MA sweeps into regionals; Bob Jones girls win title
HUNTSVILLE – Madison Academy’s boys basketball team is making its third straight trip to regional play after eliminating New Hope 54-41 Saturday in a Northeast sub-regional win at home.
The Mustangs led at each quarter break 16-10, 26-20 and 39-29.
Senior Shane Duke scored 20 points, including 14 in the second half, senior JR Howard added 10 for the Mustangs.
Dawson Cambron scored 19 points and Jaehden Johnson added 14 for the Indians (2212).
But, unlike the past two seasons, the Mustangs advanced to the 4A regionals as opposed to the 5A version they played in during 2022-23 and 2023-24. However, their region is loaded with three of the four teams in the top five of the season’s final poll by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.
Madison Academy (23-8), ranked No. 4, takes on Hokes Bluff (24-7) on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in the Northeast Regional at Jacksonville State. The opposite side of the bracket has No. 5 Alexandria (24-4) facing No. 2 Plainview (27-6) at 10 a.m.
The regional final is at 2:15 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 19.
Regional winners meet in the State Championships Feb. 24-Mar. 1 at the Birmingham- Jefferson Civic Center’s Legacy Arena.
Madison Academy 62, North Jackson 45 (G):
Friday in Huntsville, the second-ranked Lady Mustangs won a Class 4A Northeast Regional sub-regional and earned a berth in the regional round after missing last season, a tournament that once seemed to be a program birthright. That was while Madison Academy was playing in the second of two years as a 5A member. The Lady Mustangs made 13 straight regional appearances from 2009-21 beginning in 3A (2009-’16) and continuing into 4A (’17, ’18), 5A (’19, ’20) and 6A (’21).
Madison Academy (302), which won state titles in ’11 (3A) and ’17-’18 (4A), takes on Alexandria (12-17) on Thursday in the Northeast Regional at Jacksonville State. On the opposite side of the bracket, Cherokee County (24-3) plays No. 6 Plainview (28-6) at 9 a.m.
The date and time for the final is TBD.
CLASS 6A Florence 61, James Clemens 53 (B):
Friday in Decatur, the Falcons won the 7A, Area 8 championship. The area title was the team’s second overall and first since 2019.
James Clemens (16-12) faces No. 9 Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (23-7) at 10:30 a.m., while Florence (23-7) plays Tuscaloosa County (17-11) at 1:30 p.m. in the Northwest Regional at Wallace State-Hanceville.
The regional final is at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18.
Bob Jones 64, Florence 26 (G):
Saturday in Madison, the Lady Patriots won the 7A, Area 8 championship.
Bob Jones (20-8), ranked No. 4, plays Thompson (11-14) in the Northwest Regional at 9 a.m., while Florence (17-13) takes on top-ranked Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (32-2) at noon.
The date and time for the regional final is TBD.
Albertville 42, Sparkman 40 (G):
Friday in Albertville, junior guard Lani Smallwood drove the length of the court and sank a jump shot as time ran out as the eighth-ranked Lady Aggies edged the Lady Senators in the 7A, Area 7 final.
Junior guard Hannah Horton scored 17 points for the Lady Senators.
Sparkman (13-14) plays third-ranked Hoover (29-4) at 3 p.m., while Albertville (28-3), ranked No. 9, takes on No. 2 Vestavia Hills (27-3) at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17., in the Northeast Regional at Jacksonville State.
The date and time for the final is TBD.
Both teams advance to sub-regional play Friday at 6 p.m. Madison Academy (22-4) takes on Area 16 runner-up North Jackson (13-12) at home, while Westminster (11-16) visits Plainview (24-5).
*Team records are from Maxpreps.com.
* Pairings, dates and times are from ahsaa.com.
