Triumph and tragedy: Alabama’s haunted run into March Madness
Alabama’s historic basketball season will forever be marked by murder. The tragic shooting death of Jamea Harris follows SEC Champion and No. 1 seed Alabama into March Madness, where the lights will burn hotter with each game on the national stage.
“At the center of a national controversy involving capital murder charges is an Alabama basketball team built to win a national championship.
“It has all the pieces for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, and then some, but go ahead and throw out all the old NCAA Tournament clichés about this team chasing “One Shining Moment.” That’s the famous song the NCAA plays every year after it crowns new champions in basketball. This team is being chased into the NCAA Tournament by a tragic moment, and that’s the shooting death of Jamea Harris on Jan.15 that involved Alabama basketball players.
Related: Goodman: March Madness? In Birmingham, prepare for full-on crazy – al.com
Related: Alabama earns program’s first No. 1 seed in NCAA tournament, learns first opponent – al.com
Related: Most glaring thing with ‘wrong spot at the wrong time’ is the gun used to kill Jamea Harris – al.com
“Obviously we never lose sight of the tragedy that’s kind of marked our season,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said on Sunday after the SEC championship game. “It’s always there.”
More from Goodman: One of the major reasons for Alabama’s greatness is Brandon Miller, the star player who transported the gun that was used in the shooting death of Harris on the morning of Jan.15.
Related: Brandon Miller makes first public comments since court revelations in Darius Miles case – al.com
Related: Mother, 23, killed on Strip in Tuscaloosa was ‘beautiful young woman who loved her family’ – al.com
Teammate Jaden Bradley was also present at the shooting. Bradley and Miller were not charged with crimes following the death of Harris, but could be used as witnesses against their former teammate and his friend.
Former Alabama basketball player Darius Miles – released from the team after news of the shooting – and friend Michael Davis have been indicted by a Tuscaloosa grand jury on capital murder charges for the shooting death of Harris.
Read all the coverage here: Alabama Crimson Tide Men’s Basketball News | 2023 NCAA March Madness Tournament – al.com
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