Long ball drops Wildcats
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, January 5, 2016
The Baker Gators live or die by the 3-pointer and on Saturday they lived, as the knocked off the Florala Wildcats 65-22 in the Alabama/Florida Shootout at Pleasant Home High School.
Baker’s Matt Samuolis got the Gators off to a fast start with a 3-pointer and then layups from Kalee Ciurleo and Austin Walters had them on top 7-0.
After another 3-pointer from Samuolis, Ellis McDaniel got the Wildcats on the board with a layup.
Baker then went on to hit five consecutive 3-pointers, including four from Walters to take a 25-2 lead.
Dallas Eastman then got a tip in for the Wildcats, followed by a pair of free throws from Payton Zessin to make it 25-8.
However, 3-pointers from Hunter Newton and Walters gave Baker a 33-8 lead heading in the second period.
Baker hit nine 3-pointers in the opening period.
The starting five for Baker didn’t set foot on the court in the second period, and at halftime the Gators held a 46-11 lead.
Avery McNeill led the Wildcats with 8 points and McDaniel finished with 6 points.
Also scoring for Florala, was Zessin, Lane Craig and Khalen Ball.