Pleasant Valley Roper, Lady Raiders were a little late for game, but they answered the call, and ran past Weaver to win their County Tournament opener
CALHOUN COUNTY GIRLS GAMES
Pleasant Valley 53, Weaver32
Jacksonville Christian vs. White Plains at noon
Piedmont vs. Wellborn at 3:00 p.m.
Alexandria vs. Saks, 6 p.m.
Al Muskewitz
Anyone who knows Macey Roper will tell you that the Pleasant Valley senior guard doesn’t like to wake up in the morning, which can make it dangerous for a team playing at 9 AM.
Roper and the Lady Raiders woke up early Monday morning. However, after a quarter to get the dust off, they ran past Weaver 53 to 32 in the first game of the Calhoun County Tournament.
Colton Morris, PV coach, called the start “sloppy”. The Lady Raiders started the second quarter with eight consecutive points to take control. Roper scored the first five points of the run, and the seventh overall. Roper finished the game with 18 points and 13 rebound.
Roper stated, “Everyone can tell me I’m not a morning person,” Roper added. “Everybody knows that I can’t get up at dawn so coach brought me to work at 7:30 am trying to wake up. It was difficult, but it was worth it.”
Kianna Hester, her senior teammate, stayed over to make sure she didn’t sleep too much and got on the bus on time. Six o’clock was an early hour. Colton Morris, the head coach, was up even earlier.
Morris stated, “They had to open it for us, nobody was yet here,” “I know their personalities, I’ve been around them for a while, so I know what they look like. They had to come to me early to wake them up. I don’t even remember if they would have arrived at 8:15. I don’t know if it would have been a win or lose.
Roper stated, “I knew that I had to support my team and I had had to be available to play for them.”
Laney Robinson started a larger 11-0 run with a buzzer beating 3 in the second quarter. The Lady Raiders took the lead with a pair of 3s in the last 30 seconds. She scored 13 points after hitting four 3s.
Robinson stated, “Of course I wasn’t warming up well at all, but I felt it.” “At that time, I was open to it so I went for the win because it would help the team. It really helped me to feel more confident for the remainder of the game. I was able to do it without worrying and that made me feel strong.
Both players will cherish this year’s County Tournament. Roper was participating in her fifth and final County Tournament at JSU. However, it was not the first time she had done so this early in her career. Robinson, a sophomore, was participating in her first tournament since she had been on the junior high team.
She said, “I was nervous at the beginning, but it was something that I’ll never forget.”
Roper will be able to recall the same moments, but more, as he has been coming here for the county’s showcase events since eighth grade.
Roper stated, “This tournament is very special for me because of the atmosphere. It’s going to be bittersweet knowing that this will be my last County Tournament. I hope we can make it back here in regionals.
“It will be bittersweet not being able to play for this team, because this team has been one of my favorites, just the chemistry that we’ve had so well.”
The Lady Raiders are not playing so soon, fortunately. At 3 p.m. on Tuesday, they draw Anniston, second-seeded. If they win, they will play Anniston at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Do you think she would like to go back early?
She said “Not necessarily”, but she added, “But I would do it again to support the team.”
This story will be updated.
PLEASANT VALEY – Macey ROPER 6 6-8 18, Rebekah Ginaway 4 0-0 10, Kianna Shester 2 0-0 5, Laney Robinson 3 1-2 13, Lilly Robinson 2 0-0 6, Ella Kate Parris 1 0-0 4, Bailey Brown 2 0-0 2, Savannah Pritchett 2 0-0 1. Totals 19 8-12 53.
WEAVER Annalynna Canchucaja 0.0-0.0. Erionna Richmond 2.0-1 4. D.J. Gibbs 0 0-0 0 Ella Kines 0 0-0 0 Alayia d’Ambrosia 7 1-2 15, Madison Atchley 3 5-7 9, Kimoramiles 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 8-14 32.
Pleasant Valley 11-14 14 14 – 53
Weaver 8 10 10 – 32
Pleasant Valley 7 (Gannaway 2, Hester La., La.) 3-point goals Robinson 4, Total fouls Pleasant Valley 14, Weaver 16. Officials: Madsen, Williams, Compton.
