Girls area tournament roundup: Late run spurs Minor to victory over Homewood
Minor’s Nailah Mayes hit a driving layup in the final minute and completed the three-point play with the ensuing free throw to cap a 17-7 fourth quarter run in the 47-42 victory over Homewood in Class 6A, Area 9 girls action.
Minor (15-9) advanced to the area title game against Parker, which downed Jackson-Olin 55-16, and both secured a spot in subregional play with the wins.
Mayes had a simple thought about the late shot: “make them,” she said.
“Nailah Mayes has been a blessing to this program,” said Minor coach Etara Barnes. “She’s a true leader, she knows the game and her (basketball) IQ is great. She is really the motivation for Quantrese Washington. she pushes her in practice and she coaches her in the game.”
Mayes scored six critical points in the quarter and finished with 12. Aryn Clark led the Tigers with 13 points and three 3-pointers while freshman Brook Adams and junior Quantrese Washington each scored 10 points.
“It was very important for us to pull this game off tonight,” Barnes said. “We worked hard we sacrificed, we’ve been dealt bad cards, so it was very important to pull this off. Not only just for the area first playoff game win, but for confidence to bring us closer together and make us one unit.”
This game started out as a game of runs, then the quickness of Minor negated the size of Homewood. The teams played to 25-all tie at the half before Homewood used 10-5 run in the third quarter, utilizing the size and footwork of Mira McCool down low and the hot shooting of Kayla Warren from deep.
That’s when the Tigers made their fourth quarter run to victory.
Warren led the Patriots with a game-high 18 points, all coming on six 3-pointers, while McCool added 17 points.
Minor plays host Parker for the area championship on Thursday at 6 pm.
— Cameron Buford
Girls Area Tournament Results
Class 7A
Area 2 at Foley
Daphne 53, Fairhope 21: Abby Johnson had 17 points and 7 steals while La’Merrica Johnson had 11 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals and Addison Luker scored 11 points.
Daphne (16-11) advance to championship against host Foley on Friday at 6 p.m.
Area 4 at Central-Phenix City
Auburn 68, Opelika 53
Central-Phenix City 55, Smiths Station 22
Area 5 at Hoover
Hoover 64, Tuscaloosa County 27: Top-ranked Hoover (30-1) sprinted to an 18-4 first quarter lead and was never threatened.
Layla Etchison led the scoring with 16 points while Alanah Pooler had 11 points.
Host Hoover faces Vestavia Hills in the area championship on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Vestavia Hills 63, Thompson 31: Sarah Gordon led the fourth-ranked Rebels (28-3) with 18 points while Jill Gaylard scored 11 points.
Area 6 at Hewitt-Trussville
Hewitt-Trussville 51, Spain Park 19
Chelsea 51, Oak Mountain 16
Area 7 at Sparkman
Sparkman 53 Albertville 26: Second-ranked Sparkman (22-8) jumped to a 24 to 3 first quarter lead and never trailed. Kennedy Langham led the Senators with 18 points and Laryn Scott added 10 points.
Host Sparkman will play Huntsville for the championship on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Huntsville 32, Grissom 28: Huntsville (17-13) earned the victory behind a 13-7 fourth quarter advantage. Virginia Hawkins led Huntsville with 9 points while D’erricka Thompson added scored points and Ja’mya Fletcher added 5 steals.
Area 8 at Bob Jones
James Clemens 65, Florence 46
Bob Jones 55, Austin 24
Class 6A
Area 4 at Park Crossing
Pike Road 60, Russell County 37
Area 6 at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa
Northridge 54, Paul Bryant 37: Jakeya Horton had 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Jaguars (22-9) while Aniyah Cabbil finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Fantasia Wilson added 11 points, 7 assists, 8 rebounds, and 5 steals.
Central-Tuscaloosa 62, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa 27
Area 7 at McAdory
McAdory 42, Bessemer City 27
Hueytown 55, Brookwood 40
Area 8 at Pelham
Briarwood Christian 47, Helena 46
Area 9 at Parker
Parker 55, Jackson-Olin 16
Minor 47, Homewood 42
Area 10 at Shades Valley
Pell City 63, Mountain Brook 49
Shades Valley 49, Woodlawn 28
Area 11 at Huffman
Center Point 26, Gardendale 21
Area 13 at Gadsden City
Oxford 77, Fort Payne 50
Area 15 at Muscle Shoals
Athens 48, Columbia 43
Area 16 at Hazel Green
Lee-Huntsville 50, Buckhorn 41
Hazel Green 61, Mae Jemison 30
Class 5A
Area 1 at Williamson
Williamson 71, Elberta 3: All 10 Williamson players scored, led by Kaliyah Lucky’s 15 points, while Eulethia Perdue scored 14, Ta’Myla Allen had 10 points and Ivyana Campbell scored 9.
No. 10 Williamson (16-6) plays Gulf Shores on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. for the championship.
Gulf Shores 46, B.C. Rain 15
Area 3 at Eufaula
Headland 37, Rehobeth 33
Area 6 at Marbury
Holtville 60, Elmore County 39
Area 9 at Pleasant Grove
Pleasant Grove 44, Fairfield 25
John Carroll Catholic vs. Wenonah, 7 p.m.
Area 11 at Moody
Moody 69, Leeds 34
Springville 52, St. Clair County 38
Area 12 at Southside-Gadsden
Alexandria 72, Lincoln 23
Area 14 at Guntersville
Guntersville 44, Fairview 33
Arab 62, Scottsboro 60
Area 15 at West Point
West Point 61, Russellville 45
Lawrence County 53, Brewer 45
Class 4A
Area 2 at Jackson
Jackson 57, Escambia County 43
T.R. Miller 46, Satsuma 30
Area 4 at Montgomery Catholic
Montgomery Catholic 79, Bullock County 30
LAMP 41, B.T. Washington 21
Area 6 at Bibb County
Montevallo 41, West Blocton 13
Bibb County 59, Holt 20
Area 9 at Dora
Dora 71, Oak Grove 54
Fultondale 39, Corner 31
Area 10 at Cherokee County
Cherokee County 64, Cleburne County 14
Jacksonville 53, White Plains 44
Class 3A
Area 1 at Cottage Hill Christian
Mobile Christian vs. Flomaton, 4:30 p.m.
Area 7 at Southside-Selma
Sumter Central 52, Greensboro 32
Area 10 at Carbon Hill
Fayette County 68, Oakman 21
Carbon Hill 55, Fayette County 41
Area 13 at Susan Moore
Vinemont 56, JB Pennington 38
Susan Moore 82, Brindlee Mountain 21
Class 2A
Area 1 at Washington County
St. Luke’s Episcopal 60, Chickasaw 30
JU Blacksher 74, Clarke County 55
Washington County 57, St. Luke’s Episcopal 37
Area 5 at Francis Marion
Francis Marion 72, Aliceville 46
Tuscaloosa Academy 40, Greene County 19
Area 6 at Lanett
Horseshoe Bend 50, Reeltown 34
Lanett 56, LaFayette 17
Area 7 at B.B. Comer
Central Coosa 65, Thorsby 43
B.B. Comer 61, Central Coosa 33
Isabella 57, Fayetteville 38
Area 9 at Ranburne
Pleasant Valley 44, Woodland 35
Area 12 at Sand Rock
Collinsville 44, Fyffe 35
Sand Rock 77, Gaston 34
Area 16 at Mars Hill Bible
Sheffield 63, Tharptown 27
Mars Hill Bible vs. Sheffield, 5:30 p.m.
Hatton vs. Lexington, 7 p.m.
Class 1A
Area 7 at Loachapoka
Notasulga 29, Verbena 15
Billingsley 40, Maplesville 23
Loachapoka 57, Notasulga 20
Area 8 at Winterboro
Wadley 63, Faith Christian 27
Winterboro 75, Alabama School for Deaf 16
Area 9 at South Lamar
South Lamar 55, Berry 19
Holy Spirit Catholic 49, Pickens County 46
Area 12 at Spring Garden
Cedar Bluff 54, Jacksonville Christian 52
Spring Garden 72, Coosa Christian 16
Area 13 at Addison
Sumiton Christian 40, St. Bernard 36
Addison 55, Meek 21
Area 15 at Skyline
Oakwood Academy 48, Athens Bible 36
Skyline 68, Oakwood Academy 11
Woodville 62, Valley Head 56
This post will be updated.