Area titles in hand, BJHS basketball teams in action Friday

BY LINDSAY VAUGHT

Don’t expect any celebrations, but both Bob Jones basketball teams have officially wrapped up first place in class 6A Area 15.

They will now try to go undefeated tonight on the road at Florence. They are also on the road at Decatur next Monday night to finish up area play.

The Bob Jones boy’s team won a non-area game 58-46 Saturday night at Buckhorn to stay undefeated at 20-0. The Patriots are 4-0 in area play, Austin is next at 3-3, Decatur is 1-3 and Florence is 0-4 in area play.

The Bob Jones girl’s team is also 4-0 in area play and also has secured the top seed in the area tournament. Florence and Decatur are both 0-3 in Area 15 while fourth-ranked Austin has clinched the second seed.

First place in the area means Bob Jones will host the area tournaments at their gym on February 9-13. The girl’s games will be on Thursday-Saturday and the boys will play Friday- Monday. From there the top finishers will host a sub-regional game and the winners will move on to the regional tournament. For Bob Jones that would be the Northwest Regional at Wallace-State Hanceville. Last year the Patriots were upset there by Hillcrest Tuscaloosa 49-47.

The Bob Jones boy’s team is still ranked #1 in the state but Gadsden City is nipping on their heels at #2 and is 19-1. The two teams would not meet until the Super 6 state tournament in Birmingham the first weekend of March.

Likewise, the Bob Jones girl’s are also #1 in the state followed closely by Hoover. Hoover’s regional tournament is at Jacksonville State University so Bob Jones and Hoover would not meet until the state tournament in Birmingham.