Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Chelsea's Haley Trotter (23) protects the ball during the Homewood vs. Chelsea basketball game at Homewood High School on Nov. 19, 2024.
The high school basketball playoff run is set to begin in February.
Boys and girls varsity squads from Briarwood, Chelsea, Oak Mountain and Spain Park are among the teams looking to make a magical run.
As of press time, teams were in the midst of regular season area play.
Making that run first requires advancing past the area tournament. Chelsea and Spain Park are each in Class 6A, Area 8, along with Pelham and Helena. Briarwood competes in Class 5A, Area 8, alongside Central-Clay County, Shelby County and Sylacauga. Oak Mountain is in Class 7A, Area 6, pitted against Hewitt-Trussville, Hoover and Vestavia Hills.
Those area tournaments will be played between Jan. 30 and Feb. 8, with two teams from each area moving on to the next round.
For Briarwood, Chelsea and Spain Park’s boys and girls, the next round is the sub-regional round. The winners of the area tournaments host a sub-regional game, while the runners-up hit the road for their sub-regional.
Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Oak Mountain's Blake Benson (13) shoots the ball at the Hoover vs. Oak Mountain Basketball game at Hoover High School on Jan. 9, 2025.
Oak Mountain’s boys and girls play in 7A, which has half the teams of the other classes, so the Eagles would advance straight to the regional tournament if they are one of the top two.
Should any of the Briarwood, Chelsea or Spain Park teams win in the sub-regional, the regional tournament awaits. Any of them that advance will play in the Central Regional in Montgomery. Oak Mountain would head to Jacksonville State University for the Northeast Regional. The regional tournaments are scheduled for Feb. 11-20.
Two wins are required at the regional tournament to qualify for the state final four, held at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena from Feb. 24 to March 1.
Last season, Briarwood’s girls made it to the sub-regional round. Chelsea’s girls reached the regional final, while the boys made it to regionals for the first time in eight years. Oak Mountain’s boys also advanced to the regional tournament.
