Payton Youngblood named to All-State team

Following one of Oak Mountain High School's most successful basketball seasons in recent memories, Payton Youngblood was named to the Alabama Sportswriters Association All-State third team in the Class 7A Boys division.

Youngblood is just the second player in Eagle history to be named to All-State squad, and averaged 11.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in his senior season while shooting 50.6% from the field.

"Payton was one of the best players in the Birmingham metro area, which is littered with Division I players," Oak Mountain head coach Chris Love said. "We played against a lot of them and he more than held his own."

Along with the tangible numbers, Youngblood's heart and value to his team can be shown through the amount of charges he took, one of the most selfless acts a player can participate in on the basketball court. He led the Eagles in charges over the course of the season.

"He is one of the toughest, most hard-nosed competitors I've ever coached," Love said. "This is what truly made him special. He never backed down and hated to lose."

Youngblood has not determined his future college home yet, but Love said he is still being actively recruited by junior colleges and other schools.