BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Five teams from the Tennessee Valley had an opportunity to win a state championship on Friday at the BJCC in Birmingham.
Class 5A Girls’ Championship: Guntersville (30-5) 40, Lee (26-7) 37
Guntersville High School guard Lainie Phillips had two goals on the final possession of Saturday’s AHSAA 100th State Basketball Championships Class 5A girls championship game: Don’t foul and don’t give up a 3-pointer.
Check. And check. She added a highlight, too. Phillips blocked Jada Colley’s 3-point attempt in the final seconds, preserving the Tigers’ 40-37 victory over Lee-Huntsville as the final day of the state tourney got underway at the BJCC Legacy Arena. “I knew I had the shooter,” said Phillips, who scored four points. “I saw she was a left-hander, so I wanted to make her go right. I just knew I couldn’t give up a 3-pointer. If she went by me for a two-pointer, that was fine.” Guntersville (30-5), coached by Kenny Hill, ended the season on an 18-game winning streak. The Wildcats finished as 4A state runner-up in 2003 and 2000. Guntersville led from start-to-finish, but it was not settled until the final second ticked off the clock. Lee rallied in the fourth quarter and cut the deficit to one, at 38-37, on Londan Harris’ layup with 16.3 seconds go to. Guntersville’s Olivia Vandergriff made two free throws with 11.1 seconds remaining to make it 40-37, followed by a timeout.
Colley took the inbounds pass and dribbled into the frontcourt from left to right with Phillips guarding. When Colley pulled up for a 3-pointer near the right wing, Phillips leaped into the air and blocked the shot.
Brylee Hill grabbed the rebound and Guntersville ran out the final few seconds to secure its first girls’ basketball state championship in school history. “I knew as soon as the ball hit my hand that we were going to win the game and win the state championship,” Phillips said. “It was a great feeling.”
Vandergriff was selected the Class 5A State Tourney MVP finishing with 15 points and deftly handling Lee’s full-court pressure while playing all 32 minutes. Tazi Harris added 13 points and 17 rebounds.
Colley led Lee with 10 points, while Je’Niyah Silas had nine points before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Limaya Batimba added seven points and 15 rebounds. The Generals (26-7) fell one victory shy of winning its first girls’ state championship, thanks to Phillips’ clutch defensive play.
“We were just playing the percentages,” Hill said. “If we had a hand in their face it was going to be tough. If they make it, OK. Then, we’ll go to overtime.”
Hill also noted Guntersville doesn’t have a senior on its roster.
Class 5A Boys’ Championship Lee-Huntsville (25-6) 69, Ramsay (25-10) 68
Lee-Huntsville High School junior Deavious Woods didn’t hesitate.
With less than 10 seconds to go in the Class 5A boys’ state championship game at the BJCC Legacy Arena and the Generals trailing by one, Woods took a pass from senior guard Dexter Smith near the right wing and quickly darted into the lane. He banked in an acrobatic, left-handed floater with 2.6 seconds remaining to lift Lee to a 69-68 victory over Ramsay to claim the school’s second straight Class 5A state crown Saturday as the AHSAA 100th State Basketball Championships continued its final day. Both championship game wins came against the Rams.
“I said to myself, ‘I want the ball. I’m hungry for the ball,” Woods said. “I attacked, got the bucket.”
What did Lee coach Greg Brown see, knowing he’d drawn up a final play for senior Jacari Lane?
“When “D” got it, he knew time was short,” Brown said. “He took it and got it in the rim. I’m happy he did.”
Lee (25-6) won its second straight state title and third since 2010, all with Brown as head coach. Ramsay was trying to win its first state title since 2010, having finished runner-up in 2014, 2015 and 2021.
Woods finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and four steals to win the Class 5A state tournament MVP award. Dexter Smith added 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists, and Lane added 12 points, three assists and three steals. Kerrington Kiel led Ramsay (25-10) with 16 points, all in the first half after he picked up two technical fouls and was ejected just before halftime. P.J. Davis scored 13 points, including back-to-back buckets in the final minute to turn a 67-64 deficit into a 68-67 lead with 13.1 seconds to go.
Lee called timeout after Davis’ steal-and-score for the late lead, and Woods followed with the game-winner.
“The kid made a crazy left-handed shot,” Johnson said. “Credit to him.”
Q.B. Reese scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds for Ramsay, while Zedrick Powell had 11 points. Jalen Jones dished out six assists.
“It means a whole lot to get back here with only three returning players (from last year’s championship team),” Brown said. “I’m at a loss for words for the job they did this year.”
Class 6A Girls' Championship: Hazel Green 55, Oxford 35