Sumter takes crown

By By Tony Krausz/assistant sports editor
March 6, 2004
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. Sumter County grounded another set of Eagles to capture the AHSAA Class 3A Boys State Championship on Friday.
The Wildcats, who defeated the Litchfield Eagles in a semifinal contest on Wednesday, beat the Montgomery Academy Eagles 62-40 in the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center to capture the 3A title.
The championship victory caps the long career of Patrick at Sumter County, and it also marked the fifth state title he has led a team to as the Wildcats coach.
Despite not hoisting up a single shot from behind the three-point line, Sumter County knocked down its first six points of the final quarter with three-point plays.
Wildcats guard Reaynundo Sturdivant and center Marko Mitchell both hit free throws after being fouled when making a basket in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter to give Sumter County a 47-32 lead with 4:54 left in the game.
Montgomery Academy never got closer than 14 points of Sumter County's lead the rest of the game.
Reaynundo Sturdivant led Sumter County's offensive push with 20 points, and Jamie Sturdivant, who is Reaynundo's cousin, chipped in 12. Mitchell finished with seven points and five rebounds, and point guard Christopher Law tallied nine.
The Wildcats knocked down 27-of-53 shots in the championship contest, and they held the Eagles, who shot 45 percent in their semifinal game on Wednesday, to 34 percent shooting.
Robert Mooty scored a team-high 12 points for Montgomery Academy, and Clay Steineker added nine. The Eagles hit 16-of-47 shots.
Sumter County entered the second half with a 28-16 advantage, but Montgomery Academy was not ready to throw in the towel.
The Eagles went on a 9-2 run in the opening minutes of the third quarter to lower the Wildcats' lead to 30-25 with 4:32 left in the third.
Sumter County responded to Montgomery Academy's push to start the second half with an 11-6 run to take a 41-31 lead entering the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats traded their high tops for running shoes in the second quarter.
Sumter County opened the second scoring eight unanswered points to take a 22-12 lead, with 4:27 left in the first half.
The Wildcats forced the Eagles into four turnovers during the quarter-opening run, and Sumter County turned Montgomery Academy's miscues into six points.
The Eagles tallied four straight points after falling behind by 10 to knock their deficit down to 22-16, but the Wildcats clamped down on defense again in the final two minutes of the first half.
Sumter County kept Montgomery Academy off the scoreboard in the final minutes of the first half, and the Wildcats tallied six points in the end stretch to take a 12-point lead into the break.
Jamie Sturdivant and Mitchell were both named to the All-Tournament team from Sumter County, and Mooty and Clay Steineker were named to the team from Montgomery Academy. Sulligent's Leon Hollis rounded out the All-Tournament team.