Almost to the point of joke has been the infatuation of some Alabama basketball fans (and reporters) with Avery Johnson being able to arrive at an eight- or nine-man playing rotation.

In Tuesday’s exhibition game against Montevallo at Coleman Coliseum, it wasn’t much of a problem to get to a 10-man rotation (including special situations, i.e. mop-up or desperation, player Lawson Schaeffer).

Freshman forward Javian Davis-Fleming, senior forward Riley Norris, and junior post player Daniel Giddens were on the bench in street clothes, Giddens wearing walking boots. Out for several months with a serious injury is freshman Diante Wood.

Alabama starters were Dazon Ingram, Herbert Jones, Donta Hall, John Petty, and Galin Smith. Playing behind them were Alex Reese, Kira Lewis, Tevin Mack, and Avery Johnson, Jr.

And late in the game Schaeffer and fellow walk-ons Tyler Barnes and Britton Johnson got in on the action (with Schaeffer making assists for both Barnes and Johnson to score).

Johnson said Davis-Fleming had a slight injury, Norris illness, and Giddens a sprained ankle.

As no doubt expected by all involved, the exhibition was that Alabama is a lot better than Montevallo to the tune of 82-40.

Johnson said it was “A good overall game for us. We were a bigger, faster, stronger team than Montevallo. They are going to compete on a high level at their level.”

He said, “We did a much better job of taking care of the ball.

“Overall, this game was about us performing and trying to execute on both ends of the floor and try to figure out some kind of identity.

“That looked a little more like an Alabama basketball team.”

“I thought we shared the ball. And we had 15 offensive rebounds.”

John Petty led Tide with 12 points, 7 rebounds

Alabama put five men in double figures scoring – Petty with 12, Smith and Reese with 11 each, and Jones and Lewis with 10 each. Hall led Bama in rebounding with 11 as the Tide had a 43-32 advantage on the boards.

D’Angelo Streeter was the only Falcons player in double figures with 11.

Alabama hit 30-62 field goals for 48.4 percent, including 6-20 three-pointers for 30 percent. Bama made 16-24 free throws, 66.7 percent.

Montevallo was 13-50 from the field, 26 percent, including 2-10 on three-pointers. Montevallo was 12-19 on free throws, 63.2 percent.

Alabama had 21 assists on its 30 field goals, led by Ingram with 5. Bama had only 10 turnovers, the Falcons 21. Bama scored 34 points off turnovers, the Falcons 7. Alabama outscored the visitors in the paint by 48-16 and on second-chance points by 11-6.

The Tide had 16 fast break points and did not allow Montevallo a fast break score.

Alabama’s largest lead in the first half was 17 points, the last time at the halftime break, 39-22.

After Montevallo drew first blood at 2-0, Bama tied it on a Donta Hall dunk and then went on a spurt behind three three-point shots by John Petty. After Mongtevlooa tied it at 12 making three free throws, Bama used a handful of fast-break baskets and a couple of treys by Alex Reese to run off 10 straight points.

The Tide had 13 assists on 15 first-half field goals and held Montevallo to 21.4 percent field goal shooting (6-28).

No surprise, it was a sparse crowd. Perhaps the athletics department should have announced it would have “Dixieland Delight” playing.

Alabama opens regular season play next Tuesday, November 6, hosting Southern University, Avery Johnson’s alma mater.

TIDE NOTES: Former Alabama Coach Wimp Sanderson was on hand as the color commentator for the SEC Network+ (Internet) broadcast.

Sanderson was working alongside Chris Stewart, the Alabama basketball play-by-play man who was felled by a serious stroke earlier this year.

Montevallo is not chopped liver. The Falcons have advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament 11 times in the last 15 years under Coach Danny Young. Montevallo has reached the Elite 8 three times and reached the finals in 2012.

This was Montevallo’s fourth appearance as an exhibition game opponent for Alabama.

Eddy Norris, the father of Bama’s Riley Norris, played basketball at Montevallo in 1985-86.