AISA CLASS AAA FINAL: Glenwood ends Macon East run with last second shot
Macon East guard Jacob Wilson grabs rebound in the Class AAA championship game on Friday. (Dylan Hurst)
By DYLAN HURST
The Glenwood Gators used a buzzer-beating layup to edge the Macon East Academy Knights 41-39 in the championship game of the Alabama Independent School Association Class AAA state tournament on Friday at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl.
The Knights were shaken, but seniors Jacob Wilson and Brandon Wilkins took the loss in stride and spoke about how the season brought the team together and brought the whole program another step forward.
“From last year to this year, we made it to another step, we made it to the championship game,” said Wilson. “In the game, and in life, we just got to take it one step at a time.”
“I’m just so proud of our guys and so blessed to be a part of this team, said Wilkins. “We got so far, we played 33 games, and it’s hard, getting here and losing, but it’s a life lesson when sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.”
The Knights survived a midseason coaching change to win the AA championship in 2021 after head coach Lincoln Glass was dismissed in early January, then were upset in the 2022 Class AA quarterfinals by Patrician under new coach Reginald Sprouse. Glass was reinstated this year as the coach by headmaster Glynn Lott as the Knights, competing in AAA, reached the finals for the fourth time in the last seven years under three different coaches.
“It’s meant everything after being out of coaching for a year and to come back, with such great leadership in these seniors,” Glass said. “We all wanted a storybook ending, but sometimes you don’t have that. But there are so many life lessons to be learned, and this year was never about me, and I’m so grateful to Coach Lott, the board and the whole AISA for having my back and giving me the opportunity to coach these great young men.”
Wilson led the team in scoring with a huge 20-point game, including eight points in the second quarter. Wilkins followed with nine points, including 3-of-4 at the free throw line.
Three other Knights scored points, with senior Deonte Powell and junior Gunner Justice both scoring four points and freshman MJ Besler scoring two points.
The Glenwood Gators are all about keeping their heads in the game and never giving up, as they have come back from large deficits to win in the semifinals and the finals by a combined three points.
Seniors Brandon McCraine and Luke Holman have been the constant leaders for the team, and played a big part in their success this season according to head coach Dusty Perdue.
“These guys have led our team all year, and some others have stepped up, but without these two, we wouldn’t be here today,” said Perdue. “They’ve had good games and they’ve had bad games, but Luke has been with me for three years and I think he just scored his 1,000th point tonight.”
This game marks Perdue’s fourth state championship as the head coach for the boys basketball team, and his 13th as a head coach in varying sports at the school.