By JORDON SEMIEN/For the Reporter

COLUMBIANA—Hot shooting hands and stiff rebounding led the way as the Cornerstone Chargers beat the visiting Raiders of South Montgomery County Academy 65-33 Jan. 11.

The Raiders’ trip north was delayed by a storm system passing over Montgomery and as the game tipped off, it looked like they never arrived. From the opening tip, the Chargers showed that though they may have been at a height disadvantage at most times, they had no fear of playing a physical style of ball.

Within the first six minutes of the first quarter, the Raiders were charged with four team fouls, leading to an early 9-6 lead for the Chargers. Cornerstone came away with three first quarter steals translating to eight points. Dylan Brantley had two of those steals as the Chargers went on a 4-0 run in the final two minutes of the opening period for a 15-6 lead.

Brantley’s quick hands struck again in the second quarter, coming up with another steal in the first minute of continued play as the Chargers forced more and more mistakes from the Raiders. The teams went on matching seven point runs to extend the scoring to a 22-14 lead for Cornerstone at the three minute mark of the second. Junior Dustin Wooley got in on the action with a steal of his and finishing at the rim for two. He  finish the game with 15 points and five rebounds as the Chargers lead at halftime, 31-20.

The Raiders fell back into foul trouble early in the third as Colt Hicks fouled out of the game at the 4:56 mark. Najar Williams lit up the Raider defense by starting his game by hitting his first three shots, all from three-point. Williams went 3-of-4 from deep with 11 points and four rebounds.

The fouls continued to rack up for the Raiders as center Chase Sanders fouled out in the fourth quarter; Sanders had seven points and six rebounds. The Chargers’ dominating night was led by Lee Mooney as he dropped 18 points and racked up 18 rebounds on the night. Mooney’s performance was matched by Brantley as he put up six points and 12 boards himself.

Head coach Jay Adams praised his team’s dominating 52 total rebounds, especially the effort form leading glass cleaners Mooney and Brantley.

“Those guys, they get in there and they battle,” Adams stated “We’re a little bit undersized and to be as undersized as we are, and compete they way we have on the boards, says a lot about the character of the kids.”

The Chargers will take the floor again on Jan.13 as they play host to Tuscaloosa Academy.