Boys Split Home Action
The Monticello Hurricane basketball squads suffered a sweep by the Jones County Greyhounds Tuesday evening on their home court.
The Lady Canes fell to the Lady Greyhounds 37-26 making them winless thus far this season. Head coach Tamika Thomas said that poor free throw shooting and lack of confidence by her young basketball pupils were plaguing the team.
“We are averaging only 40 percent in free throw shooting. Against Greene on Saturday we only made 18-of-56 free throws and shot 31 percent against Jones,” said the coach.
“We are a young team and you can see the lack of experience and confidence on their faces when they step up to that line for a shot.”
Practices as of late have been tailored to improving those statistics with hours spent at the free throw line and special incentives to those who finish above 50 percent by the sessions’ end, according to the coach.
Morgan Stokes had 15 points Tuesday against Jones.
Tuesday’s defeat was preceded by losses to Greene County on Saturday and GMC on Friday. The varsity ladies fell to Greene 47-39 in overtime after being tied at 38 at the end of regulation. The local ladies were outmatched during overtime scoring only 1 point to the Lady Tigers 9.
The loss of the only seniors and twins Morgan and Maya Stokes to foul troubles really hurt the team in the OT loss to Greene. The Stokes sisters each had 10 points while Jameecia Thurman was the leading scorer with 12.
Just one-fourth of the 38 missed free throws could have made a difference in the result of that game.
GMC earned a four-point margin of victory over the Lady Canes Friday, 39-35. The varsity squad fell by the same margin to GMC in the previous week’s competition. Morgan had 9 points; Maya added 7; and Thurman, 5.
The varsity Canes split action over the past three games falling 77-53 to Jones and 79-57 to GMC but topping Greene 83-69.
The loss to Jones showed holes in the defense according to Head Coach B.J. Thomas.
“Our defense was lacking and there was very poor effort.,” he said. “When there is a problem with defense I put the fault on myself and that something I will have to correct in practice.”
Junior Jordan Stone was the lead scorer with 13 points and C.J. Adams added 12.
The Canes got off to a quick start Saturday outscoring the Tigers 40 to 30 in the first half and that momentum never waned.
“Clearly Greene was the best game thus far this season. The offense clicked well. Also we played with a lot more relaxation than against GMC the night before and it showed,” said Coach Thomas.
Junior Stone led the scoring with 15 points and was 3-of-5 from the free throw line. Stone joins the varsity basketball squad after recovering from recent football injuries. Freshman Ashton Bonner had 14 points; Avery Davis, Adams, and Quinton Standifer, each had 13 points; De’ Miria Glover added 9; and Jakari Middlebrooks, 6.
Standifer was 100 percent from the free throw line going 9-for-9. Glover was as well, scoring 1-of-1. Davis had three 3-pointers.
Adams was the leading scorer against GMC with 12 points; followed by Stone with 10; Standifer, 9; Davis, 7; Bonner, 6; Desmond Nash and Glover, 5: Middlebrooks, 2; and Shakur Sands, 1.
Standifer was again perfect at the free throw line with 5-of-5; Adams was 6-of-9; Stone was 4-of-6; Davis, Nash, Sands each were 1-of-2.
Next up for the varsity squads will be Henry County at home Saturday, Dec. 6 beginning at 4 p.m. before hosting region opponent Northeast on Tuesday, Dec. 9 for a 6 p.m. varsity start.