Alabama Basketball: John Petty sets Tide made 3PT record in win

Alabama basketball exploded to an easy win Friday night, led by Collin Sexton and John Petty. Petty set a new Tide record with 10 made 3PT’s.

To no one’s surprise, the Alabama A&M Bulldogs (AAMU) were no match for a net-scorching Alabama basketball team Friday night. AAMU was 2-27 in 2016 and 0-2 so far this season. AAMU has good athletes and they are competently coached but the Bulldogs were outmatched against Alabama basketball. The Tide won easily, 104-67.

Six Alabama players made shots from outside the arc as the team was 16-for-27 for 59 percent. John Petty exited the game shortly after his record-setting 10th made three-pointer. The old Crimson Tide record for made threes in one game was eight, held by Riley Norris, Mykal Riley (twice), Jean Felix, Ernest Shelton, Alvin Lee and Mark Gottfried.

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All of Petty’s shots were three-balls and he only missed three. He also had four rebounds and an assist. Following Petty’s 30 points was Collin Sexton with 25 points, four rebounds and five assists. Dazon Ingram had 10 points, six boards and four assists. Alex Reese led the Tide in rebounds with eight boards and nine points.

The Tide had 11 players in the contest, only one of whom did not score, Avery Johnson Jr. As has been the case in earlier games, Alabama basketball needs considerable improvement in free-throw shooting. The Tide was only 8-for-15 and 53 percent. Shooting better outside the arc than at the line is not a good stat. Avery Johnson will also be displeased his team made 15 turnovers in a game it controlled.

The Sensational Freshmen

Even against lesser competition, the offensive performance of the five Tide freshmen cannot go unnoticed. The young guns scored 78 of the Tide’s 104 points. Fans are ecstatic with the Tide’s start of the season and it is hard to argue with the tweet below.

And in case anyone thought, John Petty stole the show, check out Collin Sexton’s more than half-court shot just before the halftime buzzer.

Avery Johnson was upbeat in the post-game, complimenting John Petty being “one of Huntsville’s finest” (AAMU is in Huntsville.) Avery was also quick to say,

"We’re not quite there yet defensively, we had a sub-par second half defensively."

Avery knows his young team is still a work in progress and must stay focused. The level of competitive play will accelerate quickly. The Tide’s next seven opponents won 177 games last season, an average of 25 wins per team. To be a future NCAA Tourney team, the Tide needs to win four or five of those games.

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The next Alabama basketball game is Tuesday, November 21st in Tuscaloosa against Texas-Arlington. The Sun Belt conference Mavericks were 27-9 last season.