelton had a steal and a bucket. Lane Cunningham scored all eight of her points in the first quarter before getting into foul trouble. The Lady Pats were up 14-5 after the first. Blake Martin provided some spark and some points in the second quarter as the MA girls went up by as many as 15. Chelsey Gilliam had a couple of putbacks late in the third. Marshall led 41-27. Four Lady Chiefs fouled out. “Emma was Emma – she is having one heck of a senior campaign,” Coach Dailey said. “Elizabeth was solid on defense and offense. Lane had the best quarter of her career and then basically was done due to a freak sequence of fouls. Chelsey had her best all-around game; she really stepped up in some key situations. Blake scored six in the second quarter and really gave us a boost.” MA vs. Oak Hill The Patriots could not pull away from a fired-up, hot-shooting and aggressive bunch of Oak Hill Raiders Saturday in West Point. MA’s largest lead was nine and they won by six, 64-58. “Coach Middleton’s boys played our pants off,” Dailey said. “They hit every open shot and guarded us as tough as we have been guarded. I’m very proud of Brian. He is a heck of a coach. He has built a good program in a place that has never won in my time in the MAIS/MPSA, and that’s very hard to do.” Marshall led 21-14 after one quarter. Oak Hill cut it to one in the second period but it was 36-27 in MA’s favor at the half.
The Raiders tied the game in both the third and fourth quarters but never took the lead. Bennett and Dailey sank free throws in the last minute to secure the victory. Dailey finished with 18 points and Lewis with 13. The Lady Patriots stayed close in the first half before falling 42-27 to Oak Hill, ranked second in Class AA. “We had a tremendous first half,” Dailey said. “The girls played their hearts out.” He praised Kat Moore’s defense in the first half on Oak Hill’s star guard, Tori Ellis. “She could not get rolling like she did in the second half, when I had to sit Kat in order to keep her junior high eligibility,” Dailey said. Ellis finished with 26. Elgin had 14 for MA. The Patriots and Lady Patriots visited Carroll Academy Tuesday. They go to Hickory Flat Friday night. |
     
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