Snead State basketball teams off to strong starts

After a nearly year-long wait to get back on the court, the Snead State basketball teams have wasted little time in rounding into form, with the women's team sitting a 4-0 under first-year coach Jason Shields, while the men have jumped out to a 4-1 start, rolling off four in a row after dropping the opening game of the season.

The women's team has done it with a strong combination of offense and defense, topping the 60-point mark in all four games to open the season, while not giving up more than 62 in any game, including holding opponents to under 51 points in each of their last three games.

For the season so far, the Lady Parsons are averaging 70.5 points per game, while allowing just 50.8 points per game, including an 81-42 drubbing of Lurleen B. Wallace in the third game of the season.

The Lady Parsons have gotten off to the hot start due to team basketball, pulling in nearly 15 offensive rebounds per game, and dishing out nearly 16 assists per game while limiting turnovers to around 12 per game.

The biggest boost has come on the defensive end, where the Lady Parsons are averaging 12 steals per game, and holding opponents to 32 percent from the field, and under 20 percent from behind the arc.

Those extra chances courtesy of the steals and offensive rebounds have come in handy as Snead State will look to improve its shooting as the season goes on, which sits at 38 percent for the season, including 29 percent on 3-pointers.

Offensively, the team has been sharing the wealth, with six players averaging over seven points per game, led by Lainey Yearta at 13.8 per game.

For the Snead State men, it's been a run and gun offense to start the year, with the Parsons topping 72 points in each game, while the defense has come on of late, holding LBW to 62 and 50 points in a sweep of the Saints last week.

The key thus far for the men has been the prowess on 2-point attempts, on both ends of the floor. The Parsons have connected at a 28 percent on 3-point tries, but on all other shots, have made over 50 percent of their attempts from inside the long line. On the other end of the floor, teams have found some success against Snead State from deep, hitting at 37-percent on 3-pointers, but shooting under 40 percent on 2-point attempts.

That tough defense inside, along with a rebounding average of around nine per game in the early going, has helped the Parsons get their young roster, which featured just two players with significant college experience, settle in.

Offensively, the trio of Jay Jefferson, Corey Boston, and Jadakiss Anderson have carried the load for the Parsons heading into last night's game against Marion Military Institute. Jefferson, a transfer guard added this offseason, leads the team in scoring at 19 points per game so far, while Boston and Anderson are each over 12 per game to start the year.

Jefferson has also been a standout on the glass for Snead State, with the sophomore guard leading the team in rebounds at 7.8 per game.

Following Tuesday night's home games against Marion Military Institute, a 70-47 win for the men, the Parsons will hit the road Friday for a rematch with MMI, before a pair of games next week against rival Gadsden State, with a road context next Tuesday, and a home tilt next Friday. Fans are not permitted at any ACCC events through February 13.

By RON BALASKOVITZ, The Sand Mountain Reporter | Original Article