Thompson starts strong, takes road win at Oak Mountain

Published 4:44 pm Sunday, December 17, 2023

By Andrew Simonson

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

NORTH SHELBY – The Thompson Warriors came out of the gate strong and set themselves up for an 83-67 win over the Oak Mountain Eagles on Friday, Dec. 15 at Oak Mountain High School.

That strong start began with 21 points in the first quarter, including six points from Daeshaun Morrissette and five points each from Riley Bryant and Jay Green.

Combined with a defense that allowed just eight points from Oak Mountain in the opening period, that was the recipe for the Warriors to take a 13-point lead into the second quarter.

The next eight minutes were much closer, mainly thanks to Emanuel Johnson, who scored 10 of the Eagles’ 13 second-quarter points. Thompson responded with 15 points from five different scorers, and the visitors led 36-21 at the halftime break.

After the teams came out of the locker room, the Warriors resumed their high-scoring ways. Masiah Robinson dropped 10 points in the third quarter and Green added six more to help Thompson score 22 points in the period.

Five different players helped Oak Mountain scored 14 points in the third, including Grey Williams, who went a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line, but the Eagles still trailed 58-35 going into the fourth quarter.

That wouldn’t last for long, though, as gradual improvements on offense throughout the game led to a massive fourth quarter from Oak Mountain.

As a team, they dropped 32 points in the final period, as Chris Kunard was perfect on all four of his shots for 10 points, Williams scored seven more points and finished the game having made his last seven free throws and Johnson closed out the night with five more points.

The Warriors scored 24 points to limit the damage, and after a high-scoring fourth quarter from both sides, Thompson walked away with the 83-67 win.

Robinson and Morrissette tied for the Warriors’ team high with 12 points each. Morrissette recorded a double-double by securing 11 rebounds, and he also added four assists and three steals. Robinson had five assists and four steals to go with his double-digit scoring performance.

Green earned 11 points, three rebounds and three steals, and Jared Smith had a solid night with 10 points and five rebounds.

For Oak Mountain, Johnson had a game-high 14 points, while Williams scored 12 points and Kunard and Gray Plaia each earned 10 points.

More Sports

Carson Rose extends SPHL goal lead as Bulls cruise past Macon Mayhem

University of Montevallo women’s soccer advances to D-II Sweet 16 with win over Florida Tech

Spain Park stifles John Carroll in tangle at Thompson Thanksgiving Invitational

Pelham survives road test at Calera

Print Article

SportsPlus

  • Polls

    What would make you consider a digital subscription to Shelby County Reporter?

    View Results

    Loading ... Loading ...