Bucs, Jags competing in holiday tournaments

Hoover and Spain Park’s high school basketball teams competed in holiday tournaments last week, with more to come this week.

Last week, the Lady Bucs hosted the Big Orange Classic while the Lady Jags hosted their own tournament. Hoover’s boys played in Kentucky, and Spain Park’s boys played in Hanceville.

The Lady Bucs went 4-0 to win the Big Orange Classic, defeating a top Class 5A team in Charles Henderson in the final, 43-37.

Hoover opened the tournament with pool wins over Germantown (TN) and Deerfield Beach (FL), before defeating Huffman 59-37 in the semifinals.

Jessyca McConico received the Big Orange Classic Bob Finley Character Award, and Eboni Williams was named tournament MVP. Jennifer Andrew also named to the all-tournament team.

Spain Park, the No. 4 team in Class 7A, performed well in the Lady Jag Christmas Tournament. The Lady Jags opened the tournament with a 54-26 win over McAdory, and followed that up with another convincing victory in the quarterfinals, a 68-43 win over JB Pennington.

In the semifinals, the Lady Jags avenged a loss to Thompson the week prior, with a 57-47 win in a game they controlled throughout.

In the final, however, Spain Park ran up against Hazel Green, a 7A semifinalist last season and one of the top 6A teams this year. Hazel Green won the tournament with a 47-15 victory over the Lady Jags.

Hoover’s boys traveled to Kentucky for the Bardstown Holiday Classic. The Bucs outlasted Christ Presbyterian Academy (TN), 57-54, in their first game, and defeated Louisville-Male (KY), 66-54, to advance to the final. A one-point defeat at the hands of Butler (KY), 44-43, in the championship game sent the Bucs home as the runner-up.

Spain Park’s boys participated in the inaugural Buffalo Wild Wings Christmas Challenge at Wallace State Community College, and split a pair of games with Madison Academy (loss) and Cullman (72-57 win).

This week, Hoover is hosting the boys edition of the Big Orange Classic, while the Lady Bucs are heading to Tampa Bay, Florida, to compete in a tournament. Spain Park’s boys are competing in the Tournament of Champions in Georgia and the Lady Jags are competing in the Decatur Orthopaedic Clinic Classic.