By By Matthew Nascone
It took almost a decade, but the Escambia County Lady Blue Devils defeated a team for the first time in nine years Jan. 23. That team was the T.R. Miller Lady Tigers.
With a 55-53 double overtime victory the Lady Blue Devils (12-6, 2-2 in Alabama High School Association Class 4A Area 1 play) dethroned the Tigers.
"This win gives us a lot of confidence," ECHS head coach Christy Nall said. "I think now we will play T.R. Miller differently, knowing we can beat them."
After a near miss Nov. 21 in Brewton, the Lady Devils made up for nine years of defeat with a thrilling victory.
"We had a great defensive game and we worked our offense to perfection," Nall said. "There was a great team effort out there Monday and I was thrilled."
Jasmine Sanders carried the Lady Blue to victory with 17 points and Nall said it was her free throw percentage that helped the team the most.
"She was 7-8 from the line and that helped us out a great deal," Nall said. "She has improved her free throw shooting throughout the season."
Tinekka Lett added nine points and Courtney English and Anushka Banks poured in eight points each in the win.
This game might not have any area ramifications, but the fans knew how big a win this was for the girls.
"After Ashanti Jones hit that game winning shot the stands emptied onto the floor," Nall said. "It was like we had won the state championship. It was great."
In action on Friday the Lady Blue lost to UMS-Wright 65-51.
"We were there in body, but we were not there in mind," Nall said. "Some games you show up and some games you don't and that was one where we didn't show up."
Lett led the scoring with 19 points. Sanders contributed 10 points, English scored eight points, Banks added six points, Brittany Lee added four points and Jones and Ashley Kidd added two points each.
The Lady Blue hosted Jackson in an area game yesterday and the results will be in Sunday's Advance.
ECHS is on the road in their final area game against Gulf Shores Jan. 27.
In boy's action
The boy's team dropped two games in four days. First they lost their first area game 54-52 in Mobile to the UMS-Wright Bulldogs. The game was one to forget for Big Blue.
"We played a great game," ECHS head coach Jerome Antone said. "Our kids made a great comeback from 13 points down, but we couldn't pull it out. We didn't play hard in the beginning and that hurt us."
Antone said the game was a close battle and the better team came out victorious.
"UMS-Wright played hard and they were the better team," Antone said. "We will start over and we will now focus on doing well in the postseason wherever we play."
Big Blue (18-4, 3-1 in AHSAA Class 4A Area 1 play) came home for a game with the T.R. Miller Tigers Monday and lost 59-48.
"We did not play well at all for whatever reason," Antone said. "Sometimes a team will have a breakdown, but we hope we can move on and do well in the playoffs. We had some bumps and we hope to overcome them."
The past few games might not have gone quite how Antone would like them to go, but he does not want the fans to stray from supporting Big Blue.
"We don't want people to give up on us," he said. "Any team will have some stumbling blocks, but as Herm Edwards always says, 'you have to play the game' and that is what we plan to do. I have confidence these guys will bounce back because they are seniors and they want to go out with a bang.
Big Blue hosted Jackson in an area game yesterday and the results will be in Sunday's Advance.
ECHS is on the road in their final area game against Gulf Shores Jan. 27.