By By BRUCE HIXON Sports Editor
With several of their players still making the transition from football to basketball, it will probably take some time for the T.R. Miller Tigers' offense to come around.
"That doesn't mean we can't go out there and play good defense," T.R. Miller coach Rob Atkinson said.
The word "good" may be an understatement after the Tigers smothered the W.S. Neal Blue Eagles 54-22 in Friday's second round of the Escambia County Tournament at Atmore.
T.R. Miller improved to 2-0 in the tournament and moved into position to claim the championship Saturday if it beat Escambia County. The host Blue Devils were also 2-0 in the round robin affair after they clubbed Flomaton 81-53 Friday.
It was not just the points allowed that stood out in T.R. Miller's defensive scheme. The Tigers forced the Blue Eagles into 22 turnovers and allowed W.S. Neal just 31 shots from the field (seven-for-31). The Blue Eagles' season low output came 24 hours after they scored a season high 59 points against Escambia County.
T.R. Miller (2-1 overall) began the game with a 10-0 run thanks to a pair of three-pointers by Wade Jackson and field goals by Laine Lucas and Terrelle Brooks.
After W.S. Neal's Drew Hester ended that run with a field goal, T.R. Miller scored the next nine points and extended its lead to 21-2 a minute into the second quarter. Damien Jackson had a three-pointer and two other field goals in that surge.
The Tigers, who led 29-6 at halftime, held W.S. Neal without a field goal the final five minutes of the first half and the first six minutes of the second half. By the time Spencer Williamson's bucket ended the long drought, T.R. Miller's lead was up to 35-9.
At Escambia County
T.R. Miller 18 11 7 18 – 54
W.S. Neal 2 4 4 12 – 22
T.R. MILLER (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) D. Jackson 5-1-0-13; W. Jackson 2-2-0-10; Byrd 1-0-4-6; Brooks 3-0-0-6; Lucas 2-0-1-5; Arauz 2-0-0-4; Stallworth 2-0-0-4; Daugherty 0-1-0-3; Jones 0-1-0-3 (Totals: 17-5-5-54)
W.S. NEAL (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Cooper 2-0-1-5; Alexander 1-0-1-3; Thomas 0-0-3-3; Hester 1-0-1-3; McMillan 0-0-2-2; Ron. Travis 1-0-0-2; T. Sanders 1-0-0-2; Williamson 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 7-0-8-22)
T.R. Miller 58, Flomaton 41
The Tigers kicked off their portion of the Escambia County Tournament Thursday with a 58-41 triumph over the Flomaton Hurricanes.
With 80 percent of T.R. Miller's projected starting lineup still making the transition from football to basketball, the Tigers turned to their bench where they got 19 points from sophomore Wade Jackson and 12 from freshman Jordan Knight.
T.R. Miller trailed throughout the first quarter although a pair of treys and a free throw by Jackson had the Tigers within 16-15 at the end of the first period.
Jackson then added a fastbreak bucket in the opening moments of the second quarter that put T.R. Miller on top to stay.
That hoop triggered a 13-2 run by T.R. Miller that ended when Damien Jackson's short jumper extended the Tigers' advantage to a first half high of 28-18.
At Escambia County
T.R. Miller 15 13 7 23 – 58
Flomaton 16 5 8 12 – 41
T.R. MILLER (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) W. Jackson 2-4-3-19; Knight 4-0-4-12; Walker 2-0-3-7; D. Jackson 3-0-0-6; Samuel 1-0-2-4; Byrd 1-0-1-3; Arauz 1-0-1-3; Lucas 1-0-0-2; Banton 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 16-4-14-58)
FLOMATON (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Williams 5-1-8-21; Bonds 3-0-4-10; Bush 1-2-0-8; Simpson 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 10-3-12-41)