Bob Jones mounts comeback to beat Huntsville 59-56

Deondre Douglas (4) looks to pass the ball against Huntsville in Class 7A basketball action Jan. 3. (Record Photo/Nick Sellers)

By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer

HUNTSVILLE – The Bob Jones Patriots again found a way to win at Huntsville High, days after squeaking out single-digit victories over Region foes Buckhorn and Sparkman in the Huntsville Times Classic tournament after Christmas.

This time it was against the host Huntsville Panthers, a team the Patriots lost to 64-57 in December at Bob Jones’ gym. And, this time, the Patriots could not be kept down.

Huntsville kept Bob Jones scoreless for the first five minutes and had a 12-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Panthers had two leads of nine points in the second period – 23-14 and 25-16 – but allowed some ground, leading Bob Jones 28-24 at halftime.

“I don’t know what our mindset was coming into this game,” Bob Jones head coach Graham Aderholt said. “Coming off the Huntsville Times, {Classic on Dec. 26-29], it was a game before an Area game, that’s just an excuse. Huntsville’s a very good team. They can beat anybody on any night.”

The Panthers widened their lead to 41-28 in the third period, but Bob Jones clipped it to 42-35 before Huntsville hit a three-pointer as time expired in the third period to bring a 45-35 lead into the fourth period.

The fourth period belonged to the Patriots, though, as a three-pointer by Ryan Scruggs tied the game at 55-55 with 1:03 to go in the game.

Dalton Barkley sank two free throws to give Bob Jones a 57-56 lead with 13 seconds left, and Ryan Dupree made two more before the clock struck zero.

“Our guys didn’t quit,” Aderholt said. “We increased the pressure defensively, seemed to work for us and we kind of stuck with that. Got us right back into it and our guys just gutted it out at the end.”

Barkley led all players with 23 points. Brad Anderson and Cameron Phillips both had two steals for the Patriots.