By Daniel Schmidt
BIRMINGHAM — As part of a program with a championship pedigree, the No. 8 LaFayette High School boys basketball team looked to claim a state title of their own against No. 4 Section High School.
Instead, the Bulldogs (27-8) came up just short in a 54-42 loss to the Lions (26-10) on March 6 in the 2A state championship game after allowing four three-pointers in a backbreaking third quarter.
It was the first time LHS had played for a title since 2015, when they defeated Elba High School 69-39 and finished 25-5.
Senior guards Amilleon Huguley and Cameron Thomas were named to the all-tournament team.
While the result wasn’t what LHS head coach Chase Lewis had envisioned, he praised his players’ competitive spirit and their mental growth starting back in the summer with grueling camps and travelling for games.
“They had a great season and worked hard. I’m sure close to 90% of people out there didn’t believe we could make it to this game, and we did,” Lewis said. “I’m proud of these guys because we just work hard no matter what the score is. I love the fact that we just keep playing.”
In a game where the two teams evenly fought the first, second and fourth quarters, the third quarter proved to be the difference. In the first half, the Lions shot 25% from the field and 23% from three.
In the third quarter, their percentages increased to 69% and 50%, respectively. Lewis’s assessment was simple: shooters shoot, and a minor adjustment countered the Bulldogs’ swarming defense.
“After watching film and breaking them down, we knew that they’re going to do that. The Cloud kid does a good job of making tough shots,” Lewis said. “[SHS] came out and made tough shots on the dribble-drive. They got out of the drive and kick because we were hedging on the driver and getting out to the shooter.”
Despite the heartbreaking end to their high school careers, Huguley, Thomas and Kemare Harrington leave behind a legacy of leadership that Lewis said rests on their “crazy” work ethic.
As one of the main leaders and scorers on this year’s team, Huguley looked back on his career with a particular fondness for the relationships he developed with his teammates and the memories they share.
“I enjoyed all the moments with my brothers and all the hard work that we did finally paid off somewhat,” Huguley said. “I love all my brothers to the end.”
For Thomas, the opportunity to get the Bulldogs back to the title game was perhaps the most rewarding experience.
“It means a lot playing for three years, and I didn’t expect to play much in my first year,” Thomas said. “Being able to get past the stunts that we had over the years is a good feeling.”
At the start of the game, Huguley got LHS off to an excellent start with an early three-pointer while Jayden Thomason’s length gave the Lions early problems on both ends of the court. Yet after that fast start, the Bulldogs found themselves in a hole as their shots refused to fall and SHS found numerous second-chance opportunities.
Down 12-9 going into the second quarter, LHS worked its way back into striking distance with improved perimeter defense and by converting offensive rebounds into free throws. Despite outplaying the Lions in almost every single way down the stretch, the Bulldogs still had much work to do in the second half as they went into halftime with the game tied 18-18
The pressure on LHS reached a critical point by the four-minute mark of the third quarter, with SHS taking advantage of the Bulldogs’ mistakes and going on a 16-3 run. Although they responded well, LHS’s championship aspirations still appeared to be on life support as an avalanche of adversity eventually buried them in a 43-30 deficit.
With their backs against the wall, the Bulldogs pushed the pace and desperately fought to keep the Lions out of the paint and prevent easy baskets. That approach delivered results, and Harrington sparked hope with a three-pointer around the 4:50mark that helped cut the deficit to nine points.
However, SHS’s lead was too much for LHS to overcome in a disappointing end to an otherwise memorable season.
Huguley finished tied for the game’s leading scorer with 17 points for the Bulldogs, and Thomason added eight points. Brodie Overdear was the game’s other leading scorer with 17 points for the Lions, while Jacob Cloud and Luke Swinford contributed 14 and 11 points, respectively.
