AISA CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP: Lakeside sinks Autauga boys late
COMBINED REPORTS
T.J. Smith hit a pair of free throws with nine seconds remaining to lift Lakeside to a 37-35 win over Autauga Academy in the Alabama Independent School Association Class AA boys’ state basketball tournament at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl on Saturday afternoon.
Autauga had the lead for most of the game but Jace James scored his only points of the game on a 3-pointer for the Chiefs to tie the game at 35-35, setting the stage for Smith’s free throws.
Octavious Palmer, who had scored seven points in the third quarter to keep the Generals in front, missed a 3-pointer at the end to leave Autauga on the losing end of the finals for the second consecutive year.
Palmer finished with 13 points, followed by Teddy Harris with 11.
Smith scored four of his team-high 12 points in the fourth quarter to bring the Chiefs back. DaVantae Bowick added nine for Lakeside.
Palmer, Harris, Smith and Bowick were named to the all-tournament team, along with Lakeside’s Jacari Richardson and Edgewood’s Robert Stewart.
Pickens Academy 52, Monroe Academy 31
The Pirates rallied from a first-quarter deficit with a strong second-quarter performance as Jessi Latham scored 14 of her game-high 15 points in the second quarter to help Pickens grab the Class AA girls’ state championship on Saturday afternoon.
Kate Wilkins added nine points for Pickens, which scored 18 points in the second quarter to erase a 14-13 deficit. The Pirates extended their 10-point halftime lead to 14 points by the end of the third quarter.
Ruth Dees led Monroe with 10 points.
Joining Latham on the all-tournament team were teammates Lily Lowery and Carleigh Cameron, Dees and Bailee Jones of Monroe, Mae Etheridge of Patrician and Katie White of Autauga.
Tuscaloosa Academy 63, Pike Liberal Arts 47
Sam Rowley scored 10 of his game-high 22 points in the fourth quarter to help Tuscaloosa Academy hold off Pike Liberal and capture the Class AAA boys’ state championship on Saturday night, the school’s second title in four consecutive trips to the state finals.
TA also won the AAA championship in 2018, head coach Barry Sanderson’s first year, and finished as runner-up to Bessemer a year ago.
Phil McDuff added 15 points and Mason Mulanix had 11 as the Knights were clinging to a two-point lead entering the fourth quarter before Rowley’s shooting touch helped TA score 26 points and put the game out of reach.
Drew Nelson and Austin Cross each had 14 points to lead the Patriots. Javon Christian added 12.
Joining McDuff, Rowley, Cross and Christian on the all-tournament team were Tuscaloosa’s Jaylon Stevenson, Macon East’s Jaylan Pettway and Bessemer’s Josh McMillon.
Lee-Scott Academy 44, Glenwood School 26
Chloe Johnson scored 12 points to lead the Warriors to the Class AAA girls’ state championship on Saturday evening at the Multiplex.
Johnson has now won four state titles in her five years as a starter, the first three at Tuscaloosa Academy. She was the most valuable player as a sixth grader on the Knights’ 2016 team and brought the school championships in 2018 and 2019 before transferring to Lee-Scott over the summer and bringing the Auburn school a championship as a sophomore.
The Gators took away the perimeter threat of the Warriors – limiting Mary Prewitt to four points on a pair of baskets – but it didn’t stop Lee-Scott from clawing its way to an 11-point lead (24-13) at the half.
Sterling Tucker scored 11 points and Haley Harper added nine as the Warriors had to look inside for their points on Saturday.
Mya Brooks led Glenwood with 10 points, including all four the team scored in the first quarter.
Joining Johnson and Prewitt on the all-tournament team were Lee-Scott’s Mary Baxley Smith, Macie Fanning and Katie Suarez of Glenwood, Shelby Renfro of Pike Liberal Arts and Ashlyn Simpson of Northside Methodist.