AREA FINALS: County teams bring home titles
RED BAY
Tiger boys win in double OT thriller
The Red Bay Tigers beat Aliceville 46-43 in a double overtime thriller to capture the Class 2A, Area 10, title.
Red Bay was host Addison Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the subregion. Results were not available by press deadline. If the Tigers won Tuesday, they are advancing to the Northwest Regionals to play the winner of Sheffield and Tanner Friday afternoon.
“Winning the area tournament validated how hard our kids have worked this year to get where they are,” said Red Bay Coach John Torisky.
Aliceville shot well from the field early in the game, and the Tigers struggled, giving Aliceville a 14-5 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Tigers pulled to within three with 3:38 to go in the second quarter and trailed 22-18 at halftime.
Red Bay’s Andrew Ray had a huge third quarter, scoring all 13 of the Tigers’ points to tie the game 31-31.
The Tigers took the lead, 35-33, with just less than three minutes to go in the game. Aliceville tied the game with three seconds left and sent the game into overtime.
“It was very disheartening when they scored with three seconds left to tie the game,” said Torisky. “The kids fought through it and never gave up, despite two of our starters fouling out.”
Both teams scored six points in the five–minute overtime period to force a second overtime, with the score 42-42.
Red Bay finally got the upper hand in the second overtime, winning 46-43.
Ray’s 13 points led the way for the Tigers. Landon Glover added nine points, Cody Carnes six points, B.P. Blair five points, Paden Allison four points, Lawson Glover four points, Carson Corum three points and Holden Inmon two points.
Semifinal: Red Bay 62, Lamar County 39
Landon Glover scored 19 points to lead the Red Bay Tigers to an easy 62-39 win over the Lamar County Bulldogs.
Red Bay took an early 14-7 lead at the end of the first quarter and extended the lead to 28-18 by halftime. The Tigers took firm control of the game in the third quarter, pushing their lead to 43-23.
Inmon and Blair followed Landon Glover with eight points each. Allison added six points, Corum five points, Carnes four points, Kennedy Wilemon four points, Ray three points, Lawson Glover three points and Charlie Huffman two points.
BELGREEN BOYS
Bulldogs down Bears for area supremacy
The Belgreen Bulldogs have taken their first step on the road back to Birmingham, making quick work of the Phillips Bears to capture their sixth straight area title and win the Class 1A, Area 14, tournament.
Belgreen went unchallenged in area play all year, and the tournament was no exception. The Bulldogs beat the Bears 75-34.
The Bulldogs want to get back to Birmingham to avenge this past year’s loss to Autaugaville. Belgreen Coach Marty Cooper said it’s more than a cliché, however, to take it one game at a time.
“To get back to Birmingham, we have to focus on the moment,” said Cooper. “Our record and ranking don’t matter. We need to go 1-0 Tuesday night.”
Cooper said he believes the Northwest Region will be a grind, and whoever escapes has a good shot.
“I believe our region is the toughest in the state in Class 1A,” Cooper added. “For us to have a chance, we have to continue to do the little things that have gotten us to this point.”
Belgreen jumped on Phillips early, taking a 22-7 lead in the first quarter. By halftime, there was little doubt the Bulldogs were primed and ready for the road back to Birmingham, having taken a 42-14 lead.
By the end of the third quarter, the game was on cruise control, with Belgreen leading 58-26.
Seniors Collin and Will Bonner led Belgreen with 23 points and 20 points, respectively. Adrian Reeves added nine points, Jordan Knight six points, Will King four points and Alex Jarnigan four points.
Cole King, Canaan Stough and Austin James scored two points each.
Belgreen was set to host R.A. Hubbard Tuesday at 6 p.m. Results were not available before press deadline. If the Bulldogs won, they will play at Wallace Hanceville in the Northwest Regionals Feb. 21 against the winner of Marion County versus Pickens County.
Semifinals: Belgreen 74, Vina 15
Fourteen Bulldogs scored as Belgreen rolled to an easy 74-15 win over the Vina Red Devils in the semifinals of the area tournament.
Belgreen put the game away quickly, taking a 29-5 first quarter lead and extending that lead to 52-5 by halftime.
Collin Bonner led Belgreen with 13 points, followed by Will Bonner with 10 points. Austin James added seven points, Alex Jarnigan six points and Will King five points. Cole King, Carson Cox, Ely Mitchell and Jordan Wright scored four points each. Brent Sykes and Alex Guidry added three points each. Hadden Taylor scored two points, and Stough chipped in one point.
BELGREEN GIRLS
Bulldog girls beat Panthers for title
In basketball, peaking at the right time makes all the difference in the world – and Chad Green’s Belgreen Bulldogs have been doing just that. Belgreen’s girls are playing their best basketball at exactly the right time. The young, and very much improved, Bulldog team beat Hackleburg on the Panthers’ home court to capture the Class 1A, Area 14, championship Thursday.
“This was a great team win for us,” said Belgreen Coach Chad Green. “We have really improved on defense. B.B. Scott played her best game of the year for us at point guard with seven points and seven assists. Isabella Tate has become a lockdown defender. I like the direction this team is heading.”
Belgreen led Hackleburg 12-9 at the end of the first quarter. By halftime the Lady Bulldogs had extended their lead to 26-17. The Panthers trimmed Belgreen’s lead to 35-28 at the end of the third quarter, but Belgreen held on for the win and the championship.
Noelle Willingham and Dacota Green led Belgreen with 18 points and 16 points, respectively. Scott added seven points, Tate three points and Carson Hovater two points.
Belgreen went on to play Covenant Christian in subregion action Monday night.
Semifinals: Belgreen 58, Vina 35
Dacota Green made six three pointers and scored 21 points to lead Belgreen past Vina in the semifinals of the Class 1A, Area 14, tournament. Green had three three-pointers in the first half and three in the third quarter.
“The girls really stepped up big at the end of the game on defense and rebounding,” said Coach Chad Green.
Belgreen led Vina 14-8 at the end of the first quarter and 28-22 at halftime. The Bulldogs started pulling away in the third quarter, extending their lead to 45-35. Belgreen shut out Vina in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Red Devils 13-0 to solidify the win.
Willingham added 16 points for Belgreen. Scott finished with nine points, Tate eight points, Alayana Tate two points and Hovater two points.
PHIL CAMPBELL
Bobcat girls tally fifth straight
The Phil Campbell Bobcats captured their fifth straight area championship Thursday night, beating Vinemont 64-59.
“We’ve matured a lot as the year has progressed,” said Phil Campbell Coach Craig Thomas. “We have been in a lot of close games, and we’ve won a lot of those, and it has helped us.”
Phil Campbell struggled early to protect the basketball, with eight turnovers in the first quarter alone.
“That is something we have to correct quickly,” said Thomas. “We can’t keep doing that, or we will get beat. We have got to get better defensively as well.”
Vinemont got several good looks at the basket from beyond the three-point arch, most of which came from eighth–grader Whitney Quick. Quick buried five three’s and scored 25 points.
The veteran Bobcats were not going to be outdone. Senior Faith Cook nailed the Bobcats’ first points of the game on a quick three–point shot from the corner. Cook also made three–point baskets in the second and third quarters and went six-for-six from the free–throw line in the fourth quarter.
Cook led Phil Campbell with 19 points.
Junior Madison Branch scored 16 points, going eight-for-nine from the free–throw line, and pulled down 14 rebounds.
Senior Kenner Scott was knocking down mid–range jumpers all night, scoring 15 points.
Freshman Macy Hardy scored 12 points, mostly off layups on Vinemont turnovers.
Hannah Welborn added two points to the Bobcats total.
Phil Campbell hosted Elkmont in the subregion Monday.
Semifinals: Phil Campbell 51, East Lawrence 29
Phil Campbell didn’t want any drama in the semifinals, putting away the East Lawrence Eagles early and going on to win 51-29.
The Bobcats led the Eagles 23-3 at the end of the first quarter and held a 31-9 advantage in the second quarter, putting the game on cruise control.
Cook made four three–pointers in the first half for Phil Campbell, scoring 12 of her 14 points.
Scott led Phil Campbell with 15 points.
Also scoring for the Bobcats were Branch with eight points, Allie Herring with six points, Hardy with four points, Sidda Rogers with two points, IsaBella Ashley with two points and Mary Beth Fisher with one point.
The Bobcats made eight three–pointers in the game.
