Basketball roundup: Huntsville, St. James win Mako Classic titles
Huntsville ran its record to 16-1 with its 13th straight win on Friday, beating Enterprise 59-39 to capture the Mako Christmas Classic championship at Orange Beach High School.
The top-ranked Crimson Panthers handed Enterprise its second loss in 13 games this season.
Huntsville led 14-12 at the end of the opening period and 30-24 at the half. The Panthers outscored Enterprise 17-6 in the fourth quarter to wrap up the title.
Tournament Most Valuable Player Caleb Harrison, headed to Samford in the fall, led Huntsville with 22 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocked shots. Harrison scored 8 straight points in the final quarter.
Junior Simon Walker scored 13 points in the championship game and junior Brayden Rivers had 12 points with 4 rebounds and 2 blocks.
Walker and Rivers were joined on the all-tournament team by JD Gossett.
Eric Winters had a double-double for the Wildcats, scoring 10 points and claiming 11 rebounds. Tucker Wadsworth added 8 for Enterprise. Both players were named to the all-tournament team.
Huntsville will meet Hazel Green in the opening round of the 41st annual Huntsville City Classic at noon on Wednesday at Huntsville High School.
The rest of the opening day schedule:
Columbia vs. Sparkman, 9 a.m.; Grissom vs. Madison Academy, 10:30 a.m.; Florence vs. St. Pius X Catholic, Atlanta, 1:30 p.m.; Bob Jones vs. Trotwood-Madison, Ohio, 3 p.m.; Austin vs. McAdory, 4:30 p.m.; Mae Jemison vs. James Clemens, 6 p.m.; Buckhorn vs. Centennial, Franklin, Tenn., 7:30 p.m.
The last day to purchase tickets for the event is Christmas Day. Passes are $35 and are available only via GoFan at this link.
In other high school games:
BOYS
ADIDAS CLASSIC
Hazel Green 77, Franklin County (Tenn.) 48
Hazel Green went 2-1 in the Adidas Classic at Riverdale High in Murfreesboro, Tenn., closing out the event with the win over Franklin County of Winchester, Tenn.
Terrance Pruitt Jr. poured in 26 points to lead the No. 10 Class 6A Trojans (11-6). Jalen Bright scored 12 points and had 3 steals and 2 assists. Pedro Lazaro dished out 7 assists for Hazel Green.
Earlier on Thursday, Battle Ground Academy of Franklin, Tenn., edged Hazel Green 61-60. Kavien Jones and Greyson Williams had 15 points apiece in the win.
Bright led Hazel Green with 17 points. Pruitt scored 10 and had 7 rebounds. Lazaro had 9 points and 3 assists.
The Trojans opened the tournament on Wednesday with a 56-47 win over Centennial of Franklin, Tenn. Bright had 15 points and 5 steals. Pruitt had 10 points and 5 rebounds and Lazaro had 9 points and 3 assists.
WILCOX CENTRAL CHRISTMAS CLASSIC
Georgiana 64, Wilcox Central 55
The third-ranked Class 1A Panthers improved to 10-1 with the win over the host team in the tournament on Friday.
Nasir Cheatham and Kaveon Miles registered double-doubles in the win. Cheatham had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Miles finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 assists.
Marques Payton and Jaden Stallworth had 12 points apiece for Georgiana.
NON-TOURNAMENT GAME
Danville 62, East Lawrence 53
The Hawks picked up the home win over East Lawrence on Friday, led by Ty Bailey’s double-double performance. Bailey had 16 points and 10 rebounds for Danville.
Huntley Segars scored 14 points and had 5 rebounds in the win.
Nathan West and Ben Ellenburg had 8 points apiece for Danville.
GIRLS
MOBILE/COASTAL ALABAMA
MAKO CHRISTMAS CLASSIC
St. James 40, Orange Beach 38
Tournament Most Valuable Player Ava Card hit the winning bucket with 8.7 seconds remaining as St. James came out of a timeout to find the 6-foot senior guard around the rim for the game-winner. Card finished with 18 points for Class 3A No. 5 St. James (13-3).
Natalie Barton finished with 17 points for the Trojans. Barton and Katie Brightwell were named to the all-tournament team.
St. James will play Madison Academy in the Falcon Christmas Classic at St. John Paul II Catholic High School in Huntsville on Wednesday.
BIRMINGHAM
BIG ORANGE CLASSIC
Hoover 79, South Forsyth (Ga.) 38
Hoover raced to a 29-12 first-quarter lead and coasted to a 55-23 halftime margin to open the Big Orange Classic at home on Friday.
Ariana Peagler led Class 7A No. 5 Hoover with 15 points. Sophomore Aaliyah Blanchard scored 14 points for the Bucs, along with senior Jillian Clark-Williamson with 11 and sophomore Khloe Ford with 11. Seventh-grader Kristen Winston added 10 in the win.
KERRY MALONE POWER GAMES
Hewitt-Trussville 55, Lebanon (Tenn.) 39
Auburn University signee Jordan Hunter, a senior guard, scored 17 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and had 4 assists to lead the Huskies past the host team on Friday to wrap up the two-day event.
Mia Ada scored 9 points and had 3 assists for Hewitt-Trussville. Freshman Ryleigh Martin scored 8 points with 3 steals and 3 assists.
On Thurday, Hewitt beat Blackman, Tenn., 50-45 with Hunter tossing in 22 points. Junior forward Ashlyn Howard added 9 in the win.
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