Teams Report Wednesday, March 13

    MONTGOMERY – Twenty-four seniors have been selected to represent Alabama in the 29^th annual Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Basketball Games to be played at Alabama State University’s Dunn-Oliver Acadome on the Montgomery school’s campus, Friday, March 15.
       The Alabama teams, comprised of 12 senior boys and 12 senior girls, were selected by the Basketball Coaches All-Star Selection Committee and announced by Jamie Lee, Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association (AHSADCA). The girls’ game will tip off at 5 p.m. and the boys’ game will follow at 7.  
        Alabama and Mississippi come into the 29^th annual game deadlocked with 14 wins apiece in the girls ‘and boys’ games.  Alabama’s girls won last year’s game played Mississippi College in Clinton (MS), 109-96. The Mississippi boys’ all-stars won 127-90 – the most points allowed by Alabama in the series since its inception in 1991.
         Lee also announced the all-stars and coaches for the 2019 North-South All-Star boys’ and girls’ games to be played July 17 during All-Star Sports Week. Both games will also be held at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.
         Headlining the Alabama Boys’ All-Star Squad is Mountain Brook 6-foot-9 senior Trendon Watford, who will have one more game with Spartans’ head coach Bucky McMillan. McMillan and Carver-Montgomery Coach James “J.J.” Jackson are the Alabama boys’ coaches. David Good of Mountain Brook will be the Alabama administrative coach.
      Coaching the Alabama Girls’ All-Star Team are Tim Miller of Class 6A state champion Hazel Green and Tammy West, who guided Cold Springs to the Class 2A title in 2019. Coach Carey Ellison, who coached Pisgah to the 2018 and 2019 Class 3A state titles, is the administrative coach.
      Watford finished his career at Mountain Brook as AHSAA State Basketball Tourney MVP three straight years. The Spartans (31-3) won the 7A state crown for the third time with Watford in the lineup this season. Watford concluded his prep career as the AHSAA’s all-time career leading rebounder (1,909) and also scored more than 3,500 points in his fabled career. One of the nation’s top senior recruits, He is still uncommitted.
    Lee-Montgomery center Demond Robinson, 6-8, and LeFlore 6-8 forward DeAntoni Gordon give Alabama a strong inside presence with Watford. Gordon is heading to Wichita State and Robinson to Murray State.  Texas A&M signee Kobe Brown of Lee-Huntsville, a 6-6 forward, and Carver-Montgomery 6-6 forward Jaykwon Walton, a Georgia signee, provide scoring and rebounding at the power forward slot. Brewbaker guard Desmond Williams, a Troy University signee, and Class 5A state champion Wenonah guards Cameron Tucker and Justin Minter headline a strong group of guards. Both are uncommitted.
      Florida State signee River Baldwin, a powerful 6-5 center, tops the Alabama girls’ roster. She was named MVP last summer in the AHSAA North/South All-Star Game played during All-Star Sports Week.  Eleven of the 12 Alabama girls’ all-stars are already committed or signed, including Ramsay forward Aniyah Smith (Alabama State) and guard Jaylyn Sherrod (Colorado). Guard Annie Hughes of Pisgah, a two-time Class 3A state tourney MVP, is headed to Auburn; guards Skyla Knight and Joiya Maddox of Class 7A state champion Hoover are set to play collegiately at Arkansas-Little Rock and Rutgers, respectively.
      Miller (583-95), became the first girls’ basketball coach in AHSAA history to guide three different schools to state titles with Hazel Green’s 2018 championship, has coached six in all (Jeff Davis, 2006; Bob Jones, 2008, 2009, 2011); and Hazel Green (2018, 2019). West’s Cold Spring girls set the AHSAA state record for 3-point goals in a season in 2019. Her teams have now won four state titles (1999, 2008, 2009, and 2019). West has a 617-203 career coaching record.
     McMillan, 35, is one of the youngest coaches in the NFHS to win 300 games in a career. He has coached Mountain Brook to a 301-71 record and five state titles (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019) and Jackson (445-102) has guided the Wolverines to three Class 6A state crowns (2012-, 2015, 2018). His team was 6A state runner-up in 2019.
    Coaches selected for the North-South All-Star Games include: (South Boys) Jeffrey Pope, LeFlore; Jessie Foster, Dadeville; Nigel Card, Saint James (administrative); (North Boys) James Poindexter, McAdory; Anthony Reid, Florence; Brant Llewellyn, Lauderdale County (administrative); (South Girls) Dyneshia Jones, Charles Henderson; John Smith, Southside-Selma; Nigel Card, Saint James (administrative); and (North Girls) Kim Nails, Southside-Gadsden; JeTaime Silas, Lee-Huntsville; Brant Llewellyn, Lauderdale County (administrative).
    Highlighting the Boys’ players is North guard Tommy Murr of Lindsay Lane Academy, who scored an AHSAA state record 1,442 points this past season and averaged a nation-leading 45.1 ppg. He has 4,210 career points with one year remaining and has scored 50 or more points 15 times in his prep career. 
     Class 5A girls’ state tourney MVP Quintasia Leatherwood of Central-Tuscaloosa, one of the top guard prospects in the Southeast, highlights the girls’ all-stars selected.
     All players selected for the North-South competition are currently juniors. 
     The Alabama-Mississippi All-Stars report next Wednesday.
    Complete rosters for the Alabama squads as well as the North-South teams are listed:

CLASS 7A BOYS’ STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Mountain Brook 61, Baker 42­­
BIRMINGHAM – Mountain Brook  High School made history Saturday night winning its third consecutive AHSAA Class 7A state boys’ basketball championship with a 61-42 victory over Baker to close out the 2019 AHSAA State Basketball Championships at the BJCC Legacy Arena Saturday night.
    The announced attendance for the week was 64,927 with Saturday’s attendance the biggest of the week with 13,914.   Friday’s attendance was 11,896; Thursday (10,163); Wednesday (11,408); Tuesday (9.832); and Monday (7,714).
     Coach Bucky McMillan’s Spartans (31-3) jumped out to a 30-16 lead by halftime and stretched the margin to 21 before Baker (21-14) clawed back to a 14-point deficit with a strong surge late in the third period.  Mountain Brook never let it get any closer.
     Senior Trendan Watford, one of the top-rated senior players in the nation, closed out his career with 22 points and 11 rebounds. He also had four blocked shots, two stills, two assists and made 12-of-13 at the foul line to earn Class 7A state tourney MVP honors. Lior Berman had 19 points for the Spartans and eight rebounds and Colby Jones scored 10 points.  Watford closed his career as the AHSAA’s all-time rebound leader had scored over 3,000 points.
    Baker, coached by David Armstrong, was paced by Kriston Davis’ 11 points. Jalen Lilly added nine points and Patrick Robinson had eight.
    Mountain Brook, which ended the season with 17 wins in a row and ranked in the top five nationally, became just the 10^th team in AHSAA boys’ basketball history to win three state championships in a row. Francis Marion and Sacred Heart Catholic won four in row while Wenonah, Pickens County, R.C. Hatch, Madison Academy, Brantley, Austinville, Geraldine and Simpson won three. Geraldine (1931-33) and Simpson (1923-25) won three in a row when the tournament had only one division.  The Spartans are the first to win three at the state’s largest division since multiple classes were added. Mountain Brook now has five state titles with back-to-back championships in 2013 and 2014. McMillan, who recorded his 301^st career win in the finals, has coached all five titles.
    The Class 7A All-Tourney Team included: Trendon Watford, Mountain Brook (MVP);  Alex Washington, Mountain Brook; Lior Berman, Mountain Brook; Kriston Davis, Baker; Ahman Ellington, Hoover; and Demond Robinson, Lee-Montgomery.

    

97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships
Legacy Arena, BJCC, Birmingham, Feb. 25-March 2

SATURDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE
Class 5A Girls Finals
Central-Tuscaloosa (28-3) 68, Madison Academy (28-8) 65
Class 5A Boys Finals
Wenonah (31-5) 51, Center Point (18-15) 34

Class 6A Girls Finals
Hazel Green (34-3) 55, Opelika (26-7) 31
Class 6A Boys Finals
Pinson Valley (24-9) 58, Carver-Montgomery (23-11) 44

Class 7A Girls Finals
Hoover (34-1) 47, Hewitt-Trussville (21-11) 33
Class 7A Boys Finals
Mountain Brook (31-3) 61, Baker (21-14) 42

CLASS 7A GIRLS’ STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Hoover 47, Hewitt-Trussville 33
   BIRMINGHAM – Hoover High School limited Hewitt-Trussville to only one made basket in the second quarter and only three total in the first half to build a commanding lead en route to the Bucs’ 47-33 victory in the in the 2019 AHSAA Class 7A state girls’  championship game at the BJCC Legacy Arena Saturday night.
    Hoover (34-1) led 23-11 at the half, stretched the lead to 20 by the end of the third quarter to sew up the Lady Bucs’ sixth state championship.  Coach Krystle Johnson played on Hoover’s first state championship team in  2001, served as an assistant coach on another and has now coached the Bucs to two state titles (2017 and 2019). She is the fourth coach in school history to coach a state title. Lori Elgin coached the 2001 champs. Donnie Quinn coached the 2010 and 2012 champs and Tiffany Frederick, the 2013  champs. Quinn serves on Johnson’s current staff.
    Class 7A state tournament MVP Skyla Knight had nine points in the finals Saturday. She also had two assists and one steal despite playing just 15 minutes. Miya Kimber had 13 points, Joiya Maddox 11 and Aniya Hubbard 10. Maddox also had eight rebounds and three assists, and Hubbard had three steals. The Bucs closed the season winning 32 games in a row. The only loss came to Hazel Green on Nov. 15. The Trojans won the Class 6A girls’ title earlier Saturday at the BJCC Legacy Arena.
    Hewitt-Trussville (21-11), coached by Tonya Hunter, was led by Morgan Kirk’s 14 points. She was 9-of-12 at the foul line.  Amiya Payne added eight points and five rebounds. She also had two assists and two steals. D’yona Jones added five rebounds, three blocked shots, three steals and four points.
    The Class 7A All-Tourney Team included: Skyla Knight, Hoover (MVP);  Joiya Maddox, Hoover; Morgan Kirk, Hewitt-Trussville; Amiya Payne, Hewitt-Trussville; Alexandria Pierre, McGill-Toolen Catholic; and Olivia Porter, Auburn.
     The Class 7A boys’ championship game will conclude the 2019 State Basketball Championships today at the BJCC Legacy Center. All championship games are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based program and broadcast over the AHSAA Radio Network. The finals are also being shown over the Alabama Cable Network.
    

97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships
Legacy Arena, BJCC, Birmingham, Feb. 25-March 2

SATURDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE
Class 5A Girls Finals
Central-Tuscaloosa (28-3) 68, Madison Academy (28-8) 65
Class 5A Boys Finals
Wenonah (31-5) 51, Center Point (18-15) 34

Class 6A Girls Finals
Hazel Green (34-3) 55, Opelika (26-7) 31
Class 6A Boys Finals
Pinson Valley (24-9) 58, Carver-Montgomery (23-11) 44

Class 7A Girls Finals
Hoover (34-1) 47, Hewitt-Trussville (21-11) 33
Class 7A Boys Finals
Mountain Brook (30-3) vs. Baker (21-13), 5:45 p.m.

CLASS 6A BOYS’ STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Pinson Valley 58, Carver-Montgomery 44
BIRMINGHAM – Pinson Valley’s Indians saved their best for the last eight minutes Saturday afternoon, outscoring defending Class 6A state champion 21-5 in the final quarter to capture a stunning 58-44 come-from-behind victory in the 2019 AHSAA Class 6A state boys’ basketball finals at the BJCC Legacy Arena.
    Coach Darrell Barber’s Indians (24-9) limited the Wolverines (23-11) to just seven shot attempts and two field goals in the quarter and nailed three 3-pointers to take control down the stretch.
     Class 6A state tourney MVP Kam Woods, 6-foot junior guard, sank two of the treys, finishing with four on the game and had 25 points to pace Pinson. He also had five steals and was 3-of-4 at the foul line. Ga’Quincy “Koolaid” McKinstry added 15 points and five rebounds and Geordon Pollard scored 11 points and pulled down six rebounds. He also blocked two shots.
     Carver, coached by J.J. Jackson, was led by Jaykwon Walton’s 14 points and six rebounds. Centarrio Hinson added 10 points on a 5-for-5 shooting performance.  Jereme Robinson had nine points and nine rebounds and Juwon Gaston cleared eight boards.
     The basketball title just three months after Pinson Valley won its second Class 6A football championship in a row. Pinson became the first school to win both championships in the same school year Lanett did it in 2017-18 in Class 2A. Elba, Madison Academy and Hoover each swept both crowns in the 2014-15 school year in Classes 2A, 3A and Class 6A, respectively.  Sidney Lanier was the first to sweep both titles, winning the 1966 Class 4A  football championship and the state basketball title in 1967.
    Barber’s championship was his first at Pinson and his third overall. He coached Midfield to two state boys’ titles.
     The Class 6A All-Tourney Team included: Kam Woods, Pinson Valley (MVP); Ga’Quincy McKinstry, Pinson Valley; Jereme Robinson, Carver-Montgomery; Jaykwon Walton, Carver-Montgomery; Jalon Johnson, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa; Mark Sears, Muscle Shoals.
     The Class 7A girls’ and boys’ championship games at 4 and 5:45 p.m., respectively, will conclude the 2019 State Basketball Championships today at the BJCC Legacy Center. All championship games are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based program and broadcast over the AHSAA Radio Network. The finals are also being shown over the Alabama Cable Network.
    

97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships
Legacy Arena, BJCC, Birmingham, Feb. 25-March 2

SATURDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE
Class 5A Girls Finals
Central-Tuscaloosa (28-3) 68, Madison Academy (28-8) 65
Class 5A Boys Finals
Wenonah (31-5) 51, Center Point (18-15) 34

Class 6A Girls Finals
Hazel Green (34-3) 55, Opelika (26-7) 31
Class 6A Boys Finals
Pinson Valley (24-9) 58, Carver-Montgomery (23-11) 44

Class 7A Girls Finals
Hewitt-Trussville (21-10) vs. Hoover (33-1), 4 p.m.
Class 7A Boys Finals
Mountain Brook (30-3) vs. Baker (21-13), 5:45 p.m.

THURSDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME RESULTS
Class 1A Girls Finals
Phillips (26-10) 71, Skyline (29-6) 63
Class 1A Boys Finals
Decatur Heritage (32-4) 63, St. Luke’s Episcopal (18-10) 42

FRIDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE
Class 2A Girls Finals
Cold Springs (28-6) 57, Fyffe (30-6) 53 (OT)
Class 2A Boys Finals
Central-Coosa (23-4) 54,Sacred Heart Catholic (23-11) 52

Class 3A Girls Finals
Pisgah (34-1) 46, Montgomery Academy (31-3) 41
Class 3A Boys Finals
Plainview (33-4) 54, Westminster Christian (27-5) 52

Class 4A Girls Finals
Rogers (32-3) 46, Anniston (29-5) 38
Class 4A Boys Finals
Talladega (26-8) 60, West Limestone (21-14) 48

CLASS 6A GIRLS’ STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Hazel Green 55, Opelika 31
BIRMINGHAM – Hazel Green High School’s girls’ basketball program was expected to be in a rebuilding mode after winning the AHSAA Class 6A state championship in 2018. Instead of rebuilding, Coach Tim Miller’s Lady Trojans just reloaded and set their sights on a repeat. That completed that goal Saturday afternoon with a 55-31 win over Opelika in the finals at the 97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships being held at the BJCC Legacy Arena.
    The Trojans (34-3) jumped on the Bulldogs quickly with senior guard Marisa Snodgrass sinking three 3-pointers in the first period to take a 14-2 lead. Hazel Green had another fast start in the third quarter as the defense-minded Trojans held Coach Devin Booth’s team to just four points.
     Snodgrass finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two assists to earn Class 6A state tournament MVP. She also sank 5-of-7 free throws.  Jaelyn Johnson added 13 points, canning both 3-point attempts she tried. Farrah Pearson and McKenzie Hill each had nine points.
    Opelika (26-7) was led in the scoring column by Shaquala Walton and Ananda Huguley, with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Walton also had six rebounds and four steals.
     The state championship was the third overall for Hazel Green (1995, 2018), 2019). It was the sixth coached by Miller, who has a 583-95 overall record in 19 seasons as a high school head coach. He won a state title at Jeff Davis (2006), three at Bob Jones (2008, 2009, 2011) and now has  two at Hazel Green. His winning percentage (86%) is among the tops in the nation for high school girls‘ basketball.
    The Class 6A All-Tourney Team included: Marisa Snodgrass, Hazel Green MVP); Jaelyn Johnson, Hazel Green; Shaquala Walton, Hazel Green; Ananda Huguley, Opelika; Farrah Pearson, Opelika; and Kobi Warner, Carver-Birmingham.
     The Class 6A boys’ finals and the Class 7A girls’ and boys’ championship games will conclude the 2019 State Basketball Championships today at the BJCC Legacy Center. All championship games are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based program and broadcast over the AHSAA Radio Network. The finals are also being shown over the Alabama Cable Network.
    

97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships
Legacy Arena, BJCC, Birmingham, Feb. 25-March 2

SATURDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE
Class 5A Girls Finals
Central-Tuscaloosa (28-3) 68, Madison Academy (28-8) 65
Class 5A Boys Finals
Wenonah (31-5) 51, Center Point (18-15) 34

Class 6A Girls Finals
Hazel Green (34-3) 55, Opelika (26-7) 31
Class 6A Boys Finals
Carver-Montgomery (23-10) vs. Pinson Valley (23-9),  2:15 p.m.

Class 7A Girls Finals
Hewitt-Trussville (21-10) vs. Hoover (33-1), 4 p.m.
Class 7A Boys Finals
Mountain Brook (30-3) vs. Baker (21-13), 5:45 p.m.

CLASS 5A BOYS’ STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Wenonah 51, Center Point 34
    BIRMINGHAM –Wenonah High School limited Center Point to just two points in the second quarter en route to a 52-34 triumph as the Dragons claimed the school’s sixth state championship in the Class 5A boys’ state basketball finals Saturday morning at the 97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships being held at the BJCC Legacy Arena.
    The Dragons’ previous state titles came in 1990, 1993, 2011, 2012 and 2013. Saturday’s championship was the first under Coach Audwin Howard’s direction. Wenonah (31-5) finished the season with only one loss to an AHSAA school.
    Senior guard Cameron Tucker scored 18 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals to earn Class 5A state tourney MVP honors.  Jarvise Minter added 11 points and his twin brother Justin Minter had eight points and nine rebounds.  The Dragons out-rebounded Center Point (18-15), coached by Rodney Chatman, 36-21 and limited the Eagles to only 16 made field goals.  Wenonah was 9-of-10 from the free-throw line and shot 44% from the field.
     Jordan Chatman led Center Point with 11 points and five rebounds. He was 5-of-6 from the field.  Roderick Orr added seven points.
    The Class 5A All-Tourney Team included: Cameron Tucker, Wenonah (MVP); Jarvise Minter, Wenonah; Justin Minter, Wenonah; Jordan Chatman, Center Point; Roderick Orr, Center Point; Roderick Harrington, Ramsay.
     All championship games are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based program and broadcast over the AHSAA Radio Network. The finals are also being shown over the Alabama Cable Network.
    

97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships
Legacy Arena, BJCC, Birmingham, Feb. 25-March 2

SATURDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE
Class 5A Girls Finals
Central-Tuscaloosa (28-3) 68, Madison Academy (28-8) 65
Class 5A Boys Finals
Wenonah (31-5) 51, Center Point (18-15) 34

Class 6A Girls Finals
Opelika (26-6) vs. Hazel Green (33-3), 12:30 p.m.
Class 6A Boys Finals
Carver-Montgomery (23-10) vs. Pinson Valley (23-9),  2:15 p.m.

Class 7A Girls Finals
Hewitt-Trussville (21-10) vs. Hoover (33-1), 4 p.m.
Class 7A Boys Finals
Mountain Brook (30-3) vs. Baker (21-13), 5:45 p.m.

CLASS 5A GIRLS’ STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Central-Tuscaloosa 68, Madison Academy 65
    BIRMINGHAM – Central-Tuscaloosa used a quick defense to build 18-point lead by halftime and then had relay on some clutch free-throw shooting in the final minute to claim a 68-65 victory over Madison  Academy in the Class 5A girls state basketball finals Saturday morning at the 97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships being held at the BJCC Legacy Arena.
     Junior point guard Quintasia Leatherwood of Central (28-3) sparked the fast start with her precision passing, outside shooting and floor leadership. However, Central Coach Michael Rivers said he warned his players at the half that great teams claw back.  He was right.
     Madison Academy (28-8), the Class 4A state champs in 2017 and 2018 before moving up to Class 5A this season, finally found its range outside with Libby Privett and Mary Katherine Sanders nailing threes, Destinee McGhee and Jasmine Gracie scoring inside as Coach Allissa Flowers’ Mustangs closed the gap to four with 1:56 to play. 
     Central’s Sakyia White sank two free throws and Conajah Jones sank four to stretch the lead back to six with 22 seconds remaining.  That margin would be needed at the end.  With three seconds left, Madison Academy’s Privett sank a shot from just in front of the Central bench some 55 feet away and nailed her final trey at the buzzer to cut the lead to three.
    Leatherwood had 18 points, seven assists, five rebounds, two treys and was 4-of-5 at the foul line to earn Class 5A state tourney MVP honors.  White finished with 21 points before fouling out in the final period. She had eight rebounds, two blocked shots and made 7-of-8 free throws attempted. Jones had 19 points and was 5-of-6 at the foul line and Mackenzie Mahone scored 10 points with 4-of-5 at the foul line. The Falcons finished 20-of-28  and made 11 in the fourth quarter. Madison Academy outscored Central 31-17 in the final period.
    Privett led the Mustangs with 17 points, including five treys. Jaden Langford and Gracie had 12 points each, and McGhee had nine points. Gracie had 13 rebounds and McGhee had eight. Langford dished out five assists.
    The state championship was the first for Central since 1996 and the fourth overall. It was the first state crown coached by Rivers. Madison Academy has won three state titles.
    The Class 5A All-Tourney Team included: Quintasia Leatherwood, Central-Tuscaloosa (MVP); Conajah Jones, Central-Tuscaloosa; Sakyia White, Central-Tuscaloosa; Destinee McGhee, Madison Academy; Jasmine Gracie, Madison Academy; and Jaden Langford, Madison Academy.
    The final day of championship action at the 97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships continues today at the Legacy Arena with the 5A boys’ finals, followed by girls’ and boys’ championship games in Class 6A and 7A.   
     All championship games are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based program and broadcast over the AHSAA Radio Network. The finals are also being shown over the Alabama Cable Network.
    

97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships
Legacy Arena, BJCC, Birmingham, Feb. 25-March 2

SATURDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE
Class 5A Girls Finals
Central-Tuscaloosa (28-3) 68, Madison Academy (28-8) 65
Class 5A Boys Finals
Wenonah (30-5) vs. Center Point (18-14), 10:45 a.m.

Class 6A Girls Finals
Opelika (26-6) vs. Hazel Green (33-3), 12:30 p.m.
Class 6A Boys Finals
Carver-Montgomery (23-10) vs. Pinson Valley (23-9),  2:15 p.m.

Class 7A Girls Finals
Hewitt-Trussville (21-10) vs. Hoover (33-1), 4 p.m.
Class 7A Boys Finals
Mountain Brook (30-3) vs. Baker (21-13), 5:45 p.m.

CLASS 4A BOYS’ STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Talladega 60, West Limestone 48
    BIRMINGHAM – Talladega High School outscored West Limestone 35-20 in the second half Thursday night on the way to a 60-48 victory in the 97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships Class 4A boys’ finals at the BJCC Legacy Arena.
     And in the process, the Tigers handed veteran Coach Chucky Miller the school’s first state boys title.  Miller, who has a compiled a 759-340 record in his very successful career, is part of the winningest father-son coaching tandem in the AHSAA. His dad Chuck Miller, a member of the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame, won 704 games in his outstanding career – mostly at Talladega. Chuck Miller passed away last Year. The two combined to coached 1,463 victories.
    Class 4A state tourney MVP D’Corian Wilson had 19 points in the finals with four assists, six rebounds and two 3-pointers. Arron Greene added 12 points and 11 rebounds, Kobe Simmons had eight points and nine rebounds and Rontavious Barclay had eight points and two steals.
    West Limestone (21-14), coached by Justin Taylor, led 28-25 at the half, but the intense Talladega defensive pressure limited the Wildcats to just four made baskets in the second half. Braden Tuten had 11 points, including three treys, and handed out three assists for West Limestone. Marshall Carter had 10 points, two assists and two steals, and Camryn Williams totaled 10 points and eight rebounds. River Helms also had six points and a game-high five assists.

    The Class 4A All-Tourney Team included: D’Corian Wilson, Talladega (MVP); Kobe Simmons, Talladega; Arron Greene, Talladega; River Helms, West Limestone; Braden Tuten, West Limestone; and Martez Jones, B.T. Washington.
    The final day of championship action at the 97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships gets underway Saturday at the Legacy Arena girls’ and boys’ finals in Class 5A, 6A and 7A. Madison Academy (28-7) and Central-Tuscaloosa (27-3) open the at 9 a.m. in the Class 5A girls’ finals.  Two-time defending Class 7A state champion Mountain Brook (31-3) faces Baker (21-13) in the 7A boys’ finals at 5:45 p.m., in the final game of the 2019 state tourney.
    All championship games are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based program and broadcast over the AHSAA Radio Network. The finals are also being shown over the Alabama Cable Network.
    

97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships
Legacy Arena, BJCC, Birmingham, Feb. 25-March 2

FRIDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE
Class 2A Girls Finals
Cold Springs (28-6) 57, Fyffe (30-6) 53 (OT)
Class 2A Boys Finals
Central-Coosa (23-4) 54,Sacred Heart Catholic (23-11) 52

Class 3A Girls Finals
Pisgah (34-1) 46, Montgomery Academy (31-3) 41
Class 3A Boys Finals
Plainview (33-4) 54, Westminster Christian (27-5) 52

Class 4A Girls Finals
Rogers (32-3) 46, Anniston (29-5) 38
Class 4A Boys Finals
Talladega (26-8) 60, West Limestone (21-14) 48

SATURDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE
Class 5A Girls Finals
Madison Academy (28-7) vs. Central-Tuscaloosa (27-3), 9 a.m.
Class 5A Boys Finals
Wenonah (30-5) vs. Center Point (18-14), 10:45 a.m.

Class 6A Girls Finals
Opelika (26-6) vs. Hazel Green (33-3), 12:30 p.m.
Class 6A Boys Finals
Carver-Montgomery (23-10) vs. Pinson Valley (23-9),  2:15 p.m.

Class 7A Girls Finals
Hewitt-Trussville (21-10) vs. Hoover (33-1), 4 p.m.
Class 7A Boys Finals
Mountain Brook (30-3) vs. Baker (21-13), 5:45 p.m.

CLASS 4A GIRLS’ STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Rogers 46, Anniston 38
    BIRMINGHAM – Rogers High School fell behind early to Anniston 5-0 Friday afternoon in the Class 4A girls’ state championship game before rallying to take an 11-point lead after one quarter. The Pirates then turned to a tenacious defense to seal the school’s first-ever state girls’ basketball championship with a 46-38 win at the BJCC Legacy Center.
   Rogers (32-3), coached by Blake Prestage, closed the season with its 20^th win in a row thanks to a defense that limited Anniston (29-5) to just 16 of 60 from the field (26.7%) and only 3 of 22 in  the fourth quarter (13.6%). It was the school’s first state tourney appearance and last week’s Northwest Regional championship was the Pirates’ first regional tourney appearance, said Prestage.
    Freshman Madie Krieger led the way with 23 points, including 10-of-11 at the foul line, and had two assists and two steals to earn Class 4A state tourney MVP honors.  Erin Brown chipped in nine points and Gabby Davis had four points and 10 big rebounds.
    Anniston, coached by Eddie Bullock, kept close with some tenacious defense of its own. Led by guards Allasha Dudley and Anna-Meketra Garrett. Dudley had two steals and one blocked shot while handing out three assists and scoring four points. Garrett also had seven points, three assists and a steal. Center Tonia Foster was a force inside with 13 points and seven rebounds, and Jordyn Johnson had five points and 10 rebounds.
    Despite the stringent defense by both teams, Rogers had no turnovers in the first half, finished with five and Anniston only had 11 total.

    The Class 4A All-Tourney Team included: Madie Krieger, Rogers (MVP); Erin Brown, Rogers; Allasha Dudley, Anniston; Toniah Foster, Anniston; Trinity Hambright, Greensboro; Jailatt Swain, Childersburg.
    The Class 4A boys’ championship game is the final contest of Friday’s championship action at the 97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships. Classes 5A, 6A and 7A will close out the state finals on Saturday.
    All championship games are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based program and broadcast over the AHSAA Radio Network. The finals are also being shown over the Alabama Cable Network.
    

97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships
Legacy Arena, BJCC, Birmingham, Feb. 25-March 2

FRIDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE
Class 2A Girls Finals
Cold Springs (28-6) 57, Fyffe (30-6) 53 (OT)
Class 2A Boys Finals
Central-Coosa (23-4) 54,Sacred Heart Catholic (23-11) 52

Class 3A Girls Finals
Pisgah (34-1) 46, Montgomery Academy (31-3) 41
Class 3A Boys Finals
Plainview (33-4) 54, Westminster Christian (27-5) 52

Class 4A Girls Finals
Rogers (32-3) 46, Anniston (29-5) 38
Class 4A Boys Finals
West Limestone (21-13) vs. Talladega (25-8), 5:45 p.m.

SATURDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE
Class 5A Girls Finals
Madison Academy (28-7) vs. Central-Tuscaloosa (27-3), 9 a.m.
Class 5A Boys Finals
Wenonah (30-5) vs. Center Point (18-14), 10:45 a.m.

Class 6A Girls Finals
Opelika (26-6) vs. Hazel Green (33-3), 12:30 p.m.
Class 6A Boys Finals
Carver-Montgomery (23-10) vs. Pinson Valley (23-9),  2:15 p.m.

Class 7A Girls Finals
Hewitt-Trussville (21-10) vs. Hoover (33-1), 4 p.m.
Class 7A Boys Finals
Mountain Brook (30-3) vs. Baker (21-13), 5:45 p.m.

CLASS 3A BOYS’ STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Plainview 54, Westminster Christian 52
    BIRMINGHAM – For the second year in  row, Plainview High School guard Caden Millican found himself with the ball in the final seconds Friday with his team needing a bucket to win AHSAA Class 3A state championship at the BJCC Legacy Arena.
    And just like last year, Millican delivered – grabbing a pass from guard Tristan Willingham in the lane with 3 seconds left and sinking the game-winning shot to give the Bears a 54-52 victory over Westminster Christian to notch Plainview’s second consecutive state crown. 
     Millican’s 3-pointer at the buzzer in overtime in 2018 was the game winner in the Bears’ championship victory over Hillcrest-Evergreen. Friday’s shot was inside – a play called “leopard” Coach Robi Coker picked up from watching Belmont University beat UCLA.  “We put that play in Sunday and we have practiced it all week,” said Coker. “I told our kids that when we run the play it will work.”
    Westminster Christian (27-5), coached by Ronnie Stapler, trailed 50-39 heading into the fourth quarter, but with 29 seconds left, senior Auston Leslie cashed in two free throws to tie the game at 52 all. Stapler called his final timeout and in Coker instructed his team to run the play. He said it worked just they had practiced it.
    Millican finished with 15 points. Koby Tinker had 25, including five 3-pointers – all coming in a wild third quarter after the 3-point shooting Bears had gone 0-for-8 behind the arc in the first half.  All 18 points in the third period came on treys with Haden White hitting the other one. Tinker’s last 3-pointer of the quarter came at the buzzer.   He also had three rebounds and was 4-of-6 at the foul line to earn Class 3A state tourney MVP honors.  Taylor Haymon and White had seven points each and Willingham finished with two assists and just one turnover at point guard.

    Leslie had 24 points to lead Westminster. He also had six rebounds and four blocked shots.  Jayden Landrom and Joshua Childers added 13 points each. Childers had a game-high seven rebounds and Menterra Curley had two assists, four steals and a blocked shot. The Wildcats won the Class 4A state title in 2016 for their school’s first state championship.
    The Class 3A All-Tourney Team included: Koby Tinker, Plainview (MVP); Caden Millican, Plainview; Taylor Hamon, Plainview; Auston Leslie, Westminster Christian; Jayden Landrom, Westminster Christian; Windell Comer, Prattville Christian.
    The Class 4A girls’ and boys’ championship games close out Friday’s championship action at the 97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships. Classes 5A, 6A and 7A will close out the state finals on Saturday.
    All championship games are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based program and broadcast over the AHSAA Radio Network. The finals are also being shown over the Alabama Cable Network.
    

97^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships
Legacy Arena, BJCC, Birmingham, Feb. 25-March 2

FRIDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE
Class 2A Girls Finals
Cold Springs (28-6) 57, Fyffe (30-6) 53 (OT)
Class 2A Boys Finals
Central-Coosa (23-4) 54,Sacred Heart Catholic (23-11) 52

Class 3A Girls Finals
Pisgah (34-1) 46, Montgomery Academy (31-3) 41
Class 3A Boys Finals
Plainview (33-4) 54, Westminster Christian (27-5) 52

Class 4A Girls Finals
Rogers (31-3) vs. Anniston (29-4), 4 p.m.
Class 4A Boys Finals
West Limestone (21-13) vs. Talladega (25-8), 5:45 p.m.

SATURDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE
Class 5A Girls Finals
Madison Academy (28-7) vs. Central-Tuscaloosa (27-3), 9 a.m.
Class 5A Boys Finals
Wenonah (30-5) vs. Center Point (18-14), 10:45 a.m.

Class 6A Girls Finals
Opelika (26-6) vs. Hazel Green (33-3), 12:30 p.m.
Class 6A Boys Finals
Carver-Montgomery (23-10) vs. Pinson Valley (23-9),  2:15 p.m.

Class 7A Girls Finals
Hewitt-Trussville (21-10) vs. Hoover (33-1), 4 p.m.
Class 7A Boys Finals
Mountain Brook (30-3) vs. Baker (21-13), 5:45 p.m.

THURSDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME RESULTS
Class 1A Girls Finals
Phillips (26-10) 71, Skyline (29-6) 63
Class 1A Boys Finals
Decatur Heritage (32-4) 63, St. Luke’s Episcopal (18-10) 42