Class 6A Girls final: No. 1 Hazel Green sets AHSAA mark with sixth straight title
The hot new number in AHSAA basketball is SIX.
No AHSAA team, boys or girls, has ever won six straight basketball state championships.
Until now.
Hazel Green downed Huffman 53-40 during the girls Class 6A championship at BJCC Legacy Arena on Saturday to win its sixth straight title.
“It’s never easy and this never gets old, getting to this point and getting a championship,” said Hazel Green coach Tim Miller. “I’m so proud of what these ladies had to go through this season with the injuries and all.”
The game was anti-climactic.
The top-ranked Trojans (36-1) scored the first 10 points of the game while the Hazel Green defense squeezed the life from Huffman’s offense.
The Trojans held the sixth-ranked Vikings (29-5) to 6-of-21 shooting in the first half while Alabama commit Leah Brooks was almost unstoppable in the post, scoring 16 of Hazel Green’s points in the 31-18 halftime advantage.
Pretty much the only thing left was the final margin.
It has been a record-setting year for the Trojans, who also broke the AHSAA girls consecutive win record with 87.
All this came despite losing starters to injury who accounted for 27 points a game during the season.
“How do you make up 27 points,” Miller asked. “That’s what we had to figure out.”
The title marked No. 10 for Miller, six at Hazel Green, three at Bob Jones and one at Jeff Davis.
“When I die, they’re not going to put my record on my tombstone,” Miller said. “I care more about the relationship with these girls.”
Star of the Game: MVP Hazel Green’s Leah Brooks scored a game-high 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting, making 2-of-4 free throws and grabbing 14 rebounds
Stat sheet: Hazel Green – Amiya Redus 16 points, two assists; Sydney Steward nine points, three assists, two steals.
Huffman – Tamiria Jones 12 points, seven rebounds; Jamiria Jones 12 points, two steals.
By the numbers: Hazel Green – Shot 18-of-38 (47.4 percent) field goals, 4-of-9 3-pointers, 13-of-19 free throws, 29 rebounds, eight assists, four steals.
Huffman – Shot 13-of-46 (28.3 percent) field goals, 1-of-16 3-pointers, 13-of-16free throws, 27 rebounds, three assists, six steals.
They said it: “Whatever they tell me to do, I’ll do it,” – Hazel Green coach Tim Miller on how he’ll celebrate the title.
“It’s been one of the hardest seasons, going through the injuries and all.” – Hazel Green’s Leah Brooks.
“This is a very special group. I will never forget them because they’re the first team to make it to the championship in Huffman history.” – Huffman coach Lin Slater.