1 of 2
Staff
Spain Park's Sam Fox (5)
Spain Park's Sam Fox (5)
2 of 2
Staff
Spain Park's Tommy Robinson (12)
Spain Park's Tommy Robinson (12)
Spain Park High School boys basketball took meaningful steps forward last winter in DJ Black’s first season as head coach. Now, with an experienced senior core and a deeper roster, the Jaguars believe they’re positioned to take another leap.
Black brought four seniors to the inaugural Under the Lights Basketball Media Day — Owen Leonard, Sam Fox, Quinn Davis and Jackson Fixler — each playing a different role but sharing the responsibility of leading a program with growing expectations.
“I’m seeing in our practices, we’re all working together really well,” Fox said. “We’re making each other better.”
Davis noted the collective confidence Spain Park now carries.
“We're walking around with a lot more swagger this year than last year,” he said.
Fixler pointed to the roster’s balance and depth.
“I feel like there's no drop off,” he said. “I feel like you can play all of us, and we'll all get the same energy, effort, and we all contribute to the team.”
Black said that progression is the biggest difference this year.
“The confidence level is a lot higher,” he said. “There’s depth that we got kind of built now, meaning that there's not much of a drop off from our first wave to our second wave to our third wave.”
That competitiveness extends beyond practice court reps.
“There's high competition. It's healthy competition every single day,” Black said. “Not just in practices, but in workouts, in the weight room, in academics.”
The seniors pointed to several teammates who have stood out. Davis praised Tommy Morrison, saying he has “rounded his game up” beyond scoring. Davis also mentioned Harrison Stewart, noting his growth. Fixler highlighted Cooper Gann, noting his impact defensively and as a communicator.
Black said players like Fixler and Leonard, who don’t always get the spotlight, are essential to Spain Park’s ceiling.
“You don't have a championship program without guys like Owen and Jackson in it,” he said. “It's the stuff that they do every single day that makes them better, but that makes the entire program better.”
This year’s roster features eight seniors, with Leonard, Fox, Davis, Fixler, Gann, Stewart, Josh Wilkerson and Reed Oatridge providing plenty of maturity. Morrison headlines the junior group along with Andy McQueeney, Bastain Carroll and Maddox Phillips. Barrett Price and Nash Davis are sophomores, with Ayden Henderson the lone freshman.
As seniors, the group feels an urgency to model the standard now expected.
“Pushing another man to make them better,” Leonard said of lessons learned.
Fox added, “If we don't work together to be the best versions of ourselves … we don't end up being nearly as successful as we could be.”
Spain Park will look to advance past the Class 6A, Area 8 field this season, stacked with competitive teams like Helena, Chelsea and Pelham. The Jags have not made the postseason the last two years but are not far removed from the brilliant success the program experienced under Chris Laatsch.
In December, the Jags will face Oak Mountain, Hoover, Hueytown, Pell City and a few out-of-state opponents. Outside of playing area foes twice in January, they will wrap up the regular season against Hillcrest, Pell City, Leeds and crosstown rival Hoover.
