Ignore those four points on Anthony Alston’s stat line. Forget about that 2-for-11 shooting night. Pay no attention to the 0-for-5 on 3-pointers. Because without Alston, the Grayson boys would likely still be looking for their first state championship.
Alston, a 6-foot-2 point guard, was the stopper Grayson needed on Saturday. He put the clamps on 6-foot-8 All-American Bailey and helped the Rams power their way to a 51-41 victory in the Class 7A championship at the Macon Coliseum.
Bailey scored 18 points, but 14 of those came in the first half. After taking the assignment to guard the opponent’s star, Alston frustrated Bailey by denying him the ball and physically pushing around the Rutgers signee.
“Antony Alston was the defensive player in our region this year for a reason,” Grayson coach Geoffrey Pierce said. “He’s one of the best defenders I’ve ever coached. He came to me at halftime and said, ‘Don’t go zone anymore. I’ve got him. So, hats off to him for that.”
Bailey scored two quick baskets to start the fourth quarter and get McEachern as close as eight points but he didn’t score again.
“It was just the preparation. Coach had us ready and we’ve been in the gym all week,” said Alston, who has signed to play at App State. “Do my work early, play hard and outwork him.”
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
No. 1 Grayson (30-2) was led in scoring by Jacob Wilkins with 12 points – including three slam dunks – and added 12 rebounds. Gicarri Williams scored nine and C.J. Hyland had eight points, nine rebounds and three assists. Amir Taylor grabbed 10 rebounds.
No. 2-ranked McEachern (26-6) got 18 points and six rebounds from Bailey, 10 points and six rebounds from Nnadozie Onyirimba. But the Indians had a horrible shooting night, making just 30l5% from the field and were outrebounded 47-27.
“Going into the game it was all about McEachern and Ace,” Pierce said. “I put the battery in their back. We’d already beaten them earlier in the year and we’re pretty good, too. They had to stand on that during the game and they did a good job.”
Grayson led 11-5 after the first quarter, as McEachern was cold from the field. The Indians got good looks and had six offensive rebounds, but were 2-for-19 from the floor and 0-for-5 on 3-pointers.
Bailey kept McEachern in the game until the rest of the offense could catch up. He scored 14 of the team’s first 16 points, tying the game 16-16 on a jumper at 4:19. The Indians took the lead at 22-20, only to trail 26-22 at halftime when Grayson scored the final six points of the quarter – including two impressive slams by Jacob Wilkins.
Grayson scored six straight to open the second half and take a 10-point lead. The Rams played hard for four quarters and never let up, even when it looked like McEachern might be finished.
“I’m so proud of them,” Pierce said. “I tell them, we can fix the schematics and the X’s and O’s, but as long as you’re playing hard we can fix whatever we need to fix.”
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