Box Score MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Faulkner broke open a tight game midway through the first half and then fought off repeated Selma challenges in the second here Friday night, grabbing a 77-64 victory in the annual Jimmy Faulkner Classic at Tine Davis Gymnasium.
The Eagles (1-0) scored eight straight points in a two-minute span of the first half that led to an 11-point lead at the break. Although the Bulldogs never seriously threatened in the second half, head coach Scott Sanderson's team could never shake the pesky visitors.
Faulkner's lead grew to as much as 15 down the stretch, with the Eagles securing the double-digit, season-opening win by knocking down their late free throws. For the game, Faulkner made 23 of its 27 attempts from the stripe, but struggled from behind the arc, making only four of 25 tries. The Eagles made up for their cold outside shooting by getting on the glass, outrebounding the Bulldogs 41-25.
Monta Sanford led the way for Faulkner with 22 points, while Nick Drake added 14, Marquis Grays 13 and Lucas Lutrell 12. Alex Anderson's eight rebounds were a game high, with Drake collecting five of the Eagles' 13 assists. Harrell Scott had 18 points for Selma, which got 15 from Tyler Fountain and 12 from Da'Vante Brown.
"I thought it was kind of an ugly game and I'm not sure we did a very good job defensively in the second half," Sanderson said. "Really good teams will get those consecutive stops to put teams away, and we just didn't do that tonight. Believe it or not, we're a very good shooting team, but tonight we didn't shoot it well. We did rebound it, and that's something you have to do when the shots aren't falling.
"Bottom line, is we're a work in progress. We've got a long way to go."
Scott drained 3-pointers on the Bulldogs' first three possessions for an early 9-3 lead, but the Eagles scored the game's next nine points to grab the advantage. It stayed tight over the next 10 minutes, and was tied at 19 with 7:58 left when Jose Jimenez knocked down a jumper to give the Eagles the lead for good. Robert Baltruns added a basket and Alex Anderson scored four straight as Faulkner built an eight-point lead at the 4:41 mark.
A Drake basket in the final minute of the half sent Faulkner to the break with a 35-24 advantage, the biggest in the opening 20 minutes. Sanford had nine points and Drake seven to help the Eagles grab command.
The Eagles face Oakwood Saturday night in the final game of the Jimmy Faulkner Classic. The game tips off at 7 at Tine Davis Gymnasium.
