By By BRUCE HIXON – Sports Editor
They obviously made an adjustment for the second half, but the kind of adjustment the W.S. Neal Blue Eagles made may not have been as obvious.
One thing is obvious after the Blue Eagles disposed of the visiting Flomaton Hurricanes 57-42 Monday. At least through two games, this is not the same W.S. Neal program that has been a punching bag for area teams for several years.
After they trailed most of the first half, the Blue Eagles (2-0) surged ahead just before halftime and began the second half with a decisive stretch.
The Hurricanes jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first two minutes on a three-pointer by Clay Simpson, a bucket by Denver Hawsey and a charity toss by Dee Brooks.
Although it took W.S. Neal nearly three minutes to finally get on the scoreboard, it was able to briefly overtake Flomaton twice late in the first quarter. Both times were the results of buckets by Jonathan Alexander, the first on a fastbreak hoop that put W.S. Neal up 8-7 and a three-pointer that gave the Blue Eagles an 11-9 lead.
The Hurricanes, who forced an 11-11 deadlock by the end of the first quarter, surged back in front 21-15 midway through the second quarter on the strength of three-pointers by Simpson and Scott Walton.
Cody Green came off the bench for the Blue Eagles and provided a much needed spark, as delivered a three-point play, scored on an offensive rebound, hit a jumper from just outside the lane and added a free throw. Those eight points in a three-minute stretch enabled W.S. Neal to end the first half on a 15-4 run and a 30-25 lead.
While the Blue Eagles ended the first half on a good note, they began the second half on a better one. Their defense forced Flomaton into turnovers on the Hurricanes first four possessions. Three of those turnovers were turned into two baskets by B.J. McMillian and another field goal by Justin Howard.
Another bucket by Howard and a steal and layup by Sylvester Madison completed a 10-0 run that knocked the W.S. Neal cushion up to 40-25.
The Blue Eagles' lead would remain in double digits the rest of the way and reached a game high bulge of 54-36 on an offensive rebound bucket by Alexander with three minutes left in the game.
The Blue Eagles junior varsity also won its second straight game to start the season, as it edged Flomaton 24-20. Jimmy Wilson led W.S. Neal with 10 points.
The Blue Eagles, who played at Pleasant Home Tuesday, are off until next Tuesday when they host Frisco City at 5 p.m.
At W.S. Neal
Flomaton 11 14 4 13 – 42
W.S. Neal 11 19 12 15 – 57
FLOMATON (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Simpson 3-2-0-12; Walton 3-2-0-12; Ellis 1-0-5-7; Tucker 1-0-0-2; Woods 1-0-0-2; Hawsey 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 11-4-8-42)
W.S. NEAL (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Alexander 4-2-0-14; Green 5-0-2-12; Sanders 3-0-0-6; Rutledge 3-0-0-6; McMillian 2-0-1-5; Barksdale 1-0-3-5; Thomas 1-0-2-4; Howard 1-0-1-3; Madison 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 21-2-9-57)
Junior varsity
Flomaton 5 3 2 10 – 20
W.S. Neal 7 3 7 7 – 24
FLOMATON (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Ross 3-1-1-10; J. Lambeth 1-1-1-6; Spears 1-0-0-2; Berry 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 6-2-2-24)
W.S. NEAL (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Wilson 1-2-2-10; Brazile 2-0-0-4; J. Travis 1-0-2-4; McCreray 1-0-0-2; Mickens 1-0-0-2; Shell 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 7-2-4-24)