Bob Jones returns home Friday night with a split

(l to r) Josh Mitchell, Tanner Finley, and Jonathon Moss take on Sparkman Friday night
(RECORD PHOTO/LINDSAY VAUGHT)

MADISON- After two road games to start Class 6A, Area 15 play, Bob Jones returns to their home court Friday night to take on Sparkman. The boy’s team is coming off a 60-49 win over Buckhorn Tuesday night after dropping a close 56-53 game to Hazel Green last Friday night.

“A road area win, anytime you win a road area game it’s big,” Bob Jones Basketball Coach Graham Aderholt said of the Buckhorn win. “We’ve got a big one coming up Friday night with Sparkman. Our team is full of confidence and ready to play for this area home opener.”

Aderholt said that at Buckhorn, Bob Jones “had a lot of guys step up for us. Josh (Mitchell) played well for us, he had 20 points and Dalton came up big and had 16. Our team is playing solid right now and it’s good to see that consistency through the lineup right now.”

With the addition of the football players to the roster, Aderholt is going nine deep in the playing rotation.

Against Hazel Green, Tanner Finley led Bob Jones with 17 points. Finley has been especially effective from behind the arc.

Against Hazel Green, Bob Jones led by six early in the fourth quarter but Lewis Sullivan got hot and led a big comeback.

“We led the whole game and had a couple bad decisions at the end and Lewis took over.”

A close three point loss to Decatur is the only other loss Bob Jones (7-2, 1-1) has had.

Sparkman lost all five starters from last year’s team, four signed to play in college.

“They have a very good young player in Jamal Johnson,” Aderholt said. “They are very good despite losing all the players from last year they reloaded with a bunch of guards. They are quick and athletic just like the normal Sparkman and are very well coached so it will be a good matchup.”

The Bob Jones girls also are coming off a win over Buckhorn . The girls dropped their first game of the season at Hazel Green and will be facing a Sparkman team expected to contend for a state title. Two players have already inked college scholarships for the Senators.

Alexis Jennings signed with Kentucky and Maiya Rumph has signed with North Florida.