By Daniel Evans

The Selma Times-Journal

 

PLANTERSVILLE — Playing on its home floor for the first time since winning last season’s class 4A state championship, Dallas County did not disappoint the home crowd.

The Hornets (2-0) recovered from a slow start to dominate A.L. Johnson 81-51 behind 21 points from Mario Simmons and 18 from Jerrod Moorer. Head coach Willie Moore said Dallas County, who only has three starters back from last season’s championship team, is still trying to gain continuity on the floor with an entirely different supporting cast.

“Some of the young guys are still trying to adjust to the speed and the fast pace of the game at the varsity level,” Moore said. “I know we have a lot of holes defensively to fill. We are still trying to learn how to play without size inside but all-in-all, you take a win when you can get it. But we have to get a lot better.”

The Eagles jumped out to an 11-4 lead behind back-to-back three-pointers from Charles Edwards, only to watch the Hornets come racing back. Mario Simmons scored seven points for Dallas County in the first quarter, allowing the Hornets to cut the deficit to 17-16.

With back-to-back steals and layups by Javaris McGuire to begin the second quarter, Dallas County took the lead for good. The Hornets outscored the Eagles 29-11 in a tone setting second quarter and the Eagles never recovered.

“We messed around and got in foul trouble, so we were limited with what we could do,” A.L. Johnson coach Johnney Ford said. “We had to make some adjustments to go with a smaller lineup and they took advantage of that. We just shot ourselves in the foot.”

Raheem Phillips knocked in two three-pointers for the Hornets during the second quarter but didn’t play in the second half due to a hip pointer. Moore said the point guard is day-to-day.

Ten different Hornets scored for Dallas County in the game. McGuire scored 11 points for the Hornets and Phillips added eight.

Dallas County’s next game will be against Southside Friday.

 

A.L. Johnson 40,  Dallas County 26 (Girls)

The home baskets weren’t kind to the Dallas County Lady Hornets, who had trouble consistently making shots in a 40-26 loss Tuesday to A.L. Johnson.

Playing in their home opener after falling in two road contests to Thorsby and Booker T. Washington, the Lady Hornets made only six field goals on a night where turnovers and transition baskets allowed A.L. Johnson (1-0) to take an early lead and cling to a double digit advantage most of the night.

“We definitely had too many turnovers. We just didn’t have the continuity or any kind of rhythm on offense,” said Dallas County coach Charles Thompson.

The Hornets trailed by double digits most of the first half but a basket by Alexis Goodwin with 2.2 seconds left in the second quarter pulled Dallas County within 20-12 at the break.

A three-pointer by Arecia Simpson further closed the gap in the opening seconds of the second half, making it 22-15, but the Hornets would not get any closer the rest of the way.

Dallas County trailed 30-22 after three quarters but allowed A.L. Johnson to outscore them 10-4 in the final period.

“I told them when you come into another team’s house, you are going to have to earn it,” said A.L. Johnson coach Danielle Sanders. “We had the 10-point lead at half but they came back out ready to play.”

Goodwin led Dallas County with eleven points and Simpson contributed nine.