Christian Generals the broom

By RICKY COUCH

Sports Writer

The Pike Liberal Arts School Patriots took the Varsity girls’ and boys’ games from the Abbeville Christian Generals in convincing fashion Tuesday night.

The girls took a 44-32 win in the first game to improve to 3-3 on the year while the Patriots were able to post a convincing 69-48 victory in the nightcap.

The Lady Patriots’ scrappy defense kept the Lady Generals off balance most of the game. After the two teams swapped two-pointers to open the game the Patriots used a 7-0 run to go up 9-2. Abbeville put up a small fight, but the Patriots were able to end the 1st period leading 14-6.

The Lady Patriots opened the second period by holding Abbeville scoreless for the first six minutes. Meanwhile, on the other end of the floor, the Patriots bombed away from the outside and found open players in the paint to jump to a 20-6 lead. The Lady Generals mounted a small offensive surge but the Lady Patriots were still able to carry a 24-12 lead into intermission.

The Lady Patriots were challenged more in the second half by the Lady Generals, however, the early damage by the Lady Patriots kept them ahead. Consecutive 3-pointers in the fourth allowed the Lady Generals to temporarily steal the momentum that the Lady Patriots had held most of the game.

With the Generals pulling to within four at 36-32, it was time for the Lady Patriot defense to once again take control of the game. Defense, along with excellent ball control and high percentage shots, allowed the Lady Patriots to pull out a 44-32 victory. The Lady Patriots used all of the key elements to pull out the win.

"We did an excellent job of applying pressure as soon as they crossed the half-court line causing numerous turnovers," Lady Patriots coach Jim Ryan said. "We played great defense, limited our turnovers and won the rebounding war."

Leading scorers for the Lady Patriots were Shaunna Wheeler, with 18 points, and Sabrina Swindle, with 12 points.

In the Pike Liberal Arts varsity boys game, the Patriots opened the game with a 16-0 scoring run to set the tempo early.

The Patriots were all over the court early, but a late surge by the Generals allowed them to end the 1st period down only 25-16. The Patriots opened the second period much like the first with a 12-point run.

The Patriots continued to terrorize the Generals’ offense and pick their shots and soon found themselves with a 44-18 lead. The domination continued for the rest of the half allowing the Patriots to enter the locker room with a 50-20 lead at the half.

The Patriots began the second half with an almost entirely new crew.

The Generals produced a little more offense, but the first half deficit was too much to overcome. The Patriots needed only 10 points in the 4th to close the 69-48 victory.

The Patriot domination allowed every player to see action early.

"Everyone of our players played in the first quarter," Ryan said.

The Patriots had three players in double figures. Adam Sanders (12 points), Layton Sanders (11 points) and Clint Wallace (11 points) were the Patriot offensive leaders. The Lady Patriots and Boys teams will be at home Thursday to open regional play against the Hooper Academy Colts.

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In the PLAS junior varsity games the Patriots split a pair of games with Abbeville.

The JV girls won their contest with ease improving to 3-0 in a 35-20 win. The boys’ team dropped to 1-2 after a late comeback fell short in a 29-21 final.

The Lady Patriots jumped out to a huge 17-3 lead in the first period and never let up. PLAS were held to only two points in the final period, but by that time it was a mute point for the Lady Generals. Rae Pinckard lead the Lady Patriots with a game-high 14 points. Mallory Hughes had nine.

In the boys’ game Abbeville jumped out to a 17-5 lead in the first half, but the Patriots held them to only five points in the final period, rattling off eight themselves and falling by only eight points in the end. Dusty Kimbrow led Pike Liberal with seven.