By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Escambia County High’s boys earned one-sided victories over T.R. Miller and Flomaton to claim the first-place trophy in last weekend’s Escambia County Christmas Tournament.
Lorenzo Arnold scored 13 and came up with 4 steals to lead the way as the Blue Devils blew Flomaton’s Hurricanes away in the December 9 championship game, a 47-24 win that that left ECHS with a 6-1 record.
Stephen Williams hit for 12 points, came up with a steal and blocked 2 shots, while Cali McCants put 5 points on the board, pulled down 4 rebounds, handed out 3 assists and came up with 3 steals.
ECHS 60, T.R. Miller 39
In the team’s December 8 matchup with T.R. Miller, it was Williams who paved the way to the win. The senior standout scored 18 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked 5 shots as the Blue Devils used an 18-8 explosion in the second period to pull away from the Tigers.
Michael French scored 14 points, dished out 5 assists and came up with 2 steals. Arnold and Exavion Bradley scored 9 points each, and each contributed in other areas. Arnold added 4 steals, 2 assists and 2 blocked shots; Bradley pulled down 10 rebounds and stole the ball twice. McCants also had 2 steals, blocked a shot and handed out 2 assists.
ECHS was scheduled to host Baldwin County Tuesday night, Dec. 12, and Hoover on Saturday, Dec. 16, in their last two games until the new year.
ECHS 50, W.S. Neal 27
Williams and Arnold combined for more points than ECHS’s opponent as the Blue Devils raced to a 50-27 win over W.S. Neal in December 7 action.
Williams scored 21 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked 2 shots as ECHS improved to 4-1. Arnold put 11 points on the board, dished out 3 assists and came up with 3 steals. McCants added 6 points, including a 4-4 night at the foul line, while Bryce Stevens scored 5 points and blocked a shot. Bradley scored only 2 points but contributed 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals to the winning effort. James Whatley also blocked a shot.
Hillcrest-59, ECHS 54
Four Escambia County High’s boys combined for 47 points, but the remainder of the team could only manage 7, and the Blue Devils suffered their first loss of the season December 5 at the hands of Hillcrest-Evergreen.
Williams hit for 18 points and was again the team’s leading scorer, while French scored 12 points and handed out 4 assists, Arnold put 11 points on the board and led the team with 6 assists, and McCants scored 6 points and was credited with 4 assists.
Williams again turned in a stellar defensive effort, grabbing 11 rebounds off the defensive glass (15 total) and blocking 10 shots. Arnold had 2 steals and blocked 2 shots, and Bradley (2 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists) contributed 2 steals and a blocked shot.
ECHS 60, B.C. Rain 57
Williams wasn’t the whole show, but the senior standout was a big part of it, as Escambia County High’s boys reeled off their third straight season-opening win December 4.
Williams was one of four Blue Devils to hit double figures, and the foursome accounted for all ECHS’s scoring. He put 19 points on the board, grabbed 22 rebounds, blocked 10 shots and had a pair of steals.
He was complemented nicely by Arnold, who scored 16 points (including a 6-of-8 night from the free throw line), handed out 8 assists and blocked a shot; French (14 points, 5 assists), Bradley (11 points, 6 rebounds), Stevens (6 rebounds) and McCants (2 blocked shots).