Mountain Brook will play in the state semifinals Thursday at 10:30 a.m. against the South Regional champion at the BJCC Arena in Birmingham. McGill-Toolen and Blount will play today in the South finals.
“On Wednesday I said you have to play basketball with your head, heart and guts,” said Spartans coach Bucky McMilan, who was a junior on when Mountain Brook last played in the state semifinals in 2001. “I didn’t think all of our players played that way on Wednesday, but today, I saw all of our players play with their heads, hearts and guts.”
Lee-Huntsville built a 30-18 lead in the second quarter, but Mountain Brook responded with a 25-2 run and never trailed again.
The Spartans led by as many as 15 points in the final quarter, but the Generals cut the advantage down to one in the last minute. They couldn't get any closer, however.
“I think our game was won not in the third quarter or fourth quarter," McMillan said. "I think it was won in the first quarter and halfway through the second. We weathered their storm when they were making everything. When we were at halftime down six, I thought we had done an excellent job.”
Brandon Miller covers prep sports for The Star. He can be reached at 256-235-3575 or follow him on Twitter @bmiller_star
