The Reset: Basketball teams compete in holiday tournaments

Over the course of the year, 280 Living will keep you up to date on the various local high school athletic teams. For previous weekly updates, click here.

BASKETBALL

Briarwood

The Briarwood basketball teams returned to action following Christmas. The Lady Lions played three games over two days at the Winfield Christmas Classic Dec. 26-27. The first day, Briarwood fell to Good Hope 42-24. On the second day, the Lady Lions lost to Southside-Gadsden 37-29 before rebounding to beat Red Bay 54-36 a few hours later. In the victory, Maddie Vaughn led the way with 17 points and Emily Scott chipped in 13 points. 

The boys team traveled to Madison, Miss., to take part in the St. Joe’s Christmas Tournament. On Dec. 27, the Lions knocked off St. Stanislaus 41-27 with a balanced scoring effort. Ryan Donohoo led the team with 12 points, with Chance Beard and Hayden Lamey each adding 10 points. The following day, Briarwood notched a 59-28 victory over St. Joe’s. Lamey broke out for 26 points, with Beard adding 17.

Briarwood earned a sweep over Vincent last Friday evening. The Lady Lions rolled to a 42-25 victory, with Vaughn leading the way with 11 points. Kate Saunders also scored 10 points in the win. The boys knocked off Vincent 63-48 behind Donohoo’s school-record seven 3-pointers. He scored 21 points to lead the way, with Lamey adding 15 and Beard scoring 12 as well.

The Lions split with Trinity Presbyterian in Montgomery on Saturday. The Lady Lions fell 36-21 before the boys picked up a 58-38 victory, as Beard went for 17 points and Lamey added 12.

The Briarwood boys are now 12-2 overall and the girls are 9-4 on the year. This week, the Lions begin Class 5A, Area 8 play at home against Ramsay on Tuesday and at John Carroll on Friday.

Chelsea

The Chelsea boys basketball team returned to action after the calendar turned to 2020, as the Hornets traveled to UMS-Wright for the William A.L. Mitchell Memorial Tournament. Last Thursday, Chelsea began the tournament with a 49-35 win over Mobile Christian. In the game, Andrew Messier registered 11 points and nine rebounds to lead the team. Caleb Moore and Jacob Tierney each scored eight as well.

On Friday, Chelsea fell to Spanish Fort 52-49. Moore led the team with 21 points, while Tierney chipped in 10 points and Bryant Royster added eight. Chelsea capped off the tournament on Saturday with a 64-45 win over Ocean Springs. Moore had another big game with 23 points, as Tierney notched 14 points and Alex Mock added 12 off the bench. 

The Chelsea boys are now 9-11 on the season. This week, the girls return to action as well, with Class 6A, Area 8 play set to begin. The Hornets host Pelham on Tuesday and travel to Calera on Thursday.

Oak Mountain

The Oak Mountain basketball teams played in post-Christmas tournaments, with the boys playing in Homewood’s Metro Tournament and the girls hosting the Lady Eagles Holiday Invitational.

The boys lost the opening game in the tournament but rebounded to win the final two. On Dec. 28, the Eagles fell to Hartselle 55-52. Wilder Evers led the way for the Eagles with 20 points and six rebounds. Zane Nelson added 12 points and Will Shaver went for 11 points and eight rebounds. Last Monday, they picked up a 61-52 win over Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa. Evan Smith registered 18 points and five assists, Shaver nearly reached a double-double with 13 points, nine rebounds and four blocks, and Nelson added 13 points. On Tuesday, the Eagles beat Woodlawn 44-37, as Nelson scored 14, Evers scored 13 and Colin Patrick had seven points.

The girls team won two of three in their own tournament. The Lady Eagles opened up on Dec. 27 with a 56-50 overtime victory over Northridge. Abi Brown scored 19 points in the victory, with Taniyah Smith registering a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds and Charity Shaw adding 10 points. The following day, Pelham knocked off Oak Mountain 54-41, as Tamia Nelson (12 points, 13 rebounds) and Emma McKenney (13 points, 10 rebounds) each notched double-doubles for Pelham. Last Monday, Oak Mountain finished the tournament with a 59-46 win over Helena. Brown dropped 26 points in the contest, with Smith scoring 12 and Julia Tucker adding 10 points. 

Clay-Chalkville and Oak Mountain squared off on Friday evening, with the teams splitting the boys and girls games. Clay’s girls won 48-41 behind a balanced scoring effort. Cheyenne Pearson led the team with 11 points, while Aukeivah Tellis and Tamyia Muse each added nine points. Brown led all scorers with 25 points for Oak Mountain and Kathleen Matuszak scored eight points.

In the boys contest, Oak Mountain cruised to a 65-37 victory. Nelson led all scorers with 18 points, with Noah Young scoring 13 points and Shaver adding 12. Evers also scored 11 points. Donovan Shangase led Clay-Chalkville with 12 points.

The Oak Mountain boys are now 12-7 overall and the girls are 5-13 on the year. This week, the Eagles begin Class 7A, Area 5 play with a trip to Hoover on Tuesday and a home date with Tuscaloosa County on Friday. The boys host North Gwinnett (GA) on Saturday.

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

The Chelsea indoor track and field team competed in the Ice Breaker Invitational last Saturday at the Birmingham CrossPlex. Teanna Cason finished fourth in 3,200-meter run and sixth in the 1,600. For the boys, Andrew Fielding (third), AJ Freer (fifth) and Mason Mosko (eighth) all finished in the top eight of the 400-meter dash. Oak Mountain was there as well, with Evie Bell finishing third in both the 1,600 and 3,200 runs. For the boys, Aaron Brooks finished second in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.03 seconds. Brooks was also 10th in the 400, while Michael Marvin was 11th in the 800. The boys 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams crossed the finish line first as well.

WRESTLING

The Chelsea wrestling team finished eighth in the Oxford Invitational on Dec. 28. Last Thursday they fell in a tri-match, losing to Evangel Christian (LA) 59-18 and to Fultondale 36-24.

Oak Mountain finished fourth in the Heart of Dixie Classic at Vestavia Hills Dec. 27-28. Last Saturday, the Eagles placed sixth in the Scott Rohrer Hoover Invitational.

— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.