By JOSH FRYE
News Sportswriter
After a slow start, Escambia County High’s basketball team is red-hot.
The Blue Devils improved to 5-6 after sweeping past three opponents to nail down the 2020 Escambia County Basketball Tournament championship.
The first victory came on December 10, a 76-46 rout of T.R. Miller during which five ECHS players hit double figures.
Sheldon Williams scored 19 points to lead ECHS against the Tigers. Tyson Moore contributed 15, Hakeem Johnson scored 14, Stephen Williams and Jacob Dirden chipped in 10 points each. Kaiden Arnold put up four points, and Jacobey James had two.
On December 11 the Blue Devils defeated W.S. Neal 60-50, with Sheldon Williams again leading the way. Williams hit for 16 points, while Johnson and Moorer put up 12 points each. Stephen Williams had seven points, James contributed five and Anthony McCants chipped in with four.
ECHS kept the winning streak alive last Saturday, December 12, taking down Flomaton by a 46-39 margin.
For the third straight night, Sheldon Williams led the Blue Devils in scoring, putting up 24 points, while McCants tacked on eight points and Moorer added five. Johnson got three points, and Stephen Williams and Jeremiah George notched two each.
ECHS head coach John Shears stressed that after a rocky start to the season that the Blue Devils have been able to settle down and eliminate turnovers. They have also improved their accuracy from the free-thrown line.
“We played significantly better this week,” Shears said. “The guys have continued to improve game after game, and the improvements are showing on the scoreboard.”
The Blue Devils will host Mary G. Montgomery this Friday, December 18.