Basketball roundup: Hazel Green tops Buckhorn for 23rd straight
Hazel Green, six-time defending Class 6A state champions, rolled over Buckhorn 76-34 at home on Friday to improve to 14-0 on the season. The top-ranked Trojans have won 23 straight, after setting an AHSAA record with 87 consecutive wins last season until a loss at then-No. 1 Class 7A Hoover on Jan. 31.
Amiya Redus led the Trojans against the Bucks with 17 points. She also had 4 rebounds. Kristen Johnson scored 15 in the win. Leah Brooks scored 14 with 6 rebounds and Brett Douglas added 12 with 7 rebounds. Addison Cantrell scored 11 for Hazel Green.
Harper McCulley led Buckhorn with 8 points.
Hazel Green begins play in the Vincent Cannizzaro Division of the 26th annual Nike Tournament of Champions at 7 p.m. (CT) on Monday against Hebron Christian of Dacula, Ga. The Lions are defending Georgia state champions after a 32-0 2022-23 season and are 8-0 on this year. Hebron Christian has won two of the past three Georgia state titles.
The winner of that game will play the winner of the Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.) vs. Ontario Christian (Calif.) game on Tuesday. Losers of those games will also play on Tuesday.
The Nike Tournament of Champions, which runs through Thursday, is being played at Legacy Sports Park in Mesa, Ariz. According to the tournament website, this event has produced the consensus national champion 21 times in the past 25 years. It has showcased at least 244 state champions, 22 WNBA All-Stars and eight former and current U.S. Olympians.
Hazel Green is one of 128 teams from across the nation competing in the event. The tournament will be played using shot clocks. Players in the tournament will stay at the Arizona Grand Resort in Phoenix, about 30 minutes from the venue.
In other high school basketball action from across the state over the weekend:
GIRLS
HUNTSVILLE/TENNESSEE VALLEY
Danville 52, Colbert Heights 12
The Hawks rolled to the home win on Friday. Adily Alberti led Danville with 23 points. She also had 5 rebounds and 5 steals.
Reagan Prater grabbed 6 rebounds to go with 7 points and 4 steals in the win. Madalyn McCreless had 5 rebounds. Olivia Vest and Maddie Sherrill had 5 assists each.
Lee-Huntsville 45, Webb (Tenn.) 43
The Generals rallied from a 29-21 third-quarter deficit to edge Webb of Bell Buckle, Tenn., on Saturday at the TN Live Insider Exposure Tournament in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
London Harris led the rally, scoring 13 of her team-best 16 points in the final quarter. Limaya Batimba scored 13 points and had 6 rebounds for Lee. Jayla Turner added 10 points in the win for the Generals (8-5).
On Friday, Lee beat Independence of Thompson’s Station, Tenn., 52-35. The Generals led 14-8 after one quarter, 30-16 at the half and 46-23 headed into final period.
Batimba scored 18 points and claimed 11 rebounds for Lee. Turner scored 13 points and had 6 assists. Harris scored 10 points for Lee.
Good Hope 71, Priceville 43
The Raiders won the battle of two Class 4A top 5 teams at Priceville on Friday, rolling to a 32-15 halftime advantage and holding off the home team’s bid for a comeback in the second half. No. 2 Good Hope outscored No. 5 Priceville 20-18 in the third period and 19-10 in the fourth quarter.
Ava McSwain led Good Hope (11-1) with 20 points. Ivy Maddox scored 16 and Heather Tetro had 14 for the Raiders. Charly Johnson added 10 in the win.
Abby Langlois notched a double-double with 26 points and 11 rebounds for Priceville (7-5). Lillyan Bloodworth and Carly Nelson grabbed 7 rebounds each. Bloodworth also had 6 assists.
BIRMINGHAM
River Ridge (Ga.) 80, Hoover 57
The Knights of Woodstock, Ga., raced to a 42-26 halftime lead and coasted past three-time defending state champion and Class 7A No. 5 Hoover at home on Saturday. River Ridge had five players score in double figures, led by Kayla Cleveland’s 22 points. The 6-foot junior also had 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocked shots.
River Ridge (8-2) also got 18 points and 11 assists from Makayla Roberson. Sophia Pearl scored 13 points with 9 assists and 5 rebounds. Allie Sweet had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds and 6-2 Finley Parker scored 10 with 5 rebounds.
Khloe Ford led Hoover (8-4) with 14 points. Kaitlyn Gipson scored 12 for the Bucs.
Hoover plays in the 2023 Big Orange Classic on Friday and Saturday.
Hoover 60, Galloway 30
The Bucs rolled past The Galloway School of Atlanta in a home game on Friday to improve to 8-3 on the season.
Hoover raced to a 19-6 first-quarter lead and was up 34-15 at the half. The Bucs carried a 52-27 advantage into the final quarter.
Hoover got a career-high 23 points from Khloe Ford in the win.
MOBILE/COASTAL ALABAMA
Gulf Shores 33, St. Michael 21
The Class 6A Dolphins handed Class 4A No. 10 St. Michael its first loss of the season on the road on Friday. Gulf Shores, now 12-1 on the season, led 12-11 at the half and pushed its lead to 22-13 after three quarters.
Maggie Myers led the winners with 14 points. Maya Griffin added 12 for the Dolphins. Junior Keyona Royal faced double- and triple-team defenders all night, finished with 16 rebounds with 3 blocked shots and 3 assists.
St. Michael is 11-1 on the season and will play at Providence Christian on Thursday.
Host Gulf Shores will open play in its Beach Bash Holiday Tournament on Monday against Pensacola.
Alma Bryant 69, Mobile Christian 57
The Hurricanes won their fifth straight game, beating Mobile Christian at home on Friday.
Madi-Marie Grayson scored 36 points to lead Alma Bryant while her twin, Mari-Margret Grayson, added 16.
Fairhope 47, Spanish Fort 31
The Pirates improved to 8-5 on the season with the home win over Spanish Fort on Friday.
Murphy Creel and Libby Rogers led Fairhope with 12 points each. Nylah Loukides pulled down 10 rebounds in the win.
Fairhope will host B.C. Rain on Tuesday.
STATEWIDE
Lakewood 35, Chambers Academy 26
The Chiefs had two players in double figures in the win over Chambers Academy on Saturday.
Addy Helms scored 14 points to lead Lakeside. Chloe Helms scored 13 with 5 rebounds. Addysen Eriksen grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Lakeside (6-7).
Southern Academy 41, Lakeside 34 (OT)
The Chiefs fell in overtime in the Lowndes Academy tournament in Lowndesboro on Friday.
Chloe Helms led Lakeside with 14 points. She also had 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists. Sophie Seaborn scored 11 points with 6 steals. Allyson Erickson grabbed 10 rebounds and had 3 blocks. Abby Helms had 6 rebounds and a pair of steals for Lakeside (5-7).
BOYS
MOBILE/COASTAL ALABAMA
Theodore 58, Daphne 56
The Bobcats rallied from a 9-point deficit to edge Daphne at home on Friday. Houston Cunningham scored 24 points, including 11-of-11 from the foul line, to lead Theodore. Cunningham made all eight of his free throws in the fourth quarter as the Bobcats (7-6) came from behind for the win.
Theodore will meet Hewitt-Trussville on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in the Daphne Holiday Hoops tournament.
UMS-Wright 50, St. Paul’s 43
The Bulldogs improved to 3-1 on the year with the win at home, their third straight victory. UMS-Wright trailed 10-8 after one period, but outscored the visitors 15-2 in the second quarter to build a buffer that proved to be the difference. The Bulldogs won the third quarter 12-10 before St. Paul’s rallied for a 21-15 advantage in the fourth.
Sims Druhan led UMS with 18 points. Jack Blackerby scored 11 in the win.
Cage Cochrell led St. Paul’s with 9 points.
UMS-Wright travels to Helena on Monday for the Helena Husky Shootout, playing Hartselle at 2 p.m.
Robertsdale 57, Foley 48
The Golden Bears improved to 9-5 on the year with the home win on Friday.
Gabe Stevens scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Robertsdale. Kole Singler scored 11.
Kasen Adams led Foley with 18 points.
Robertsdale plays at Bayside Academy on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
HUNTSVILLE/TENNESSEE VALLEY
Athens 48, Hartselle 37
The Golden Eagles outscored Hartselle 16-9 in the final quarter to pull away for the win on Friday at home. Athens (10-3) had led 19-15 at the half and 32-28 after three periods.
Conner Berthiaume and Andrew Boggs led Athens with 10 points apiece. John McIntyre scored 8 in the win.
The home team hit six 3-pointers with Boggs and Sam Boyles making two each in the win.
Ty Odom led Hartselle (8-6) with 11 points, 7 in the second half. Markus Tapscott scored 8 in the loss.
Decatur Heritage 52, Priceville 25
The Eagles raced to a 14-0 lead over Priceville on Saturday in the Pepsi Classic at Austin High School in Decatur.
Two Decatur Heritage players notched double-doubles – Nash Thomas and Brady Wilson. Thomas had 16 points with 12 rebounds and Wilson scored 14 with a dozen rebounds and 4 assists. Paxton Tarver had 7 rebounds to go with 8 points for the Class 2A, second-ranked Eagles.
Sammy Holmes led Priceville with 11 points.
Bob Jones 64, Decatur Heritage 35
The Class 7A Patriots raced to a 25-8 lead after one quarter and coasted to the win over Decatur Heritage on Friday in the Pepsi Classic at Austin High School in Decatur.
Kaden Rickard, a 6-6 junior guard, led Bob Jones with 15 points.
Nash Thomas had 15 points with 6 rebounds for Decatur Heritage. Brady Wilson scored 13 with 8 rebounds for the Eagles.
Buckhorn 51, Hazel Green 41
The Class 6A defending state champion and top-ranked Bucks improved to 11-3 with the win on Friday.
Terrance Pruitt Jr. scored 18 points and hauled in 9 rebounds to lead Hazel Green. Jalen Bright scored 13 points with 4 rebounds and a pair of assists. Pedro Lazaro had 5 assists in the loss.
Hazel Green 57, Mae Jemison 49
Jalen Bright scored 16 points to lead the Trojans to the road win on Tuesday. Terrance Pruitt Jr. scored 10 points and claimed 9 rebounds in the win.
St. John Paul II 70, Oakwood Adventist 63
The Falcons closed out the game on a 17-1 run to knock off Oakwood Adventist on the road on Saturday.
Jaeden Harris poured in 33 points for St. John Paul II, scoring 16 in the fourth period.
SJP2 plays at New Hope on Monday.
BIRMINGHAM
Hoover 65, Escambia County 16
The second-ranked and defending Class 7A state champions improved to 12-1 on the year with the runaway win at Atmore on Saturday.
All 11 Hoover players scored, led by DeWayne Brown with 12 points and 5 rebounds. Jarrett Fairley scored 9 points and had 4 assists. Jackson Sheffield hauled in 9 rebounds. Elijah Thomas and Cam Torbor grabbed 8 rebounds apiece and Austin Dudley had 7.
The Bucs play Wednesday in the Alpha Invitational Tournament at Kingsport, Tenn., against Gate City, Va.
On Friday, Hoover whipped McGill-Toolen 69-41 in a home game. Fairley led the Bucs with 15 points with 4 rebounds. Brown scored 15 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and had 5 blocked shots.
Seneca Robinson had 7 assists to go with 8 points. Salim London had 6 rebounds and 7 assists.
STATEWIDE
Paul Bryant 60, Central-Tuscaloosa 38
The Stampede used a balanced attack to earn the road win on Friday. Adrian Wooley led Paul Bryant with 17 points. Marchello Perkins and Rafe Merriweather scored 15 points apiece in the win.
King Larkin led Central with 14 points. Javion Taylor added 9 for the Falcons in the loss.
Georgiana 66, Monroe County 56
The third-ranked Class 1A Panthers took third place in the 57th annual Richard Robertson Andalusia Christmas Tournament on Saturday as Nasir Cheatham registered a double-double.
Cheatham scored 22 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and had 4 assists for Georgiana (9-1). Jacobie Morgan scored 11 in the win and Kaveon Miles added 10.
On Friday, Class 7A Enterprise handed Georgiana its first loss of the season, 63-44 in the tournament.
Marques Payton led the Panthers with 12 points and Morgan had 11.
Brantley 65, Goshen 46
The Bulldogs rolled to the win in their Tony Stallworth Invitational on Saturday.
Jayden Parks led Brantley (5-3) with 23 points. He also had 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Dylan Davis had a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds with 3 blocked shots.
Valiant Cross 59, Glenwood School 45
John Cosby scored 19 points and had 5 steals as the Warriors beat Glenwood at Phenix City on Saturday.
Freshman Deshawn Hall scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the winners from Montgomery. Hall is averaging 21 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks on the year.
Valiant Cross is 10-2 and will play in a tournament on Thursday and Friday at Restoration Academy in Birmingham.
Escambia Academy 63, Evangel Christian 50
Escambia Academy picked up the road win on Saturday.
Will McCord scored 19 points to lead Evangel. Tylon Shine added 11 for the Lions in the loss.
Evangel (5-6) travels to Hooper Academy on Monday.
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