photo by Dusty Harper

Not enough firepower: Dadeville’s Ladarius Wilkerson dribbles down the floor at Alabama State. DHS lost to SCHS 61-31.

No. 1 Sumter County eliminates Dadeville boys

By Dusty Harper (Contact) | Dadeville Record

Published Wednesday, February 24, 2010

MONTGOMERY — No. 1 Sumter County used a swarming defense to hold Dadeville to 19 total points in the final three quarters of Thursday’s Class 3A Central Regional semifinal and knock off the Tigers 61-31.

After taking an 18-12 lead in the first quarter, the Wildcats held Dadeville scoreless for more than six minutes in the second stanza and allowed only one field goal – a Kieran Sturdivant lay-up with three seconds left ­– the entire period.

“That’s a good team with great guards and post players,” DHS head coach Rodney Taylor said. “We did a good job of swinging the basketball in the first quarter and generating offense, but we didn’t after that. We moved the ball well at times, we just couldn’t score.”

Sumter County was led by Kevin May’s 12 points. He was one of five Wildcats to score at least nine points. Freshman Terry Toler made 5 of 10 shots and scored 12 to lead Dadeville.

The Wildcats scored nine quick points in a row to start the contest, before Quin Alvies put the Tigers on the board with a 3-pointer from the right wing with 6:30 left in the opening quarter. Dadeville would make just one more shot from beyond the arc the rest of the day.

Toler’s field goal with 3:01 to go in the first quarter made the score 15-12, but the Tigers were unable to score another point until Serdarryen Pulliam’s free throw with 1:43 remaining in the first half. Sumter County scored 13 points during the drought and led 31-17 at halftime.

Sturdivant scored the first basket of the second half, but the Wildcats put up nine straight points again after that to go up 40-19 with 4:23 left.

Toler got the deficit to 18 with 2:50 left in the third quarter, but following two SCHS free throws by Jeremy Sturdivant 13 seconds later, the Wildcats’ lead never dipped below 20 points for the remainder of the game.

Sturdivant was next in scoring for Dadeville with seven points. Kyle Caldwell scored five and had two of the Tigers’ three total assists. Alvies and Ladarius Wilkerson both pulled down six rebounds.

The Wildcats (22-4) forced 21 turnovers and held Dadeville to 23 percent shooting, while committing eight turnovers of their own and making 46 percent of their field goals. The Tigers were 9 of 12 from the line, and the Wildcats were 17 of 29.

Dadeville’s loss snapped a six-game winning streak and gives the team a final record of 17-12.

The regional appearance for the Tigers was the first in more than a decade. With only one senior, Chris Waldrep, leaving the team, Taylor is optimistic for the future.

“This whole experience is great for us,” Taylor said. “They were a better team, but we played hard until the end. With the guys we have coming back, we have a chance to have something special next year.”

---

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?

---