Red Level defended its home court with two victories over the county opponent Pleasant Home in a pair of basketball games in the area on Jan. 5. 5.
The Head Coach Dominic Williams was proud of his teams ‘ two wins.
“I said to them when I entered the zone that everyone is fighting for the same thing. The girls were struggling with many things during the first half but we adjusted and returned in the second quarter to do the job as we are supposed to. Our boys are young as are three that are sick with flu. Pleasant Home isn’t easy however, we did our best to make sure we were back in the race for the region. We’re determined to get it back to our home and, if we are able to make our guys healthier I’m sure we’ll create some noise,” Williams said.
Lady Tigers 55
Lady Eagles 32
Red Level never trailed but needed to recover after a slow start. They scored 37 points in the second half to earn victory by 55-32 in the girls’ varsity match.
Alyssa Lee provided The Lady Tigers an early lead with a free kick at 6:29 in the first quarter. Mariah Crowell followed with two buckets and Amaya Williams scored one of two in the line to give the Lady Tigers an advantage of 6-0. Lyla Watson got her Lady Eagles on the board at 1:11 and made with a score of 6-1 at the beginning of the second.
Emma Grace Anderson scored six points in the second quarter and reduced the deficit to one after three baskets. Crowell followed with a three-pointer to give Red Level an 11-7 lead just 5:49 minutes into the second half. Briley Douglas scored a layup, and Crowell scored five points in a row, including a further three in the final minute for Red Level. Watson and Douglas played well to keep Pleasant Home within striking distance by scoring the back of two buckets. Crowell made a 3-point play to increase forward to 18-13 at 1:57 remaining before the break. Hailey Ward scored four points during the game and increased the score to 18-17 at halftime.
Williams scored a quick jumper after which Crowell also scored 5 more points to give the team an advantage of 25-17 with six minutes remaining at the end of third. Pressley Kelley hit the hoop to score two points prior to Red Level went on a 7-0 streak. Ke’Mariah Crittenden had a free throw, and Crowell continued her impressive performance with four more points. Lee increased her lead up to 32-19 when she made a layup after an assist from Crowell. Kelley and Ward finished the third period by scoring back-to-back baskets in the favor of Pleasant Home and increased their lead up to 32-23 following three.
Ward cut the deficit down to eight with an unbeaten performance at the rim however, Red Level answered the call with a 12-0 run. Miracle Wright began the run with a jumper and a three-point shots by Crittenden as well as Crowell. Lee added an extra free throw, and Williams extended the score to 44-24 after an impressive three. Kelley ended the drought of scoreless by scoring a basket after the three of Wright. Siniya Purifoy, Lily Adams as well Sara Catherine Sansom put up buckets in support of Pleasant Home within the closing minutes but it was not enough to get over.
Crowell was the top scorer for his team Lady Tigers (4-5, 1-1 1A Area 3) with 29 points and Williams also scored double-digits with 13. Wright scored five points in the win. Crittenden as well as Lee also scored four each.
Ward was the top scorer for Ward led the Lady Eagles (6-8, 0-2 1A Area 3) with seven points. Anderson as well as Kelley each scored six points in the loss, and Watson added five. Douglas, Purifoy, Adams and Sansom completed the scoring with two each.
Tigers 64
Eagles 53
Red Level overcame a one-point halftime deficit to claim the sweep of the doubleheader in an 83-53 victory over Pleasant Home in the varsity boys’ game.
Javen Poindexter sank two free throws to give the team a two-point lead, however John Luke Colvin responded with an impressive three. Jamari Brown followed with his own trifecta, and Poindexter handed Red Level a 7-3 lead by slamming an nay. Brody Bryan trimmed the deficit to 9-7 by scoring an assist, and Dillan Purifoy handed Pleasant Home a 13-11 lead at 3:29. Purifoy extended the lead to 16-13 by scoring a third time before Buddy Griffin hit a jumper and gave the score 16-15 following one.
Griffin and Poindexter were thrown off the net as the Tigers gained three points at the beginning of the second. Jackson Hawkins torched the net from downtown, and leveled the score to 19-19. The two teams played between them and kept the game close. Bryan made a 3-point play and Hawkins had seven points during the second half in which the Eagles took a lead of 31-24. Junior Mayes and Poindexter both scored three points in the final minutes of the game and cut the gap to 31-30 at the half.
Poindexter and Hawkins started the third quarter with baskets. Bryan was then four-of-four on the line, which helped Pleasant Home to a 37-32 advantage. Poindexter reacted with force and then redirected the momentum to the other direction, making the loudest three of the game for an advantage of 39-37 at the time of 3:39. Bryan made it 39-39 after a layup. another surge from home. Brown made a smart play to the basket and Poindexter added 10 points in the process as Red Level built a 47-39 advantage. Purifoy scored six points in the stretch, and Red Level cut the deficit to 49-45 at three.
Brown began the fourth quarter by putting in a free throw, and extended the lead to five. Hawkins was next with a jumper and Vance Kelley drew the Eagles to 50-50 with 5:17 to play. Poindexter followed with a flurry of 12 points at the end of the game giving the Tigers an eight-point lead that they didn’t relinquish.
Poindexter scored 51 points to lead Red Level (7-5, 1-1 1A Area 3). Brown scored six points in the win, and was closely followed by Griffin and Mayes at three and four each.
Purifoy was the top scorer for Pleasant Home (12-6, 1-1 1A Area 3) with 20 points while Bryan scored 14. Hawkins scored 11 points in defeat while Kelley had five and Colvin got three.
Both teams will be back in the action Tuesday January. 9. Pleasant Home travels to Straughn while Red Level visits McKenzie in local action.
The story Tigers beat two-game basketball game in the area against Eagles was first published in The Andalusia Star-News.
