Mae Jemison Deafeats Lee To Win N2HOOPS Invitational
MADISON- The recent Thanksgiving Holiday celebration included the annual N2HOOPS Invitational basketball tournament held at Bob Jones High. The year’s championship game featured two teams from Huntsville as Mae Jemison defeated rival Lee 53-42 to earn the tournament trophy.
Six-foot-one Tony Toney (6-1, Sr.) scored 16 points and grabbed 3 rebounds for the Jaguars in the 11-point victory. He scored 59 points and 8 rebounds in the four Mae Jemison games in the tournament and was named the Tournament MVP. Taye Fields (6-5, Jr.) was tops for Lee with 12 points and 10 rebounds in the title game, which was tied 19-all at halftime.
The host Patriots of Bob Jones won the third place game versus East Limestone 65-61. Three Patriots scored in double figures in the win. Jalen Myers (6-8, Sr.) scored 20 points and added 13 rebounds, Tulane commit Jadan Coleman (6-4, Sr.) had 15 points and 4 rebounds and Jalen Jackson (6-2, Jr.) added 15 points with 3 rebounds.
East Limestone was led by two seniors as Xavier Griffin (6-6) had 28 points and 6 rebounds and Austin Harvell (6-6) added 22 points and 5 rebounds for the Indians.
The Sparkman Senators fell short in their attempt to win the consolation final losing to Austin 79-69. The Senators were led by Trevon Ragland (6-3, Jr.) who had 24 points and 9 rebounds and Tyrese Elliot’s (6-2, So.) 14 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals.
Mae Jemison made its way to the tourney championship by posting victories of 69-49 over Carver-Montgomery, 56-40 over tournament defending champion Florence and 44-43 over East Limestone.
The Lee Generals advanced through the three-day tournament by posting victories over Eufala (73-70), Blackman (53-52, OT) and Bob Jones (59-58). Taye Fields (6-5, Jr.) scored 93 points with 26 rebounds and Jacari Lane (5-10, So.) added 35 points with 19 rebounds in their four contests.
Additional tournament highlights included: Xavier Griffin (East Limestone) had tournament high 108 points and 40 rebounds, Austin Harvell (East Limestone) 80 points, 25 rounds, Jalen Myers (Bob Jones) 87 points, 51 rebounds, Jadan Coleman (Bob Jones) 70 points, 20 rebounds, Jalen Jackson (Bob Jones) 45 points, 11 rebounds, Trevon Ragland (Sparkman) 56 points, 23 rebounds, Tyrese Elliot (Sparkman) 55 points, 13 rebounds and Calen Lightford (Sparkman) 44 points, 8 rebounds.
The fifth annual tournament, sponsored by Hometown Lenders, honored four coaching legends prior to the championship game. Jack Doss, Danny Petty, Stanley Stafford and Jerry Dugan, who combined for than 2,500 victories among them, were introduced to the large crowd.
Doss won eight state titles while at Hayes, Butler, Johnson and Mae Jemison; Petty won three state championships as a coach and one as a player (Lee, 1968); Stafford was named the Alabama Coach of the Year in 1977, 1981 and 1982 winning state titles at Buckhorn as a coach and the 1967 championship as a player at Hazel Green by hitting the winning shot at the buzzer; Dugan took home state championship trophies at both Hazel Green and Lee while winning 617 games as a head coach.
