By By Matthew Nascone
The Escambia County Lady Blue Devils continued winning and moved to 7-2 on the season with a 63-38 bombardment of the Baldwin County Lady Tigers Saturday.
"My seniors stepped up big," ECHS head coach Todd Reynolds said. "This game was a great opportunity to work on our man defense late in the game."
The Lady Devils were up 20-4 at the end of the first quarter and had stopped pressing by the start of the third quarter.
Jasmine Sanders recorded her third straight triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 11 steals. Ashanti Jones led the scoring with 21 points and Ashley Kidd added 14 points.
In boys' action
After a four-game win streak, the Atmore Blue Devils now have a two-game losing streak heading into the Escambia County Tournament after a loss to Baldwin County Saturday.
"We didn't play hard at all," ECHS head coach Jerome Antone said. "We didn't shoot the ball well and we had way too many turnovers."
The Devils (4-3) turned the ball over 28 times and allowed the Tigers to snag 29 rebounds on their possession.
Antone said the loss was devastating, but he will not let his team dwell on it.
"We were beat in all phases of the game," Antone said. "But I told the guys after the game, 'There is no need to talk about this one, let's just go home and sleep it off.'"
Citronelle 78 – Blue Devils 53
The Escambia County Devils' win streak was snapped at four games when they lost to Citronelle Dec.5, 78-53. ECHS head coach Jerome Antone said his team just ran out of gas.
"We had no energy left," Antone said. "I don't know whether it was all the games we played or what, but we did not play Blue Devil basketball. And the turnovers we made killed us."
Atmore turned the ball over 23 times on the evening and could not pull the game out.
"When you turn the ball over that many times you are asking for trouble," Antone said. "The players and I agreed that was the worst display of basketball by the Blue Devils in the past two years. And we won't have another game like that."
Frank Taylor led the offensive charge with 20 points; James Lykes added 14 points and eight rebounds and Shavauhia Knight contributed six points and eight assists.
County Tournament
The Blue Devils and Lady Blue Devils travel to T.R. Miller High School in Brewton for the Escambia County Tournament, beginning tomorrow. The Escambia County Blue Devils are defending County Tournament champs, but head coach Jerome Antone said this year's tournament should be wide open.
"I feel like this year it will be a very competitive tournament," he said. "And there will not be one team that is dominant over the rest."
But Antone said he wants to repeat.
"I basically have told the guys we want to repeat," he said. "And that is the best feeling to be able to call yourselves county champions. And if we work hard we can defend our title."
The girls face W.S. Neal at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow. The boys battle W.S. Neal immediately following the girls' game. The girls face Flomaton Dec. 15 at 3:30 p.m. with the boys following them again. And the two teams square off with T.R. Miller Dec. 16 beginning at 3:30 p.m.