BIRMINGHAM – There is something very special about Alabama’s high school girls who stand out above the crowd. Fans everywhere embrace them by addressing them by their first names …. Tonya, YoYo, Krystle … are some examples.
     Ace Austin – actually her middle name – joined that legendary group long ago. Thursday night, she closed out her high school basketball career, scoring 40 points as Spring Garden High School won the AHSAA Class 1A state title for the third year in a row beating a young and hungry Brilliant team from Marion County 73-43 as the 105^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships moved into the championship round at the BJCC Legacy Arena.
     Brilliant (23-12) battled from the get-go trailing just 8-7 three minutes into the contest. Austin, however, stepped forward scoring 21 points in the first half as the Panthers of Coach Ricky Austin, Ace’s day, rolled into halftime leading 38-24.
    Austin finished her six-year career playing in 213 games overall – with Spring Garden winning 203. Both marks are AHSAA state records.
    The University of Alabama signee was the MVP in all three state championships in 2023, 2024 and 2025 – and earned MVP honors in back-to-back state volleyball championship season in 2023 and 2024.
     She finished 14-of-27 from the field – including sinking 7-of-15 3-point goals and going 5-of-6 at the foul line -- in Thursday’s 1A finals. She also had 10 rebounds, eight assists and five steals in one of the most impressive all-around efforts of her career. 
     “I am very, very proud of this group,” Austin said of his team. “I am very proud of these five seniors. Not only is their legacy strong, they put an exclamation mark on it today. Ace did great today. Everybody pitched in and did their part, and it's a great day to be alive. I've been holding black on this for a while,” said Austin. “Ace is obviously a great player. She's been the very best player I've coached in 29 years.”
      Ace had 32 points in the semifinals and finished her 213-game career with 3,940 points, 1,382 rebounds, 1,429 assists and 863 steals. Her season scoring average was 26.5 ppg (982 points), and her career average over all 213 games was 18.5 ppg.
      Spring Garden reeled off seasons of 36-1 in 2025, 33-1 in 2024, 36-1 in 2023, 31-2 in 2022, 32-3 in 2021, and 35-2 in 2020. Spring Garden finished second in the state in 2020, lost to eventual state champion Pisgah in the Northeast Regional 2A Finals in 2021 and 2022, and won the 1A crowns in the other three years.
      Fellow senior Maggie Jarrett added 18 points with 12 coming on a 6-of-10 shooting performance behind the 3-point arc. Senior guard Kristen Lewis had six points.
      Brilliant, coached by Ryan Sanderson, got 11 points each from a trio of juniors, Brooke O’Mary, Hadlee Sanderson and Laine Johnson. Senior Macy Moore had eight points. Sanderson is proud of how far his team has come.
“This team has fought so hard, and we are so blessed to be here today,” said Sanderson. “This team does have three out of the five starters returning, and in a few months, we’ll be back at it. Hats off to Spring Garden and Coach Ricky Ausitn. They were the better team today, but I am so proud of this team right here. They have made school history this year. They represented their school and their city well.”
     The state championship games, or the 2025 State Championships began with the Spring Garden win. Brantley and R.C. Hatch were scheduled to play the Class 1A boys’ finals Thursday night.
     Championship games in Classes 2A, 3A and 4A are scheduled for Friday, and the state tourney concludes on Saturday with title games in Classes 5A, 6A and 7A.

     All championship games are being live streamed over the NFHS Network and televised live by the Alabama Public Television network with WOTM TV producing the contests. The AHSAA Radio Network is also airing live broadcasts of all championship games over its radio and internet audio network.

 

BIRMINGHAM – Mars Hill Bible’s boys’ basketball team took control in the second half and earned a 63-51 victory over Houston Academy in Tuesday’s AHSAA Class 3A semifinals at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena.
     With the game tied at 31-all, Mars Hill took control with a 15-2 run in the third quarter, thanks in part to two technical fouls whistled on Houston Academy, and pushed the lead to as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter.
     “These guys either love adversity or love about making me have a heart attack,” Mars Hill coach Jeremy Pounderssaid. “The more difficult the challenge, they more they thrive.”
     The victory sends Mars Hill (24-8) into Friday’s Class 3A championship game, with tip-off set for 2:15 p.m. Mars Hill won the 2024 Class 2A championship and moved up to Class 3A this season.
     Sam Sweatt led Mars Hill with 14 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots. Winn Crook added 13 points and nine rebounds, Tate Barrier made four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points, and Brooks Campbellscored 11 points.
|     Kadyn Mitchell led Houston Academy, coached by Ron Watson, with 24 points, 11 rebounds and six steals, andGabe Glover added 17 points.
     The game was tied at 11-all at the end of the first quarter before Mars Hill built a 27-24 halftime lead. The Panthers’ 15-2 run in the third quarter broke the game open.
     “The two technical fouls helped them,” Watson said. “The second one was one me. I was kind of backing up my player. … We talked about valuing the ball. We didn’t value the ball as much as we should have in the second half.”
     Houston Academy (19-5) had won 13 straight before Tuesday’s loss.

     Mars Hill won its first state basketball championship last season, after finishing as runner-up in 1996, 2001 and 2022, and can now make it two in a row.
    “We’re not defending anything,” Pounders said. “We haven’t won anything (yet). This is a new year.”
     Of note, Mars Hill also defeated Houston Academy 50-43 in the Class 3A football championship game at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium, which sits just a few blocks from Legacy Arena, in December 2024.
     Semifinal games in Classes 3A and 4A continue Tuesday at the 105^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships. The semifinals in Classes 6A and 5A are set for Wednesday. The 7A semifinals are Thursday, and championship games begin with Class 1A girls’ and boys’ on Thursday afternoon. Championship games in Classes 2A, 3A and 4A are scheduled for Friday, Feb. 28, and the state tourney concludes on Saturday, March 1 with title games in Classes 5A, 6A and 7A.
     All championship games and the Class 7A boys’ and girls’ semifinal games will be live streamed over the NFHS Network and televised live over the Alabama Public Television network with WOTM TV producing the contests. The semifinal games will be live streamed over the NFHS Network as well.
    The AHSAA Radio Network will also air live broadcasts of all semifinal and championship games over its radio and internet audio network.

     Tickets are available each day at the BJCC box office or through Ticketmaster.

 

 

BIRMINGHAM – For most high school basketball programs, going nearly a decade without winning a state basketball championship isn’t especially notable.
     Unless you’re the Lauderdale County High School girls’ program.
     Lauderdale County has won 13 AHSAA state girls’ basketball championships – the most in AHSAA history – but none since 2016. That could change since the Tigers (33-1) will play for state title No. 14 on Friday after defeating T.R. Miller 58-42 in Tuesday’s Class 3A state semifinal at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena.
      “A lot of people look at it like a drought,” Lauderdale County coach Carla Clemons said. “Our fans and our community expect us to be here every single year. … We’re here now. We’re going to try to win it all.”
|     Lauderdale County used a stifling defensive performance, forcing 25 turnovers, to knock off T.R. Miller (25-2), coached byLamonyn Burney. Four Lauderdale County players – Shila Marks, Armani Thomas, Ansley Shelton, and Sarah Smith – recorded at least three steals apiece.
      “We know defense wins games,” Clemons said, “and that’s what won today.”
     Lauderdale County concentrated much of its pressure on T.R. Miller point guard Meg Fountain, who was held to 2-of-10 shooting and seven points. “That was smart of them,” said Fountain.
     Marks led Lauderdale County with 23 points, making 9-of-11 shots, and added a team-best five steals. Thomas added nine points, four assists and four steals. Sarah Smith tallied six points, seven grounds and five assists.
     Jadin Curry finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead T.R. Miller, which returned to the state tournament after finishing as Class 3A runner-up last season. Lyrik Hails added eight points.
     Lauderdale County advances to play in Friday’s Class 3A girls’ championship game, set to tip off at 12:30 p.m., against the winner of Tuesday’s other semifinal game featuring Sylvania (18-14) and Saint James School (33-2).
      “This is the grittiest team we’ve had – maybe ever at Lauderdale County,” Clemons said. “They’re a team. They don’t care who does what, who scores what.”

CONWAY, Ark. (February 24, 2025) – The University of North Alabama men’s basketball team maintained its tie for first in the Atlantic Sun Conference standings on Monday, handling the Central Arkansas Bears for a 93-70 win inside the Farris Center in Conway, Ark.

 

The stars came to play in the final road game of the regular season, as junior Jacari Lane and senior Daniel Ortiz finished with 20 points apiece. Lane had 17 of his 20 points in the first half, while Ortiz went 6-13 behind the arc.

 

Senior Taye Fields was on triple double watch most of the way, finishing with 14 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. The nine assists mark a new career-high for Fields while putting him just eight away from matching his junior season total from Missouri Western State. Fields drew his fourth foul midway through the second half and did not return with the game in hand.

 

Fields, Ortiz and Lane combined to shoot 21-37 for 57 percent as a unit. Ortiz and Lane combined to go 10-20 behind the arc.

 

The other two starters heavily contributed to the win, as well. Fifth-year senior Will Soucie had 12 points and two blocks, while redshirt sophomore Corneilous Williams finished with six points, six rebounds and two blocks, making all three of his shots. Williams was also a key factor in UNA’s post success, as the Lions outscored UCA 44-24 in the paint.

 

Other key hustle stats included a 21-10 advantage in points off turnovers. The Lions were below their season average with just seven turnovers. UNA ranked second in the nation with just 9.0 turnovers per game entering tonight.

 

The Lions improve to 21-9 overall and 13-4 in ASUN play to remain in a tie with Lipscomb for first place. A win at home on Wednesday would clinch UNA at least a share of the ASUN Regular Season Championship. UCA falls to 8-22 and 4-13, but earned the 10th and final seed into the ASUN tournament despite the loss.

 

HOW IT HAPPENED

 

First Half: Jacari Lane had 17 first half points to rise above his season average in the first 20 minutes, leading the Lions to a 48-35 lead at the break. Taye Fields began his triple-double bid early with eight points, eight rebounds and six assists in the half. The Bears were the early aggressors, but UNA pulled to an 11-9 lead and proceeded on an 11-0 run to make it 22-9. UNA finished the first half shooting 19-36 for 53 percent. The Bears also shot 50 percent, but were just 12-24 with 14 less attempts.

 

Second Half: The Lions cruised the rest of the way, leading by as many as 27 with 6:41 remaining and winning by 23. The Lions went 19-29 from the field in the second half to finish with a remarkable 65 percent shooting clip while holding UCA to just 13-32 for 41 percent. The Lions had 21 points off the bench after sitting the starting five before the final media timeout. Donte Bacchus led this group with nine points.

 

COMING UP NEXT

 

The Lions will close the regular season at home on Wednesday against Queens. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. inside CB&S Bank Arena. Prior to tipoff, the Lions will honor its seniors with a special ceremony.

 

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

 

 

Huntsville, Ala. (Feb. 24, 2025) - Huntsville City Football Club unveiled today its mascot, Marshall the Cosmic GOAT, and its 2025 primary “Rocket City Roots Kit” during an event at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. The mascot is inspired by the Capricorn constellation, while the new primary kit celebrates Huntsville’s history and the legacy the city has in the region.

 

“Marshall the Cosmic GOAT is an exciting addition to the Huntsville City FC family,” said Chad Emerson, Managing Director of Business Operations. “Donning our new ‘Rocket City Roots Kit,’ our new mascot is set to add a new layer of enthusiasm, intrigue, and entertainment at Wicks Family Field this season and in the years to come.”

 

Capricornus Cosmicus, the Horned Goat of the Cosmos, was only a constellation until a clerical error from a government memo challenging scientists to “go to space” led the International Space and Aeronautics Group to put a GOAT in space. A simple farm goat from Huntsville went through vigorous training to withstand the final frontier. Put in the cold void by scientists in the middle of the race for space, Marshall the Cosmic GOAT embraced his new life and began grazing the stars.

 

A mysterious creature that borders on the mythical, Marshall has seen the farthest parts of the galaxy (where only the Greatest of All Time can survive!) His adventures across the cosmos have been exciting, but he figured it was time to go home. He climbed aboard his rocket, ready for the rural Alabama countryside he called home so many years ago. Upon his return, his rocket landed at Wicks Family Field instead of his home pasture! He worked out a deal with the groundskeepers, allowing him to munch on the grass in place of a lawnmower while he gets to rest his head at his new home.

 

The one thing his rocket picked up in space was soccer, so he spends every second he is not grazing cheering on the Boys in Blue. Fans will be able to find Marshall the Cosmic GOAT at every HCFC home match, kicking it around Huntsville, or keeping the grass of Wicks Family Field at perfect length.

 

Marshall made his debut by donning the “Rocket City Root Kit,” which embodies the essence of what makes Huntsville a truly special place. The kit is a tribute to the city’s innovation and community. Huntsville is a melting pot of dreams, ideas, and aspirations that is constantly growing and developing, much like the Boys in Blue. The club is made up of players from around the country and world, but they are united through the match to play for HCFC.

 

The front features a custom jock tag featuring a rocket with deep tree roots, symbolizing how the city’s ambitions have always been grounded in its rich heritage. The top neck features the word “Twickenham,” a nod to Huntsville’s first official name and serving as a reminder to the city’s transformation from historic beginnings to a hub of progress and exploration.

 

The club’s official banking partner, Renasant Bank, returns for a third season as the team’s official front of jersey sponsor, with its wordmark proudly displayed across the chest. 

 

The “Rocket City Roots Kit”, as well as merchandise featuring Marshall the Cosmic GOAT, will soon be available for sale online at HuntsvilleCityFCShop.com, and will be available for purchase at the team store at Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium starting Friday, March 28 at 5 p.m. CT at the team’s home opener against Philadelphia Union II. 

 

BIRMINGHAM – Spring Garden High School continued its run toward a third straight Class 1A girls’ basketball title, earning an 81-34 victory over R.C. Hatch in Monday’s semifinals at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena.
     Ace Austin, the reigning Miss Basketball who has signed with the University of Alabama, filled the stat sheet with 32 points, 11 assists, 11 rebounds and five steals. She committed one turnover.
     “It’s always fun to win down here,” said Spring Garden coach Ricky Austin, Ace’s father. “We’ve been here a few times, but we’re not overlooking this moment.”
     Ace Austin said she was happier about the 11 assists than her 32 points. “That just shows what great teammates I have that can make shots,” Ace said. The victory marked the 202^nd game she has played in during her six-Year varsity career. Spring Garden has compiled a 202-10 record with her in the lineup – a winning percentage of 95.3%. Her feat is an all-time state record for girls’ and boys’ basketball.
    Spring Garden, which won the last two Class 1A titles and has won five since 2016, advances to Thursday’s championship game against Brilliant, which earned a 54-51 overtime victory over McIntosh earlier Monday. Tip-off for Thursday’s championship game is set for 4 p.m.
     Olivia Law added 19 points for the Panthers (35-1), and Maggie Jarrett added 16 points, six rebounds and six assists. 
     Spring Garden led 32-8 at the end of the first quarter and 51-15 at halftime.
    R.C. Hatch (25-4), coached by Zannetta Whitt, was chasing its first girls’ basketball state title since 2000. Breoynce Myers led R.C. Hatch with 12 points, followed by Damerria Bates with 10 points and Jakobia Moss with eight points.
     “We just couldn’t get in the flow,” Whitt said. “Our shots weren’t falling.”

 

BIRMINGHAM – Decatur Heritage girls’ basketball coach Johnny Jones described his basic philosophy about his sport.
    “Offense won’t win championships,” said Jones. “You need defense to win. A lot of players don't want to focus on defense. We are going to guard you and be physical.”
    The Eagles (28-7) forced 22 turnovers, had 14 steals, and won the rebounding war 44-37  Monday afternoon as Decatur Heritage handed Abbeville (24-2) just its second loss of the season winning 65-34 to advance to Friday’s Class 2A state championship game. The Eagles will play the winner of Monday night’s other semifinal game featuring Pisgah and Highland Home Friday morning at the BJCC Legacy Arena at 9 a.m. in the finals.
    Genie McGhee sparked the Eagles with 13 points, 13 rebounds, three blocked shots, seven steals and four assists. Leslie Hames had 19 points, Aaliyah Troup chipped in 14 points and had nine rebounds, and Bri Tyson had 10 points.
    Abbeville, coached by Darrell Brooks, was led by Gabrielle Brown, who had 13 points and seven rebounds. Ni’Diqua Hardamon had eight points and seven rebounds.
    Brooks, who has compiled a 454-140 record as girls’ basketball coach at his alma mater for the past 23 years,  said Decatur Heritage’s physicality took its toll.
“I want to say my young ladies played with a lot of heart and hustle,” Brooks said. “We played against a good basketball team, scrappy. I want to give them credit for the way they played and hustled. We didn't quite accomplish our goals but were happy with what we made.”
 

 

BIRMINGHAM – Patience and poise by Providence Christian’s defense were chief reasons why the Eagles from Dothan pulled our a very difficult 57-56 win over Decatur Heritage in the 105^th AHSAA State Basketball Championships Class 2A boys’ semifinals Monday night at the BJCC Legacy Arena.
     PCA (29-2), coached by Mark Wright, stopped the Eagles (21-9) from Decatur in the final 18 seconds – after Pearce Boone put his team ahead for good with a bucket in the paint.
     Decatur Heritage, coached by Jason Marshall, went inside with three good shots in the paint – the final one being rejected by a block as the buzzer sounded.
    Marshall’s team had 30 points in the paint for the night and cleared 11 offensive rebounds among their 38 for the game. Providence Christian had just 27 total rebounds but offset that deficit with 13 steals and forcing 15 turnovers.
    “We knew it was going to be a battle”, a tremendous competitive basketball game, Just stayed the course (in regard to 3-point defense), said Wright. “We tried to run them off the 3-point line more in the second half.”
     Decatur Heritage led 25-21 at the half, but Providence Christian turned things around in the third period outscoring DCA 20-9. Marshall’s Eagles, which had nine 3-point goals on the night, outscored PCA 22-16 in the fourth period but couldn’t get the final bucket to fall.
     Logan Hagler had 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists for Providence. Pearce and Cas Boone had 13 points each with Pearce also pulling down eight rebounds and making four steals.
     Haden Page drilled 6-of-10 shots from the 3-point arc and finished with 26 points to pace DCA. Karter Jeffries added nine points, Jordan Harris had eight, and Brady Wilson had six points, six assists and a team-high 10 rebounds.
     Decatur Heritage’s Marshall said they knew Providence Christian was going to be a challenge.
    “These guys prepared very hard, and our defense did a good job,” he said. “We just came up a little bit short. They have multiple different presses which got us out of our rhythm. Hayden shot it well to keep us in the game”
     Providence Christian moves into Friday morning’s Class 2A state finals at Legacy Area at 10:45 a.m. The Eagles will meet the winner of the Tuscaloosa Academy-Section game set to be played in the final game Monday night.

 

 BIRMINGHAM  – Pisgah High School’s magic number is now ‘11’.
The Lady Eagles of Coach Carey Ellison forced 28 Highland Home turnovers Monday night to win the Class 2A girls’ semifinal game 64-31 at the AHSAA’s 105^th State Basketball championships being held at the BJCC Legacy Arena this week.
      Pisgah advances to the Class 2A girls’ championship game Friday morning at 9 a.m., with 10 state championship trophies already in the school’s trophy case.
     Pisgah (21-8) will face Decatur Heritage (28-7) in the finals, which will be produced by WOTM TV, live video streamed over the NFHS Network, and televised live over the Alabama Public Television Network.
      Pisgah scored almost half their points (30) off of Flying Squadron turnovers.  Paisley Patalas had 17 points and three steals, Madeline Flammia had five steals, seven assists and nine points, and Campbell Barron totaled 15 points, eight boards and three steals. Ella Samples also had nine points.
     Highland Home (23-9), coached by GeVonne Cooper, got a strong performance from Janya Foster. She had 16 points. Anicah Rodgers added nine points and nine rebounds, and Annsley Garrard cleared six rebounds.
     Pisgah’s past state championships came in 1981, 1982, 1987, 2003, 2005, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 – the last five coming in a row.

BIRMINGHAM – Tuscaloosa Academy saw a 10-point halftime lead evaporate in the third period Monday night when Section outscored the Knights 28-16 to take a two-point lead into the finals.
     Tuscaloosa Academy, roared back in the fourth period, however, scoring the last 18 points of the game to post a 72-56 win as the 105^th AHSAA Basketball Championships concluded day one at the BJCC Legacy Arena.
     The Knights (21-1), coached by Luke Hutcheson, were deadlocked at 53-53 with Section (25-7), coached by Derek Wynn, early in the fourth quarter. Tuscaloosa Academy 6-foot-5 senior Danilo Stojakovic finished strong down the stretch to finish with a game-high 27 points on offense, clear 10 rebounds and blocked five shots on defense.
     Matthew Atkins added 15 points, and Ellis Hamiter had 13.
     Section was led by 6-2 junior guard Jackson Cooper, who had 20 points and five rebounds. Junior guard Jackson LeRoy chipped in 15 points, seven rebounds, and four steals. Sam Swinford, also a junior, had 12 points and six rebounds. 
     Tuscaloosa Academy played in the AHSAA Class 2A state football championship last December with many of the same players now advancing to the Class 2A state boys’ finals Friday at 10:45 a.m., to face Providence Christian (29-20. The Knights are seeking their first AHSAA state title.
     Section has won three state championships – the first one coming in 1969 followed by state crowns in 2003 and 2022.
     The 2025 State Championships will tip off Day 2 with the Class 3A girls’ and boys’ semifinals featuring Lauderdale County (33-1) vs. T.R. Miller (25-1) in the girls’ opener. Class 4A girls’ and boys’ semifinals will be played in the second session Tuesday.
     All games are being live streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based platform and the AHSAA TV Network with WOTM TV producing the contests.  The Alabama Public Television Network will telecast all championship games and the four Class 7A semifinal games beginning Thursday. The AHSAA Radio Network is also broadcasting all 42 games this week over its radio and  internet network.