AISA basketball tourney opens today

BY TIM GAYLE

Postseason play in the Alabama Independent School Association begins on Monday with a format that is expanded over two weeks to deal with COVID-19 restrictions. 

The postseason was originally scheduled to begin on Tuesday and conclude on Feb. 13, but will now begin on Monday and conclude on Feb. 17.

“We’re spreading out the tournament over more days to allow for a maximum of four basketball games in a day,” AISA executive director Michael McLendon said. “We’ll allow two and a half hours for each game to allow for some separation of crowds coming in and going out. Normally, we would run eight games per day so that will be a significant difference.”

The first round of the state tournament was originally set for girls on Tuesday and boys on Thursday, with the AISA Elite Eight scheduled to start the following Monday. Now, to accommodate the spread-out schedule, girls will play on Monday, boys on Tuesday and the Elite Eight will start on Wednesday. 

The new schedule also has a built-in break. The original format played the Class AAA finals on Saturday, Feb. 13. Under the new format, the tournament takes a break on that Saturday, continuing through Presidents’ Day, and resumes play on Tuesday, Feb. 16 with the A and AA finals, finishing up on Feb. 17 with the AAA finals. 

AISA STATE TOURNAMENT

CLASS A GIRLS

Monday’s games (at campus sites)

North River Christian at Banks Academy

Snook Christian at Abbeville Christian

Coosa Valley Academy at Heritage Christian

Wednesday (at Multiplex)

Evangel Christian vs. North River-Banks winner, 9 a.m.

Jackson Academy vs. Pickens Academy, 11:30 a.m.

Restoration Academy vs. Abbeville-Snook winner, 2 p.m.

Meadowview Christian vs. Heritage-Coosa Valley winner, 4:30 p.m.

Feb. 10 (at Multiplex)

Semifinals, 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Feb. 16 (at Multiplex)

Finals, 10 a.m.

CLASS A BOYS

Tuesday’s games (at campus sites)

North River Christian at Banks Academy

Crenshaw Christian at Snook Christian

Meadowview Christian at Evangel Christian

Coosa Valley Academy at Pickens Academy

Thursday (at Multiplex)

Abbeville Christian vs. North River-Banks winner, 9 a.m.

Heritage Christian vs. Snook-Crenshaw winner, 11:30 a.m.

Restoration Academy vs. Evangel-Meadowview winner, 2 p.m.

Jackson Academy vs. Pickens-Coosa Valley winner, 4:30 p.m.

Feb. 10 (at Multiplex)

Semifinals, 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Feb. 16 (at Multiplex)

Finals, 12:30 p.m.

CLASS AA GIRLS

Monday’s games (at campus sites)

Patrician Academy at Sparta Academy

Macon East Academy at Edgewood Academy

Hooper Academy at Chambers Academy

Wilcox Academy at South Choctaw Academy 

Friday (at Multiplex)

Lakeside School vs. Sparta-Patrician winner, 9 a.m.

Southern Academy vs. Edgewood-Macon East winner, 11:30 a.m.

Lowndes Academy vs. Chamber-Hooper winner, 2 p.m.

Autauga Academy vs. South Choctaw-Wilcox winner, 4:30 p.m.

Feb. 11 (at Multiplex)

Semifinals, 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Feb. 16 (at Multiplex)

Finals, 3 p.m.

CLASS AA BOYS

Tuesday’s games (at campus sites)

South Choctaw Academy at Escambia Academy

Lakeside School at Edgewood Academy

Hooper Academy at Macon East Academy 

Wilcox Academy at Southern Academy

Saturday (at Multiplex)

Chambers Academy vs. Escambia-South Choctaw winner, 9 a.m.

Patrician Academy vs. Edgewood-Lakeside winner, 11:30 a.m.

Sparta Academy vs. Hooper-Macon East winner, 2 p.m.

Autauga Academy vs. Southern-Wilcox winner, 4:30 p.m.

Feb. 11 (at Multiplex)

Semifinals, 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Feb. 16 (at Multiplex)

Finals, 5:30 p.m.

CLASS AAA GIRLS

Monday’s games (at campus sites)

Bessemer Academy at Fort Dale Academy

Monroe Academy at Russell Christian 

Feb. 8 (at Multiplex)

Glenwood School vs. Fort Dale-Bessemer winner, 9 a.m.

Tuscaloosa Academy vs. Springwood School, 11:30 a.m.

Clarke Prep School vs. Lee-Scott Academy, 2 p.m.

Pike Liberal Arts vs. Russell-Monroe winner, 4:30 p.m.

Feb. 12 (at Multiplex)

Semifinals, 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Feb. 17 (at Multiplex)

Finals, noon

CLASS AAA BOYS

Tuesday’s games (at campus sites)

Russell Christian at Clarke Prep

Springwood School at Success Unlimited

Valiant Cross at Lee-Scott Academy 

Monroe Academy at Bessemer Academy

Feb. 9 (at Multiplex)

Glenwood School vs. Russell-Clarke Prep winner, 9 a.m.

Tuscaloosa Academy vs. Success-Springwood winner, 11:30 a.m.

Morgan Academy vs. Valiant-Lee-Scott winner, 2 p.m.

Pike Liberal Arts vs. Monroe-Bessemer winner, 4:30 p.m.

Feb. 12 (at Multiplex)

Semifinals, 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Feb. 17 (at Multiplex)

Finals, 2:30 p.m.