Kendrick, defensive-minded Airedales roll past Panthers
By Kevin Taylor
Alma Schools
During its five-game winning streak, coach Dominic Lincoln’s philosophy is the same as it’s been since his first day as the team’s coach - defense creates offense.
Alma locked down Greenbrier’s Jackson Edwards last Friday while roaring from behind for a 53-40 victory. Alma’s 4-0 start to 5A-West play matches the team’s 4-0 start from 2011-12.
Edwards hit three of his four 3-pointers in the first quarter, scoring 16 of his 18 points in the first sixteen minutes.
The second half was a different story.
“No. 11 (Edwards) had four 3-pointers in the first half but didn’t get another shot off in the second half,” Alma junior Miles Kendrick said. “That just shows that we can lock up anybody.”
Alma (11-8, 4-0) trailed upstart Greenbrier by three points in the first quarter before taking control midway through the second quarter. Israel Towns-Robinson, who led Alma with 16 points and nine rebounds, helped give Alma a 20-19 lead, and Kendrick added a 3-pointer to put the Airedales up 23-19 at halftime.
Towns-Robinson, who also had two of the team’s 11 assists, completed a three-point play early in the second quarter to help complete a 15-2 scoring run that proved to be the difference.
“I’m proud of the way we have played defensively for the last four games of conference,” Lincoln said. “A lot of that is our preparation in practice and our scouting. Coach (Darren) Stahler does a good job of scouting the offensive team (opponents). I think the biggest thing for us is we’re able to get a lead and our defense can keep the lead. That’s the sign of a good team, (but) we’ve just got to keep getting better.”
“Being 4-and-0 feels great; it’s a lot better than last year, but the job’s not done yet,” Kendrick said. “We’ve got to keep preparing. We’ve got Greenwood; they just came off a win (last week against Siloam Springs).”
Sophomore Easton Boggs had 10 points for the Airedales, and Camden Curd and Kendrick finished with nine and eight, respectively.
Carmoni Smith added a team-high four assists to go along with four points. Defensive stopper Tyree McGill also had four points.
Greenbrier 49, Alma 40
GIRLS - Coach Chanlee Bottoms’ team blew in front of Greenbrier, 9-0, last week before falling, 49-40, in 5A-West play.
The Lady Airedales (7-13, 1-3) lost this one at the free-throw line. The Lady Panthers were 16-of-23 from the foul line, including 14-of-18 in the fourth quarter.
Jordan and Jaden Gramlich led the Lady Airedales with nine and eight points, respectively, Alma shot just 28.8 percent from the field and was 10-of-16 from the foul line.