By JOSH FRYE
News Sportswriter
Escambia Academy’s Landon Sims scored 29 points last Friday, January 7, to lead the Cougars past Oak Park, 56-44. With the win, the EA’s varsity boys’ basketball team improved to a 7-3 season record and is ranked sixth in the AISA ASWA rankings after getting off to a slow start earlier this season due to many of the players doubling as football players or just inexperienced to the game.
Our guys are continuing to learn and grow as the season goes along,” EA varsity boys’ head coach Willie White said. “We have continued to improve and we have been able to gain depth on the roster. Many of our guys are football players, but inexperienced in basketball. They have continued to improve and catch on. We are getting better and better and I am proud of what they are accomplishing on and off the court.”
Sims has continued to be a powerhouse for the Cougars in scoring, but he has not been the only player to contribute in plays and points. Against Oak Park last Friday, Bubba Nettles supplemented Sims’ performance with 14 points, Charlie Sasser contributed 7 points and Malaki Haynes scored 6.
EA’s junior varsity team also made a solid showing against Oak Park last Friday, gaining a 41-34 victory.
Ronta Watson led scoring for the junior Cougars with 16 points, Marrion Hooks scored 8, Ty McCants tallied 5 points, S.T. Clark scored 4 and Wy McNeal contributed 3 points.
Both Cougars teams will host Lowndes Academy this Thursday, January 13 at 4 p.m., and will hit the road to face Sparta on this Friday, January 14, at 4 p.m.