Sparkman boys run past Bob Jones
Three nights after Sparkman posted a 5-point win over preseason area favorite Hazel Green, the surging Senators posted a 15 point win over Bob Jones with a 60-45 win at home on Friday night. The number 3 ranked Senators are now 10-0 overall and 3-0 in area play.
Offensively, Sparkman was powered by William Crowell who had an efficient 12 points. The 6-foot-5 Crowell is shooting lights out from the outside. He was 2 of 4 from behind the arc and 4 of 6 from the field. He also sank his only two free throws.
“I’m trying to get more colleges to look at me,” said Crowell who projects as a shooting guard at the next level. “I’m playing my best basketball. It’s my senior year so we want to go out strong and get a state championship this year.
“We’ve been playing together since we were young so we know what we can do. We’re just having fun. We just didn’t finish last year but we’re ready this year,” said Crowell who had a season-high 23 against Hazel Green.
The current Sparkman players have never made it to the Final Four championship tournament in Birmingham.
Lamont Turner had 16 points and led the team with three three-point baskets. The slashing guard heated up in the second half with 13 points.
Bob Jones briefly had some leads early in the game. After Ralph Templeton scored on a fast break the Patriots led 12-7. Sparkman ended the quarter with a Devin Hankins three-point shot and two blocked shots on the defensive end for a 17-14 lead after one quarter.
Sparkman had a 13-2 run to start the second quarter led by Crowell who scored nine points in the stretch including two three pointers. Turnovers and missed shots plagued Bob Jones as the Patriots only scored four in the quarter until Ryan Flanigan hit a three and another basket late to close to 31-23 at the half.
Sparkman’s press forced two 5-second turnovers in the game including one in the pivotal third quarter as the Senators opened on a 10-0 run to go up 41-23. Lamonte Turner and Devin Hankins powered the run with three-point baskets.
Sparkman had their biggest lead early in the fourth quarter at 53-30.
Bob Jones was led by Jamarcus Jones with 12 points. The Patriots are on a three-game losing streak going back to a loss to Lee last Saturday night. They are 0-2 in area play and 3-5 overall.
“That third quarter is as well as we have played this year,” said Sparkman first-year coach Jaime Coggins. “We played well on defense and caused some turnovers. The turnovers led to transition baskets. We finished at the rim and shot well from outside.”
Coggins says that both Crowell and Turner have the green light to shoot from the outside.
According to Coggins, Turner has been under the weather but came out of it in this game. “Tonight was a breakout game for him. On defense he guarded well and went to the boards.”
Turner was credited with four rebounds and two steals.
Sparkman goes nine players deep Coggins said and at times utilizes the full court press with great effectiveness.
“The way we play, full court and making it an up tempo game, we have to have that kind of depth,” Coggins said.
Sparkman has a regular season game Monday at Florence and then will be back in action locally in the Huntsville Times Classic December 27-29.
They get back into area action on January 4 at Bob Jones.
