AISA contenders three wins from state crown
Thu. February 09, 2012 at 8:45 a.m. | By Andrew Carroll
Corey Dawkins, center, leads the Pickens Academy girls, who are 19-7 entering today's quarterfinal against Restoration Academy. The Pirates boys are just 5-23 but can begin a state title run today against Evangel Christian Academy in Montgomery. Also in action are the Marengo Academy and Southern Academy girls. (Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter )
With only five victories, the Pickens Academy boys basketball team is right where it needs to be to contend for a championship.
Pickens Academy (5-23) plays Evangel Christian Academy of Montgomery at 10:30 this morning in the AISA Class AA quarterfinals.
In the girls division, Marengo Academy, Pickens Academy and Southern Academy qualified for today's round at Huntingdon College in Montgomery.
The Pickens Academy boys enter the tournament as the No. 4 seed from Region 2. Evangel Christian is the No. 1 seed from Region 1.
"We're excited to be where we are and looking forward to see what we can do," Pickens Academy coach Jamie Parker said. "We have a young team with a lot of inexperience as far as starting and even playing, but I can't complain one bit."
Parker said sophomore point guard Josh Lewis is the leading scorer, and junior forward Phil Fikes is in his first season playing organized basketball.
"We rely on Josh to break down the defense and break the press," Parker said. "He's averaging about 16 points per game. Phil has done a very good job of learning the game. He's given us some pretty good inside play. He's averaging eight to nine rebounds a game."
Mark Johnson is a senior center. Parker said Johnson is capable of getting 10 points or 15 rebounds in any given game. Junior guard Sam Beachler is shooting better than 30 percent on 3-point attempts. Oliver Owens (6-foot-4) can play on the wing as a guard or forward.
"Daniel Cameron (sophomore guard) is our defensive playmaker," Parker said. "He hustles like nobody else.
"What we want to hang our hat on is sustained intensity for four quarters. Evangel Christian has 19 players, and from what I understand they play full-court pressure. We're going to try to beat them at their own game and get after it a little bit harder than they do. We want to keep it a game as long as we can and see what happens."
Girls 9 a.m.: Marengo Academy vs. Autauga Academy
Marengo Academy coach Danny Stenz said his Lady Longhorns (16-6) started with nine straight wins before a three-week Christmas break. He also said Autauga Academy is 30-0.
"We're going to have to rebound well," Stenz said. "They have two tall girls and a really good point guard. We'll have to stop her penetration and keep the two big girls off the boards. I think we've got a shot. We just have to hit the boards and not play scared.
"If we get the rebound, we're going to push the ball up the court as much as we can. Our best offense is getting the ball out and running."
Chandler Stenz, the coach's daughter, starts at point guard and leads the team with approximately 14 points per game. She also averages two steals per game. Junior Katie Tucker is a guard who averages eight to nine points and 3.5 steals.
"Our guards are probably our best athletes," Danny Stenz said. "They're quick, fast and mentally tough. Chandler gets into the paint pretty well. She can either lay it up or dish it off. Katie is a real good defender."
Maleah Digmon, a 5-11 senior center, is the leading rebounder, and sophomore forward Brooke Smyly (5-10) is the No. 2 scorer. Senior Destiny Huckabee (5-6) can play at guard or forward.
"She's more of a defender," Danny Stenz said of Huckabee. "She's pretty quick and can rebound the ball."
Marengo Academy's top three players off the bench are sophomore forward Conner Etheridge (5-8), freshman forward Andrea Edmonds (5-10) and freshman guard Anna Michael Crocker (5-9).
3 p.m.: Pickens Academy vs. Restoration Academy
Wade Goodman is in his fifth season coaching the Pickens Academy girls, and the Lady Pirates have qualified for a trip to Montgomery four times, winning the title in 2010.
The Lady Pirates (19-7) put together three straight victories to win the Region 2 title. Forward Corey Dawkins, the team's only senior, was named the most valuable player. Junior guard Elisabeth Hankins and junior forward Marion Colvin made the All-Tournament team.
"We're definitely playing the best ball we've played all year," Goodman said. "We play pretty good defense, but we've got to be able to score. If we're not scoring well, it kind of demoralizes us on both ends of the floor.
"We want to limit the other team to one shot and rebound the miss. That's what we preach. We try to take away the drive. If we give them the paint area, it sort of breaks down any defense you're running."
Goodman said Dawkins averages 13 points and 13 rebounds. Hankins averages 11 points, and Colvin averages six points and 13 rebounds.
Other starters are junior guards Marianna Pratt and Katie McKinzey.
6 p.m.: Southern Academy vs. Evangel Christian Academy
Southern Academy (19-7) isn't a flash-and-dash team.
"Our strength is in our defense," coach David Ingram said. "We don't score a lot of points, but our defense keeps us in it. We don't put up big numbers, but I'm satisfied to win 35-30."
When the Lady Cougars get the ball, they're going to make sure Courtney Glover gets involved.
Ingram said Glover, a 6-1 senior, averages 17 points and 17 rebounds.
"If you get it to her, she'll finish," Ingram said. "She averages three or four blocks a game. She's a tough obstacle around the paint."
Glover, senior post player Jaymi Parker (5-8) and senior point guard Tabitha Montz are two-year starters. Southern Academy reached the semifinal round last season.
"Jaymi Parker kind of sets the tempo for us," Ingram said. "She boxes out extremely well and usually matches up with the other team's best post player. She‘s not afraid to go into a pile after a loose ball.
"We want Tabitha to take care of the ball. She does a pretty good job of getting us into the flow we need to go. We're going to walk it up offensively."
Sophomores Ashlyn Hamilton and Shelby Clary start at guard. Sophomore guard Kelly Montz, Tabitha's sister, and senior post player Caitlyn Barton come off the bench.
Ingram said the Lady Cougars beat Evangel Christian in the quarterfinals last year.
"They return most of their players, and they're extremely quick," Ingram said. "They like to press a good bit, so we have to handle their pressure. If we can break their press, they'll run a lot of man-to-man (defense). That's what I want. We're going to get it to our big girl."
Reach Andrew Carroll at andrew.carroll@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0223