TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — John Petty Jr. might have shot his way out of a recent slump over the weekend but not before his practice apparel paid the price. The Alabama basketball guard came into Tuesday’s media session with a noticeable tear down the center of his practice jersey.

When asked for an explanation, the junior flashed a guilty smile.

“The other day I was missing too many shots, and I just hate missing too many shots,” Petty said. “So I ripped my shirt.”

Petty is hoping days like that will soon once again become a rarity.

The Huntsville, Ala., native ranks in the top 10 in the SEC in scoring (15.3 points per game), field-goal percentage (46.9) and 3-point percentage (44.4). However, he recently endured a three-game stretch against LSU, Arkansas and Tennessee in which he averaged 6.7 points while shooting 30.4 percent from the floor and 16.7 percent from deep.

The positive news for Alabama — as well as its equipment managers — is that the slump seemed to come to an end during the Crimson Tide’s 105-102 overtime win against Georgia over the weekend. Petty scored 21 points on 8 of 15 shooting against the Bulldogs. And while he was still 1 of 5 from beyond the arc, the sharpshooter seems to have found his confidence again on the court.

“It was a big game,” Petty said. “I knew it would all come back along. Like I said before, I just got to keep playing hard, and that’s what I feel like I’ve been doing. I feel like my offensive game is coming back around, so it’s time to make a run.”

Nate Oats said he noticed the roughly five-inch tear in Petty’s practice jersey but said he wasn’t quite sure how it got there. After being informed, the head coach said it was nice to see the passion coming from one of his team leaders.

“It’s good that he’s mad that his shots aren’t going,” Oats said. “He’s a really good shooter. Shoot, at one point he was over 50 percent from 3s.

“Look, I told the guys if you’re in a slump, the only way I know how to get out of a slump is to get your butt in the gym and shoot, see the ball go through the net 500 times a day, 1,000 times a day. I’m guessing he’ll be in the practice gym shooting sometime this afternoon if he’s made enough to rip is practice jersey over it.”

Petty’s offensive game isn’t the only thing that took an upturn over the weekend. The 6-foot-5, 184-pound guard also drew several assignments against Georgia’s Anthony Edwards, helping hold the freshman phenom to 14 points on 5 of 17 shooting, including 0-for-6 from deep. Edwards is projected to be a top-five pick in this year’s NBA Draft and entered the game averaging 19.9 points.

“I just feel like it’s all maturity level,” Petty said. “That’s me getting older. I just know that I have to play hard. I have to leave it all there on the court. I feel like my defensive intensity and the way I’ve been playing all come from me maturing.”

Alabama (13-10, 5-5 in the SEC) will need another strong performance from Petty on Wednesday at it travels to No. 11 Auburn (21-2, 8-2). The Crimson Tide handed the Tigers their first loss of the season with an 83-64 victory in Tuscaloosa last month.

“It’s going to be tough, but I don’t feel like it’s nothing we can’t do,” Petty said. “… I still feel like we can go in there and get a W, so that’s what we plan on doing.”

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