AISA CLASS AAA SEMIS: Valiant Cross falls short in loss to Lee-Scott

Valiant Cross’ Deshawn Hall glides over Lee-Scott’s Ben Aldrridge in Thursday’s Class AA semifinal. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

Valiant Cross Academy took an early lead in its AISA Class AAA semifinal matchup with Lee-Scott Academy, but foul trouble quickly changed the way the Warriors played the game. 

As the game turned into a halfcourt battle at a slower pace, Lee-Scott’s 3-point shooting ability doomed Valiant Cross in a 52-34 loss in the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl on Thursday.

Lee-Scott (26-5) will play Bessemer (24-1) for the AAA title on Friday at 7 p.m. Valiant Cross ends the season at 26-6 under first-year coach Letwan Hall, who inherited an 0-14 squad from a year ago.

“They’ve got a style to slow us down,” Hall said, “and what they were able to do is really close down the driving lanes. We’re a team that wants to get up and down, but when you’re getting all those offensive fouls on you, it just kind of takes the steam out of you.

“Our best player (Deshawn Hall) got in foul trouble early, got his third foul right before halftime and that was a big call that can go either way. Like I tell them, I’d love for you to stop and pop on that instead of putting the onus on the referee.

“But (Lee-Scott) did a good job of slowing the game down, they did a good job of handling our pressure. Then we had a lot of shots that we normally make that we didn’t make them and missed some free throws. Sometimes, it just ain’t your night. We played them four times, we split. We just lost the wrong game.”

Valiant Cross cut the deficit to a point, 18-17, at the half, but Lee-Scott took charge with an 18-point third quarter that left Valiant Cross trailing by nine points entering the fourth quarter. Lee-Scott, with a veteran squad that has reached the Final Four in six of the last 10 years, was able to hold off a youthful and inexperienced Valiant Cross team making its first trip to the semifinals.

Hall, Valiant Cross Academy’s fourth coach in four years, promised the Warriors would gain more state tournament experience in the future. 

“Any time you go 0-14 and come back and go to the Final Four, it’s a significant change,” Hall said. “We’re changing the culture. I will definitely be back (as the head coach) next year. We started two freshmen and two sophomores and one junior, so we’re bringing everybody back. We’re going to be around for a good while.” 

Bessemer Academy 67, Glenwood School 65 (2OT)

Johnathan Winston put back his own miss with six seconds left in the second overtime period to send the Rebels back into the Class AAA finals for the first time since winning the title in 2019.

Bessemer Academy (24-1) will play Lee-Scott Academy (26-5) for the Class AAA championship on Friday at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl at 7 p.m. Glenwood ends the season at 22-11.

The Gators had the lead for much of the second half with the help of free throws. Bessemer took the lead in the first overtime period with a 3-pointer from Jordan Jeter, only to have Jadarian Holloway slash through the lane with a game-tying shot with 15 seconds left to force a second overtime period. 

Jeter finished with 23 points, followed by Winston with 16 and Luke Turner with 12.

Holloway led Glenwood with 19 points, followed by Tyler Sykes with 18, Mason McCraine with 13 and Cam White with 11.

Glenwood connected on 28 of 44 free-throw attempts in the game, while Bessemer hit 12 of 13.