Griffin’s torrid 3-point shooting propels Wallace State men to rout over Meridian (Miss.); WSCC women fall in closing minutes
HANCEVILLE – Wallace State’s men’s basketball team may schedule more weekday matinees, especially after the fun it had Friday.
No one enjoyed the rare midday start more than sophomore forward Jamalcolm Griffin. The Rome, Ga. native nailed six of his seven 3-pointers in the first half, finishing with 21 points, and Wallace State cruised to a convincing 89-39 triumph over Meridian (Miss.) CC.
“My teammates were joking with me because they thought I might have tweaked something in my wrist after I was complaining about a messing up an ankle in practice the other day. I felt good shooting. It was one of those days you always want to have,” said Griffin, last year’s ACCC/Region 22 tournament MVP and the current ACCC leader with 39 3’s made. “Hard work pays off and we’ve been practicing and playing well. I feel like the momentum we had from last year has carried over to this season.”
Defending state champion Wallace State (10-4) easily posted its best defensive effort of the season, yielding only 18 points to the Eagles by halftime and producing a season-high output offensively.
Wallace State, winners of four straight, charged out to a commanding 18-6 lead less than five minutes into the game, extending the cushion on a Griffin 3-pointer. Minutes later, Jake Pifer hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions, Jacquise Moore converted a 3-point play and the Lions pushed the advantage to 30-11. They led 48-18 at the half.
The Lions easily coasted the rest of the way, earning scoring contributions from 10 players and connecting on 11 3’s as a team.
Moore finished with 15 points, Quinton McConico scored nine of his 12 points off the bench in the second half, Pifer added nine, Ryan King contributed eight and Jestin Lewis finished with seven.
For Meridian, Zollie Johnson paced the way with 16 points.
Meridian women 75, Wallace State 72
Meridian’s women’s team snapped Wallace State’s four-game winning streak in Friday’s opener, outlasting the Lady Lions in the final minutes.
Victoria Stewart’s 3-pointer for Meridian broke a 70-all tie with 2:02 remaining in the game. The Lady Eagles eventually escaped after Kelsie Montgomery’s clean 3-point attempt from the left corner was too strong for Wallace State (8-4) as time expired.
In the final 11:24, there were five ties between the teams and six lead changes.
Montgomery finished with 14 points for Wallace State, knocking down three 3-pointers. Ashley Nance collected another double-double–her sixth of the season–with 13 points and 11 rebounds before she left with an ankle injury with eight minutes left in the game.
Wallace State’s Jorden Quick finished with nine points on 3 of 5 shooting from 3-point territory, Presley Darling contributed nine points and Jaylan Snowden added seven points, five assists and three steals.
Wallace State led 37-29 at halftime.
Both Wallace State teams play at Alabama Southern on Tuesday.
For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit wallacestate.edu.
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Russell Moore
Staff Writer
Wallace State Community College
P.O. Box 2000, Hanceville, AL 35077
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Visit us online at www.wallacestate.edu