Rockets hold off Carver, lock up Area 11 crown

Published 10:46 pm Thursday, January 24, 2019

Before Thursday night, it had been a long time since the Gardendale boys basketball program held the title of regular season area champions. According to an announcement made over the PA system following the Rockets’ Class 6A, Area 11 win over Carver-Birmingham, 15 years had passed between such feats.

It took a late free throw from Nate Burrow followed by a steely defensive stop for Gardendale to survive a late push from Carver-Birmingham and capture a 47-46 home win, which locked up the regular season portion of the Class 6A, Area 11 championship.

Rams’ senior Destine Davis knotted things up at 46-all with less than a minute remaining. His triple from the left side triggered a Gardendale timeout with 30 seconds left left to play. Burrow was fouled coming out of the timeout and managed to sink the front end of a 1-and-1, giving his Rockets (16-7, 5-0) the lead for good. 

The junior would miss his second free-throw attempt and Carver senior Rodney Beckham would drive inside for a good look at a last-second victory, but his right-handed floater clapped off the rim with one second hanging on the clock. Gardendale forward Goose Crowder cleaned up the miss, securing home-floor advantage in the upcoming Area 11 Basketball Tournament. 

For first-year Gardendale head coach Trent Hosmer, that timely stop represented months of hard work.

“I told the guys when I got the job and I walked in the room that I knew this was possible,” said Hosmer. “But, it was going to take those guys buying in and being willing to play for each other, together, put their own individual stuff to the side a little bit to come together as a team, and that can be a hard message to get across.”

It would take a total team effort to overcome 13 turnovers and hold off a physical Carver team.

Gardendale went on a run in the third quarter, building a 36-29 advantage going into the final frame, but the visitors forced turnovers and went ahead 41-39 thanks to a 3-pointer from Beckham with 3:30 to play.

“We didn’t do a great job of taking care of the basketball, we got a little loose with it sometimes,” said Hosmer.

Sophomore Jalon Moore would quickly answer with an and-1 off an inbound play, putting Gardendale back out front 42-41. Shamar Cook extended the difference to 44-41 moments later, leading up to the wild finish.

Moore led the home team with 15 points and Burrow chipped in with 9 points. For Carver, Shakir Ra’oof paced the offense with 12 points.

The Gardendale girls basketball team (6-19, 1-4 Class 6A, Area 11) couldn’t survive a big fourth quarter from Carver-Birmingham Thursday night. The Rams fought off a big third-quarter comeback and came through with a 44-27 road win.

Gardendale went to the break on the wrong side of a 19-9 score, but pulled to within 26-23 by the end of the third. Senior Candace Parris raddled in a pair of 3-pointers as the Rockets fought back into what had been a one-sided affair through the first 16 minutes.

But the visiting Rams came back to life and ran away with the fourth quarter 18-4.

Paris and Morgan Quates led Gardendale with six points apiece.

The Fultondale boys basketball team (16-3, 5-1 Class 3A, Area 9) ran off with a 75-52 road win at Jefferson Christian Academy Thursday night. 

Senior Jaylon Hicks posted 28 points and six boards to go with 16 points and six assists from point guard Will Smith. Sophomore Josh Maston came through with 11 points, six rebounds and three steals for the Cats. 

Fultondale takes on Midfield at home Friday night with Area 9’s No. 1 seed on the line.