Senators improve, Patriots adcvance and Jets fall in Huntsville City Classic

HUNTSVILLE – The process continues for Sparkman’s boys basketball team.

The Senators, retooling under first-year coach Obadiah Threadgill, took one more step toward their goal of simply being competitive in 2024-25 in the first round of the Huntsville City Classic.

Sparkman used a third-quarter surge to defeat Lee 63-52 in the first game of the tournament at Huntsville High School and will now play Grissom, a 49-47 winner over Hazel Green, in a quarterfinal matchup Friday at 10:30 a.m. The winner will play in the semifinals at 6 p.m. against either Buckhorn or Fairfield.

“We’ve got a young group,” Threadgill said. “They’re all learning a new system, new terminology, you know, new ways of thinking, hearing a new voice, hearing new voices, plural. The whole staff is new. So, it’s definitely a work in process.’’

Sparkman (6-13) seeks to avenge a 59-49 loss to Grissom (8-8) earlier in December in a Class 7A, Area 7 game.

“We’re definitely not what we call dodge and smoke,” Threadgill said. “We want to compete. We’re looking to try and get better. However, we’re looking at playing good team basketball and guiding our program in the right way.’’

Orlando Beale had 14 points, and five rebounds and Tylan Pace added 10 points for Sparkman, which led 27-26 at halftime 45-33 entering the fourth quarter.

Lee (3-9) dropped to the consolation bracket.

Bob Jones advances

The Patriots held off a late charge to defeat Mae Jemison 59-56 to move forward and will now face either Ramsey or Enterprise in the quarterfinals Friday at noon. The winner of that game plays in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m.

Jaylen Rice scored 15 points and Eric Marrow had 10 points and seven rebounds for Bob Jones (11-7).

The Patriots led at each quarter break, 19-10, 32-23 and 47-33.

Mae Jemison (10-6) fell to the consolation bracket.

Play noon Enterprise or Ramsey, semifinals 7:30.

James Clemens falls

The Jets, ranked No. 11 by MaxPreps, fell to No. 3 Fairfield 55-50 in a back-and-forth clash.

James Clemens (12-6) dropped to the consolation bracket and will play Florence (11-4) at 9 a.m. Friday. Fairfield (16-1), one spot behind tournament favorite Huntsville in the rankings, plays Buckhorn in the quarterfinals at the same time.

Noah Gorman’s 15 points led the Jets scoring. London Townsend had eight rebounds.