Welch's career high 37 sparks ALC to high-scoring 98-89 road victory

Toccoa Falls, GA: Alice Lloyd Eagles junior forward Naz Welch poured in a career-high 37 points to lead the Eagles to a high-octane 98-89 victory over the home-standing Toccoa Falls Eagles. The fast-paced affair took place in the Peach state on Saturday afternoon.

In the first half, the game was tight early before the hosts slipped out to a 23-17 advantage at the midpoint. From there, sparked by the play of Will Gray-Watson, the Georgia club would roll off a 15-4 burst to lead by seventeen (38-21) with 5:48 remaining. Fortunately for the Kentucky fans in attendence, Welch and freshman forward Evin Eversole combined for 23 first-half points to help their chip their way back into contention. Several late free throws enabled the Falls to go into the locker room at intermission on top, 50-42.

 In the second half, the Caney Creek crew came out fighting. They culminated a 20-10 run with an old fashioned three-point-play by Welch at 14:03, to take their first lead (62-60) . However, TF promptly refocused and went on another run, this time, 19-7, to regain the advantage at 79-69 with 8:05 showing on the clock.

Fortunately, when things seemed their darkest, ALC found the light. The visiting Eagles promptly tightened up substantially on the defensive end, and on offense, rode a bomb from senior guard Alex Rasnick to fuel a game-changing 13-2 blitz. When Rasnick later drew a foul on a layup and bagged the pair of charity tosses at 4:24, the Kentucky crew had regained the lead, 82-81.

From there, junior guard Landon Napier would swish a clutch trifecta (85-81), and Welch added five more points on a fast break layup and long bomb. Suddenly the score favored the Bluegrass Bombers, 90-81. The Pippa Passes perfectionists then sealed the deal with a Napier lay-in and a perfect 6-6  from the charity line  to earn the nice eight-point victory.

 For Alice Lloyd (4-10),Welch produced a monster-game with 37 points on an amazing 15-19 accuracy He also was 6-6 from the free throw line, and grabbed 6 rebounds. He was followed by Eversole, with his ninth double-double on the season, with 21 points and 12 big caroms. He added 5 assists and 4 steals.

Napier contributed 7 points in each half to deliver 14 points to go along with 6 rebounds. In addition, Rasnick and junior guard Desmier Hatchett both chipped in 8 points apiece with Hatchett distributing 10 assists and grabbing 4 rebounds.

 ALC shot a solid 49.3% (38-77) from the floor, 28% (7-25) from deep, and an impressive 93.7% (15-16) from the foul line. They added 37 rebounds, 17 assists and 9 steals.

WC (5-6) was led by Gray Watson with 22 points.