Good things happening for Warriors

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, December 8, 2015

LaGrange Academy moves to 5-1 with win

By Kevin Eckleberry

keckleberry@civitasmedia.com

LaGrange Academy’s Whit Moreman gets in position for a rebound during Monday’s 61-34 victory over Chambers Academy. Moreman led the way with 15 points. Kevin Eckleberry | Daily News

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2015/12/web1_LGA5.jpgLaGrange Academy’s Whit Moreman gets in position for a rebound during Monday’s 61-34 victory over Chambers Academy. Moreman led the way with 15 points. Kevin Eckleberry | Daily News

Zach Callaghan made four 3-pointers and scored 13 points during Monday’s win. Kevin Eckleberry | Daily News

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2015/12/web1_LGA6.jpgZach Callaghan made four 3-pointers and scored 13 points during Monday’s win. Kevin Eckleberry | Daily News

LaGrange Academy’s Lincoln Anderson gets a shot away during the first half of Monday’s game. Anderson scored 13 points. Kevin Eckleberry | Daily News

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2015/12/web1_LGA8.jpgLaGrange Academy’s Lincoln Anderson gets a shot away during the first half of Monday’s game. Anderson scored 13 points. Kevin Eckleberry | Daily News

LAGRANGE – It’s all coming together for the LaGrange Academy Warriors.

The Warriors moved to 5-1 on the season with an impressive 61-34 victory over visiting Chambers Academy on Monday.

Nine different players for LaGrange Academy scored, including 6-foot-9 senior Whit Moreman, who scored 15 points and was dominant in the paint as usual with a bunch of rebounds and blocked shots.

Moreman is part of a veteran team that also features newcomer Lincoln Anderson, who transferred from Callaway High following the 2014-2015 season.

With each game, with each practice, Moreman said the team is getting better.

“We’re definitely starting to play a lot better as a team,” Moreman said. “The chemistry is getting better game after game. Just playing with each other every day just helps a lot.”

The Warriors won their first three games before losing a close one to Trinity Christian on Nov. 19.

After a break of more than two weeks, LaGrange Academy returned to the court and crushed Oak Mountain 64-40 on Friday before easing past Chambers Academy three days later.

LaGrange Academy head coach Britt Gaylor said it helps to have a group of players who genuinely like and support each other.

“The biggest thing is they love to be around each other,” Gaylor said. “Guys just continue to support each other, and I love it. I love being around them.”

The Warriors have team chemistry, and they also have talent.

Leading the way is Moreman, who is being recruited by a number of colleges.

Moreman impacts a game in so many ways.

The most obvious way is by scoring points, but he also dominates the boards, and he is a force defensively.

Moreman has a number of blocked shots each game, but even when he isn’t getting his hand on a ball, he affects the way other teams go about their business on offense.

“He affects every shot, because he changes shots all the time,” Gaylor said. “Knowing he’s there when they drive to the basket is going to affect the way they finish.”

Anderson teams with Moreman to give the Warriors a potent one-two combination inside, and the team also has plenty of men capable of knocking down shots from the outside.

One of those players is senior guard Zach Callaghan, who made four 3-pointers and scored 13 points in Monday’s game.

Nick Keating also made a pair of 3-pointers, and the Warriors made a total of nine shots from long distance.

In Friday’s win over Oak Mountain, it was Will Trotter doing the damage from outside, making nine 3-pointers on the way to a 27-point night.

“Nick Keating and Zach Callaghan tonight were knocking down shots, and it was Will and Colby (Heath) the other night,” Gaylor said. “We’ve had guys stepping up. That’s real good. That’s going to alleviate some pressure (on the post players).”

Moreman said having that outside threat opens things up on the inside.

“It’s definitely good,” Moreman said. “If they’re collapsing in on us, we’re able to pass it out to them, and they’re shooting threes and making them. It spreads them out a little more, and makes it easier for me and Lincoln.”

In Monday’s game, the Warriors took control early, surging to a 15-3 lead after the first quarter, and they led 31-12 at the half.

The halftime break didn’t slow down the Warriors, who scored the first seven points of the third period, with Heath knocking down a 3-pointer to give his team a 38-12 lead.

By the end of the third period, the Warriors led 46-21, and Gaylor was able to empty his bench in the fourth quarter.

LaGrange Academy will be on the road today for a region game against rival Flint River.

Reach Kevin Eckleberry at (706) 884-7311 or on Twitter @lagrangesports