Senators showed a lot of potential against No. 3 Huntsville

HARVEST – An ensconced coach with a veteran bench from Huntsville High School came calling Friday night on an upstart Sparkman team under a new coaching staff for the 202425 season.

The outcome wasn’t unexpected – a 20-point Panthers victory in a Class 7A, Area 7 clash.

But the 80-60 final score, which at one point in the third quarter had swelled to 31, was nothing to be ashamed of for the host Senators. Huntsville is ranked No. 3 in 7A by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

“Well-oiled machine,’’ firstyear Sparkman head coach Obadiah Threadgill said of his opponent, which has five seniors who have signed scholarships. “We knew what they were gonna come in with. It’s one thing to try to build a game plan against their personnel, but that personnel mixed with size inside and their ability to shoot the ball from so many spots, it puts a lot of pressure on you. You almost have to be either as athletic or big or seasoned as them or you kind of have to be able to score as fast as them.

“When we’ve been successful this year, we’ve been able to slow people’s offense down. We hadn’t always been able to keep it up offensively, right. So, you know, basketball is about match ups. That’s a tough matchup right now. They’ve got eight seniors, we’ve got two.’’

Huntsville led 21-11, 34-15 and 52-25 at the quarter breaks.

Brayden Rivers had 10 points, 17 rebounds and five assists to pace Huntsville. Eli Stapler had 16 points, JD Gossett 13 and Simon Walker 10.

Freshman Landon Howard sank three 3-pointers to lead Sparkman with nine points.

“I’m proud of our guys, man,’’ Threadgill said. “Our guys came out and fought. They knew we were down big. We made the score look a little more respectable at the end, but we’ve got things to clean up. But again, this is my first year. This is their first year learning a new system, hearing a new voice, you know, a few different concepts that we gotta get better at. We don’t have the crispness in our offense they have. So, there’s growing pains.’’

Huntsville (23-1, 3-0 area) can clinch homecourt for the area tournament with a win over Albertville Tuesday.

Sparkman (8-17, 1-3) plays at Buckhorn on Wednesday, then finishes its regular season schedule with area games at home with Albertville (1/24) and at Huntsville (1-28).

“That’s a team of grown men,’’ Threadgill said of the latter, “grown successful men.’’

Huntsville 43, Sparkman 39 (G):

Things looked promising for the Lady Senators when they took an 11-point lead early in the third quarter, but the Lady Panthers charged back in an intense, physical battle to keep pace behind Albertville for the 7A, Area 7 lead.

Both teams came in one game behind the Lady Aggies, but both Sparkman and Huntsville have a game left with the former.

“We’re fighting for second now,” Lady Senators first-year coach Emily Flanigan said.

Flanigan, like her Sparkman boys counterpart, inherited an inexperienced roster with only juniors Khloe Bradley and Hannah Horton returning with varsity experience.

“I’m proud of the girls,” Flanigan said. “We’re working hard, we’re trying figure things out together at this point.’’

Huntsville led 8-7 at the end of the first quarter, before Sparkman surged ahead 27-17 at halftime and held onto a 34-32 edge entering the fourth quarter.

Huntsville eventually went ahead for good on a driving layup by Hannah Gardner to make it 36-34.

Abby Johnson scored 20 points and Eleanor Shea 11 for Huntsville (13-12, 3-1), which is at Albertville on Tuesday.

Horton’s eight points led Sparkman (12-11, 2-2), which plays at Buckhorn on Wednesday, then finishes the regular season with area games at home against Albertville (1/24) and at Huntsville (1/28).