• Defending state champs looking to repeat title

BAY MINETTE, Ala.—A good start to 2016 has the Faulkner State Sun Chiefs in the hunt for another Southern Division men's basketball title. The defending state champions are currently 17-4 on the year, standing 3-1 in the league race.

Coach Jack Robertson's Sun Chiefs are also 9-0 at home and haven't lost at Robertson Arena in Bay Minette in over two years. FSCC opened the 2016 portion of their schedule on Jan. 7, winning 77-72 in Selma to Wallace-Selma. Cordero Dade led the Chiefs in scoring in the win, pumping in a game best 23 points and also pulled down 11 rebounds.

Rodney Gill added 15 for FSCC while Tyreek Granger, Devin Charles, and Austin Samuel all netted eight points. Granger and Charles also each had seven rebounds while Gill dished out six assists. The Sun Chiefs then bounced back five days later with a 63-60 league victory over Lurleen B Wallace of Andalusia.

Gill's 18 led the scoring while Keenan Warren joined him in double digits with 12 points. Warren had four steals. Dade only scored eight but pulled down 16 rebounds and had five blocks.

FSCC then set off on their annual Tennessee trip to Gatlinburg and surrounding areas while playing a pair of games. They opened with an 89-72 win over Bryan College. Dade had 14 points and a huge 24 rebounds. Gill scored 13, Keion Brown had 12, Samuel 11, and Deion Dozier and Charles had eight apiece. Montez Brown had eleven assists.

FSCC then fell to Maryville College 97-95. Warren's 26 points led the scoring with Gill adding 23. Granger and Dade added eleven apiece with Warren and Dozier pulling down nine rebounds each. Montez Brown again had a good night with eight assists and Granger had three steals.

Faulkner got back into league play with a 99-86 win over Alabama Southern in Monroeville. Gill's 22 led the way while Dade (14), Samuel (13), Warren (11), Granger (11), and Charles (10) joined him in double figure scoring. Brown had seven assists.

Robertson's team then dropped a 72-59 league battle in Mobile against Bishop. Dade led the way with 13 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. Charles and Gill each added 12 points in the defeat. But Faulkner bounced back with a huge 76-74 win at home over visiting Chattahoochee Valley. The Chiefs were led by Austin Samuel's 18 points and double digits from Montez Brown (15), Dade (13), and Gill (12).

Robertson's crew stays home with league games against Jeff Davis (Monday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. in Bay Minette) and Thursday, Feb. 4 against Wallace-Selma (also at 7 p.m. at Robertson Arena).