Jacksonville, AL – Jacksonville is in the regional semifinals, as they play their best ball of the season. They’re waiting for the winner of White Plains-Etowah to return trip to for Final Four
By Al Muskewitz
Tres Buzan was sitting at the head table to conduct the post-game interviews. He was looking at the other players that were sitting next to him, and realized something very quickly. He was the only person sitting at the table with no jewelry piece. The big three together — John Broom and twins Cam and Caden Johnson – got their rings last year and are eager to get another. On Saturday, they took their coach one further step towards joining the team by leading Jacksonville to a dominant 90-60 victory against Hanceville during the Class 4A Northeast Regional semifinals at Jacksonville State. The state champions of the past Golden Eagles (26-6) now will play Etowah Wednesday to earn a journey to finals. Final Four.
Broom as well as Caden Johnson led Jacksonville with 24 points each. However, it Cam, however, was Cam who helped Jacksonville get on the right track to get them off to a quick start. He smashed the first four 3s of his career in the second of his favorite spots in the city to shoot against a unique Hanceville zone that the Bulldogs made use of in the hope of taking Jacksonville off guard.
Point guards, off guards, guards of all kinds were successful in their team, the Golden Eagles. “I believe we’re playing our best football in the present moment of the year,” Buzan said. “Everybody sitting around this table is ringing except for me. They are able to get it. Just make sure I don’t cause them to make a mess of it and attempt to help them whenever I can.” Who could say no? The eight wins they have had after losing to Ramsay were all by an average of 35 or more. In actual fact, Cam couldn’t wait to go back the Pete Mathews Coliseum to prove that he is a good shooter after being 1-for-11 from behind shooting arc during the Calhoun County Tournament championship game against the Oxford zone last time he was here. Cam did not appear to be in a position where that he would be able to miss the first quarter in the game against those Bulldogs (25-8) as he hit four threes in the first quarter, with each one more deep than the previous.
The effect it had on what it did for the Golden Eagles was keep them ahead while waiting for the defense of their team to improve. Cam is 15-of-36 at 3-point range over the course of four games played at the same building this season. “It was a huge motivator for me,” Cam said of the county final. “Every day I’m eagerly awaiting this day. I wanted to get in the game quickly and be able to make adjustments to my shooting. I missed many shots in that match which is why I wanted to return to the gym, make numerous shots and prove to myself that I can shoot at the gym – in at any place – and gain confidence.” His top three places to shoot in the city which are, in order of preference, in order: the Jacksonville High School gym, Pete Mathews Coliseum and the Jacksonville Rec Center gym where was where he played his first game. He hit six threes during the first county tournament game at Pete Mathews Coliseum in Pete this year. He then made his third 3 in a row following a slow starts in the finals. The finals of the county tournament were an exception. “I don’t think I did something differently (Saturday) I just felt confident in myself and shot with confidence,” he said. “Here I’m not sure the depth I’m shooting since there are two lines, while at high school there’s only one line, so I’m confused, so I simply shoot wherever I am. It’s nice shooting here, and it is and I enjoy the place a lot.” I really like it. Learn More…]
