6A SW BOYS SEMIS: Park Crossing stands tall in win over Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa

Deonatvious Brown goes up against DJ Hamlett in Park Crossing’s win over Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Thursday at the Cramton Bowl Multiplex. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

For the Park Crossing boys, the assignment was simple.

The inside tandem of Ja’davian Robinson and Cameron Williams would have to keep Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa’s 6-foot-8 forward, Shah Hall, from taking over the game. 

“My main thing going into this game today was telling Ja’davian and Cam that if they make No. 21 uncomfortable, we win the game easily,” Park Crossing coach Courtney Ward said. “If they go out there and get him in some type of trouble, we didn’t think that they had a bench that could come in and do what he can do. So as long as we can control him, it was easy.”

Ward and the Thunderbirds made it look easy, jumping out to a 15-point lead at the half and cruising to a 51-30 win over the Patriots in the Southeast Regional semifinals at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl on Thursday morning.

Park Crossing (26-4) will advance to the regional championship against Eufaula on Monday at 10:30 a.m. Hillcrest ends the season at 25-6.

The defense of Robinson and Williams, along with Immanuel Temple, held Hall to six points for the game, with the final four coming against the reserves in the final minutes long after the outcome had been decided. In the first half, the junior took just two shots, making one. 

He did had seven rebounds in the first half and 14 for the game, an indication of how dominant he could be, but Park Crossing relied on a physical presence in the paint to push Hall out of the way.

Meanwhile, Deonatvious Smith had 22 points and five assists and Aaron Brown added 11 points as the Park Crossing guards took control on the other end of the floor.

“Honestly, I give all that (credit) to coach (Quawon) Baldwin, my assistant,” Ward said. “He does a heck of a job calling plays and making sure we’re in the right position at the right time.

“We just have to stay composed and stay patient and just put them in the right positions to do what they know how to do.”

Cam Knox led Hillcrest with 10 points.