The boys’ basketball team from Maplesville High School secured a commanding victory over Billingsley High School, winning 58-21 in a Class 1A Area 7 rivalry matchup on January 22, 2023. The game showcased Maplesville’s dominance, with the team maintaining control from the outset.
Maplesville’s head coach, Undra Rush, noted the team’s slow performance towards the end but expressed satisfaction with the overall outcome. “We played kind of slow at the end; we started out pretty good,” he said. “Defense was flat, and offense was flat, we got the win, so I guess that’s all that matters. We got to go to him and fix some stuff in certain areas.”
The match began unusually, as a technical foul was called on a Billingsley player for dunking during warmups. This resulted in Maplesville starting with free throws, where Chris Simon converted one of two attempts, allowing the team to take an early lead. Maplesville capitalized on this momentum, with Nehemiah McCary quickly scoring on a putback. Although Billingsley responded with points from a goaltending call, Maplesville surged ahead with six consecutive points, including baskets from McCary, Aiden Abbott, and Pearce Yeargan, bringing the score to 9-2.
Billingsley’s Kyle Boice attempted to rally his team, scoring an and-one layup to narrow the gap to 9-5. Billingsley head coach Tyson McLean reflected on the game, stating, “I thought we didn’t play that bad; we just didn’t shoot the ball well. You know they’re tough because they got some height on us, so we got to do a better job getting a body on them.”
Maplesville quickly responded to Boice’s points with a three-pointer from Eli Hubbert, followed by another three from Abbott. By the end of the first quarter, Maplesville had established a strong lead, ending the period 15-5.
As the second quarter began, Kalvin Thomas scored a free throw for Billingsley, but Maplesville continued to expand its lead. Ty Bailey made significant contributions with two three-pointers and a layup, while Abbott also added four points. By halftime, Maplesville led 34-15.
The Red Devils maintained their momentum in the second half, ultimately finishing the game with a decisive score of 58-21. Abbott was the standout scorer for Maplesville, finishing with 15 points. McCary contributed 10 points, while Simon scored nine. Both Bailey and Yeargan added eight points each. For Billingsley, Boice was the leading scorer with nine points.
This victory solidifies Maplesville’s strong position in the area, setting the stage for future matchups as they continue their season.
