The Pickens Academy and Victory Christian Academy boys basketball teams battled Tuesday night with neither team getting a solid advantage until the final minutes.
Fortunately, the final score — Pickens Academy won 58-54 — didn”t mean anything in each team”s district standings. The game was played “for fun” — if you can call a nail-biting, nip-and-tuck contest “fun.”
“Those types of games always come in handy when you get to he playoffs,” Pickens Academy coach Justin Thompson said. “It”s the second game in four days that the score has been tight.”
Two free throws by Josh Lewis with 3.4 seconds remaining on a foul that drew two shots after being termed flagrant provided the margin for the victory.
“There were different scenarios we aren”t usually able to work on,” Thompson said.
Victory Christian coach Brent Harris agreed, saying the Eagles like playing larger schools.
“I enjoy playing the bigger schools,” he said. “We”re pretty much equivalent to playing as a 1A academy.”
The close game? Thompson relished the opportunity.
“You need that big time, just as an experience for the kids,” Thompson said, adding he was able to judge what part of the game the Pirates will shift their focus. “We missed way too many wide-open layups. We”ve had a couple guys sick, so we were able to play lot of guys that don”t normally get to play, not just for this year and down road, but also next year.”
Rebounding was a key for both teams, especially the taller Pirates.
“I thought they did great job on boards especially in the first half,” Harris said. “There were a lot of loose-ball rebounds. In the second half, we kinda buckled down little more.
“We live on making the trash rebounds all year. Not many Class A schools can put three players 6-foot-3 on the court at the same time. We live on making the trash rebounds, especially after we shoot like we did tonight.”
Harris praised the play of Pickens Academy point guard Jacob Acker, who led all scorers with 30 points.
“They”ve got a good player in (Acker),” he said. “I think he lit it up here last year with 40 points. You have to start guarding him when he crosses the half-court line. I thought we did a really good job on him in the second half.”
Thompson said he believed his players got a scoring advantage at one point.
“We went up by six points at one time, but there was never any comfort room,” he said.
Tyler Jones (15 points) led Victory Christian, while Marcus Sims and Nick Hairston each had 10.
n In the girls game, Elizabeth Hankins poured in 27 points to lead the Lady Pirates to a 57-41 victory. Pickens Academy led 33-17 at intermission and never looked back.
Katie Mckinley added 12 for Pickens Academy.
Taylor Hairston (15 points) led Victory Christian.
n (B) Immanuel Christian 51, Calhoun Academy 48: At Calhoun City, Wade Lee led Immanuel (19-7) with 18 points and five rebounds, followed by Ross Moore (15 points, six rebounds) and Justin James (eight, 17).
Shumaker pumped in 22 points to lead Calhoun Academy.
Immanuel Christian will take on Hebron Christian on Thursday.
n (G) Immanuel Christian 45, Calhoun 31: At Calhoun City, Taylor Baudoin”s 13 points and 11 rebounds led Immanuel Christian (15-11).
Meghan Cooper added eight points and four assists.
The Immanuel Christian junior varsity girls (9-12) defeated Calhoun 31-22. Michelle Swaim had 14 points and 14 rebounds.
n (B) South Lamar 51, Berry 48: At Millport, Ala., the scoring was “back and forth all night,” said South Lamar boys and girls basketball coach Tony Seals. “We were up by eight with two minutes to go and started missing free throws. We only hit two of the last eight attempts we made.”
Jordan Smith”s 15 points led South Lamar (4-9).
n (G) Berry 77, South Lamar 44: In Millport, Ala., Emma Herren”s 29 points paced the Berry girls, followed by Whitney Davis (19 points) and Hannah Winston (11).
For South Lamar, Angel Cunningham pumped in 18 points. Nashima Cunningham followed with 11 points.
South Lamar begins the Lamar County tournament at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday against Lamar County. The winners will meet Sulligent at the same times Saturday.
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