By Justin Fedich | The Selma Times-Journal

Two minutes into the game, the Morgan Academy Senators had turned the ball over four times and were outscored 9-0. 

Morgan (0-1) was unable to climb out of an early hole Tuesday, dropping its season opener to Tuscaloosa Academy 60-34 at home. Turnovers doomed the Senators early and poor Morgan shooting prevented a comeback.

“We’ve got to make the easy shots,” said Morgan head coach Lee Tate. “We have to make the layups. We have to make the free throws.”

Two early 3-pointers from Harrison Adams and Jackson Henderson lowered the deficit to 11-7 with 5:40 remaining in the first quarter.

Woodham Kemmer pushed it to 13-10 with a made free throw, but Morgan couldn’t keep it close for long. With the Senators trailing 15-12, the Knights ended the first quarter on a 13-0 run to take a 28-12 lead.

Morgan was outscored 11-5 in the second quarter, as the Senators entered halftime down 39-17.

Henderson and Kemmer each scored six points in the third quarter, but the rest of the team went scoreless, and the Senators went into the fourth quarter trailing 50-29.

Kemmer added four points in the final quarter to finish with a team-leading 15 points.

Tate said he was proud of what he saw from Kemmer on an overall tough team shooting night.

“He did a great job tonight,” Tate said. “I’m just really proud of him. His leadership, attitude. Never gets down, always pushing other guys to keep their heads up. He’s just a great kid.”

Tate knew his team was in for a challenge with Tuscaloosa Academy.

“That was a very good team we played tonight, probably one of the better ones we’ll play all year and we knew that but our guys didn’t quit,” Tate said.

 

Tuscaloosa 41, Morgan 6 (girls)

Mary Stewart scored four points, Caroline Thomas scored two points and that’s all the Morgan Academy girls’ basketball team was able to muster.

Morgan (0-1) had a rough opening debut against Tuscaloosa Tuesday in a 41-6 home loss. Despite the 34-point blowout, Morgan head coach Caroline Averitt saw a fight in her team that gives her hope for a brighter future.

Averitt sent her eighth grader Thomas and freshman Ellie Adams a text earlier in the day letting them know they would be starting the game. They both sent a text back saying they would be ready.

On a night where virtually no shots were falling for Morgan, it was the eighth grader Thomas who was the first one to score for Morgan with five minutes remaining in the first half.

Adams didn’t score, but she showed Averitt nothing will keep her out of a game. Trailing 35-4, Adams sat on the bench asking Averitt to go back into the game with a dislocated pinky finger.

Averitt was hesitant at first, but Adams told her to tape the finger and let her go back in the game.

“She is a go-getter,” Averitt said of Adams. “She is real selfless. She’s a team player.”

Stewart drew three fouls in the second half, and led the team with four points. Averitt said she is proud of the way that Stewart is always willing to play whatever position Averitt puts her at.

“All she wants to know is, ‘what can I do better?’” Averitt said. “She works hard, she has a great attitude.”

While the game didn’t produce anywhere near the result Averitt wanted, she is optimistic about how the rest of the season will play out.

“There is nowhere to go but up,” Averitt said.

Morgan’s next game is Dec. 1 at Evangel Christian.