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- Updated: December 29, 2023
Central-Clay’s boys repeat as Heflin Holiday Hoops Classic champions, and Vols’ girls bring home the champion’s trophy for the first time
Heflin Holiday Hoops Classic
WEDNESDAY
Girls
Central-Clay 41, Wadley 37
Vincent 40, Ranburne 39
Randolph County 43, Ohatchee 41
Cleburne County 65, Weaver 46
Boys
Central-Clay 71, Ranburne 38
Faith Christian 69, Vincent 60
Randolph County 59, Ohatchee 46
Weaver 63, Cleburne County 51
THURSDAY
Girls
Ranburne 45, Wadley 37
Ohatchee 34, Weaver 26
Central-Clay 45, Vincent 16
Randolph County 39, Cleburne County 34, 2OT
Boys
Vincent 58, Ranburne 30
Cleburne County 59, Ohatchee 40
Central-Clay 67, Faith Christian 65, OT
Weaver 61, Randolph County 34
FRIDAY
Girls
Wadley 40, Weaver 38
Vincent 59, Cleburne County 38
Ohatchee 46, Ranburne 42
Championship: Central-Clay 53, Randolph County 42
Boys
Ohatchee 47, Ranburne 43
Faith Christian 48, Randolph County 39
Vincent 57, Cleburne County 55
Championship: Central-Clay 58, Weaver 52
By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today
HEFLIN — Josh Giddens’ bench got more full this week, and depth proved decisive in Friday’s Heflin Holiday Hoops Classic final.
Most valuable player Kevin Cherry scored 10 of his 11 points in the second half, and the Vols erased a seven-point halftime deficit to beat Weaver 58-52.
The victory gave Central-Clay’s boys a repeat championship in Heflin. It also gave the Vols a sweep, with the girls having beaten Randolph County earlier Friday.
The boys improved to 11-2, the girls 11-3.
“It felt real good,” Cherry said. “We need to keep on going with the rest of the season, for the area and everything.”
Central-Clay’s boys got deeper this week. Kalvin Simmons returned after having Tommy John surgery, and Cherry came back from a fracture collarbone.
“Kalvin Simmons got a lot of rebounds and a lot of blocked shots and took two charges,” Giddens said. “We really work hard on crowding the lane and taking charges, and Kalvin came in and did that. … He jumps really quick and really high, and it’s good to have him back.
“Kevin Cherry, this is his second or third game back, and he’s a really good basketball player.”
Depth proved decisive as Central-Clay had the best of it over Weaver (8-8) in the second half, winning the half by 13 points.
“They’ve got more guys on the bench that we do,” Weaver coach Beau Winn said. “I thought we played well. We were up 10 at one point in the second quarter. I thought we handled ourselves well.
“Our live-ball turnovers was a big thing for us tonight. We were trying to run so fast, but they could run with us, and I think we pressed just a little bit too hard.”
KeShawn Allen led Weaver with 13 points, and Kaden Gooden added 11 with three 3-pointers. Gooden’s last three, from the left corner, drew Weaver within 53-50 with two minutes to play.
Weaver beat Cleburne County and Randolph County to get to the final.
“It was great,” Winn said. “Like I told the boys when we came in tonight, ‘You all earned it. You all earned the right to be here. We did what we’re supposed to do. It’s time to go take what’s ours, and we did that.
‘We just made a few mistakes, and this is the first time these boys have been in a pressure situation like that.”
FAITH CHRISTIAN 48, RANDOLPH COUNTY 39: Carson Harris led the way with 18 points as Faith finished 2-1 during its stay in Heflin, the lone loss a 67-65 loss to finalist Central-Clay in overtime on Thursday.
Harris hit four of Faith’s 10 3-pointers.
The Lions came away 5-11 and ready for Class 1A, Area 10 play.
“It was a real good week,” Faith coach Cory Hughes said. “It was really good basketball, and we’re making progress. I’m really happy with that, especially this time of year, when we’re about to have a bunch of area games.”
Conner Richerzhagen added to his exploits in Heflin with 12 points Friday, including three 3-pointers, and Colton Reese also hit three 3-pointers on the way to 12 points.
“We have more chemistry, for sure,” Richerzhagen said. “We’ve proven to ourselves that we’ve still got it, and that area and past that’s a possibility.”
OHATCHEE 47, RANBURNE 43: Ohatchee rallied from a 17-point deficit in the third quarter to end its Heflin stay on a high note.
“We were able to pick up full court and apply some pressure, and that helped us get back in the game after having trouble scoring the ball early on,” Ohatchee coach Kyle Wilson said. “We did a great job defensively in the fourth, holding them to four, and knocked down from free throws at the end.”
Alston Carroll scored 11 of his eight points in the second half, nine in the third quarter. He hit one 3-pointer on the day.
Colby Hester added 14 points with a 3-pointer, and Galen Lower hit a three en route to eight points.
Ranburne’s Seth McAdams hit three 3-pointers en route to a game-high 19 points.
VINCENT 57, CLEBURNE COUNTY 55: Skyler McCrimon led Vincent with 18 points, including three 3-pointers. Taye Robertson hit three threes while adding 14 points.
Jacob Cavendar paced Cleburne County with 17 points, including three 3-pointers, and Grey Freeman added 13.
Girls
CENTRAL-CLAY 53, RANDOLPH COUNTY 42: Central-Clay’s girls have been regulars in the Heflin Holiday Hoops Classic. Until Friday, the Vols were regular also-rans.
Call them champions now.
Most valuable player Mia Lindsey scored 10 points, and Central-Clay (11-3) completed a 3-0 run through the 2023 version of the tournament, taking the trophy back to Lineville.
It marked the Vols’ second tourney championship this season. They won the Tri-County Tournament.
“We’re making history,” Lindsey said. “This is the second tournament we’ve won in our school history.”
Ramyah Billingsley led the Vols in scoring Friday with 22 points, including four 3-pointers, but Central-Clay did it with defense. The Vols held their three opponents in Heflin to an average of 28.3 points.
“It feels real good to be able to come in and win a close game and play hard,” Central-Clay coach Tyrell Bishop said. “We’re playing hard and learning to close out hard games. I’m proud of them.”
OHATCHEE 46, RANBURNE 42: Tabi Davidson let frustration get to her in one moment, then found her cool in the biggest moment to help Ohatchee finish 2-1 in Heflin.
The Ohatchee senior settled down after a fourth-quarter technical foul and hit two free throws with 19.2 seconds left to give the Indians the lead for good.
“It was pretty stressful, but I wasn’t really thinking that much, game on the line,” Davidson said. “I was just thinking, ‘It’s a regular free throw. Knock it down.’
“But in the back of my head, I knew I had to make them.”
Ohatchee got a stop after Davidson’s free throws, and Kiana Garber hit two more foul shots with 7.5 seconds left.
Davidson led Ohatchee with 15 points, including a 3-pointer. Lindsey Zurchin hit a three en route to nine points.
They overcame a 15-point performance from Ranburne’s Aubrey Anglin and 12 from Jadie Phillips.
Davidson “show a lot of maturity to handle a difficult situation, flush it, step back in and not letting her emotions affect her,” Ohatchee coach Aaron Jackson said. “I’m really proud of her. I’m proud of everybody, but that was a good thing for her to do.”
VINCENT 59, CLEBURNE COUNTY 38: Fresh off of reaching the 2,000-career-points mark, Faith Brown led Cleburne County with 23 points to reach 2,035 for her career. She hit 13 of 14 free throws.
Makayla Perkins led the way for Vincent, pouring in 25 points, and Kinsley Perkins added 11.
WADLEY, 40, WEAVER 38: A’Mya Brown passed the 1,000-career-point mark as Wadley ended its stay in Heflin with a victory.
Brown finished with 14 points , and Celeste Angel led the Bulldogs with 15 points. Angel hit three 3-pointers.
Aaliyah Marks led Weaver with 16 points, including two 3-pointers.
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