FRIDAY HOOPS: PCA girls win 30th game; LAMP closes with win

COMBINED REPORTS

GIRLS

Prattville Christian Academy 68, St. James 63

Prattville Christian completed its regular season with 30 wins in 30 games, but the final game proved to be one of the toughest as the Panthers had to fight back from a one-point deficit in the final two minutes to secure a 68-63 win over the Trojans in the Saint James gym on Friday night.

Saint James took a 3-0 lead early, but PCA started the game with seven consecutive three pointers to build an early 21-8 lead. 

Saint James would keep the game within 10-12 points and cut the lead to five points twice in the third quarter. PCA led 54-44 after three quarters, but the Trojans fought back to take a 63-62 lead on a three-point play following a foul with 1:27 remaining. 

The Panthers, however, would score the last six points of the game to conclude a 30-0 regular season, with four games (the first three in the Trojan Tip Off Tournament and the final game) won at Saint James.

Ella Jane Connell led the Panthers with 29 points and five assists before fouling out midway through the fourth quarter. Hannah Jones had 15 points and six rebounds, followed by Avery Rogers with 13 points and five assists, Kayden Carr with six points, five rebounds and four assists and CoCo Thomas with five points and 10 rebounds.   

PCA returns home to face Montgomery Academy in the opening round of the 3A Area 6 tournament on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Saint James’ 63 was the most points PCA had given up all season. K.K. Hall had 19 points (five 3s) for the Trojans. Maddox Trumbly played a strong game from the bench and totaled 11, including three 3s. Ava Card and Katie Brightwell each added 10 points.

Saint James (20-6) will draw a first-round bye in the upcoming 4A Area 3 tournament at home. On Monday, Booker T. Washington will play Bullock County at 6 p.m., with the winner advancing to Wednesday’s championship game against the Trojans at 6 p.m.

LAMP 49, Brew Tech 43

The Golden Tigers closed out the regular season on a winning note, defeating the 5A Rams 49-43 in a battle of magnet schools in the LAMP gym. 

Ariana Cannida led LAMP with 18 points, including hitting six out of six clutch free throws in the fourth quarter. Mackenzie Lewis added 14 points. 

Erin Martin led Brew Tech with 22 points and Jilliane Baine had 12. 

LAMP plays BTW Magnet at home Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the first round of the 4A Area 5 tournament, with the winner earning a berth in the state playoffs. Brew Tech will play Beauregard in the opening round of the 5A Area 5 tournament at Pike Road on Monday at 3:30 p.m.

Vestavia Hills 73, Pike Road 27

PIKE ROAD -- One of the state’s top basketball programs, the 7A Rebels, ran past Pike Road 73-27 in the regular season finale for both teams on Friday in the Pike Road gym.

Jazz Johnson led the Patriots with 11 point and seven rebounds, followed by Jada Roberts with nine points.

Pike Road will host Tallassee on Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the opening round of the 5A Area 5 tournament, with the winner earning a berth in the state playoffs.

BOYS

Prattville Christian Academy 50, St. James 49

The Panthers’ Connor Williams led all scorers with 22 points, but it was his 3 pointer with less than four seconds remaining which brought Prattville Christian from behind for a tough win. The Trojans led 33-32 at halftime but the pace and the scoring slowed significantly in the second half.

Saint James, ahead 49-47, missed the front end of two one-and-one opportunities at the free-throw line to give PCA the late chance for the win. 

Williams had five rebounds and four steals along with his points, while Carson Roberson scored 12 points on four 3 pointers. Cam Coleman added five points and four rebounds, followed by Coleman Hunter and PJ Evans with four points each. Brady Roberson scored three points and Brady Hughes grabbed four rebounds.  

PCA (11-18) finishes the regular season and travels to Catholic on Wednesday for the opening round of the 3A Area 6 tournament against the host Knights at 7 p.m.

Bradley Thomas led the Trojans with 16 points, but picked up his third foul early in the third quarter and could not drive to the basket as effectively. Jake Yohn scored 12 for the Trojans, also on four 3 pointers

Saint James (13-6) finishes the regular season and heads to Tuskegee on Tuesday night to play Bullock County on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the opening round of the 4A Area 3 tournament. The winner advances to Friday’s championship against Booker T. Washington.