Smith, Tigers top Hornets

By Dustin Kent

Published: June 5, 2008

T.J. Smith scored 22 points to lead Malone to a 53-46 win over Cottondale Thursday in Summer League action in Marianna.

It was the Summer League debut for both teams.

Marcus Humose led the Hornets with 20 points and Drew Bellamy added 15 for CHS.

LaDarius McElroy scored 12 points for Malone.

The Tigers trailed 16-12 late in the first half after a Bellamy basket, but Malone answered with a furious 12-2 run to close the half and take a six-point lead.

A 3-pointer by McElroy gave Malone the lead at 17-16 and a three-point play by Smith made it 20-18 Tigers.

On the next Cottondale possession, McElroy came up with a steal and lay-up, then Smith followed moments later with a strip and two of his own for a 24-18 halftime edge.

Another three-point play by Smith early in the second half extended the lead to 10 at 32-22 with 17:55 to play.
Humose kept the Hornets close with his perimeter shooting, but a three-point play by McElroy pushed the lead to 11 at 41-30 with 10:30 to play.

A three-point play by Dominique Webb and a lay-up by Bellamy brought Cottondale to within six at 41-35, but Smith answered with a basket and a 3-pointer to make it 46-35 with five minutes to play.

Smith’s 3-pointer with 1:06 to play put the Tigers up 53-42 and ended any notion of a Hornets rally.

Malone coach Steven Welch said that he was happy with the way his team responded to the early deficit.

“We didn’t shoot it well at all in the first half,” he said, “but we really picked up the defense and shots started to fall in the second half.

“We took some bad shots, but we did guard them very well, which I liked.”

Cottondale bounced back later in the day to take a 41-31 victory over Sneads.

Before that game, the Pirates took a 52-49 win over Chipley.