Spartans Reach State Finals For 4th Straight Year

BIRMINGHAM, AL — The dominance of Mountain Brook over 7A basketball the last decade continued Thursday, as the Spartans reached the state championship game for the fourth consecutive year, and the seventh time in the last eight years.

Mountain Brook knocked off Fairhope Thursday 60-50, and will now face Lee-Montgomery in the championship. Lee beat Oak Mountain 65-57 in semifinal action Thursday. Lee-Montgomery is 31-1 on the season, with its lone loss coming against Pinson Valley in January.

The Spartans defeated the Pirates on the strength of a stifling defense and 28 points by Colby Jones. Jones scored all of the Spartans 10 points in the third quarter, and helped Mountain Brook open up an 11-point lead with 5 minutes to go in the game, although the Pirates narrowed Mountain Brook's lead in the fourth quarter to 53-49.

Mountain Brook looks to capture its fourth straight state championship, and its sixth overall.

The championship game tips off Saturday at 5:45 p.m. at the BJCC Legacy Arena.