spring garden — Spring Garden’s 19-0 women’s basketball record tells a story.
Scores of 86-2 over Coosa Christian, 81-22 over Jacksonville Christian, 101-11 over Galesville and 91-16 over Cedar Bluff mean the Panthers are back in Class 1A after hitting the Molly Hurd ceiling for two years. is said to be of in the Tohoku region.
Class 1A’s top-ranked team looks set to clinch the program’s eighth state championship in 2A if reclassification alone gives the Panthers another two-year cycle. Class 6A runners-up on Monday A 56-46 victory over Oxford in London raised the question of how far the imagination could be stretched.
Just ask longtime coach Ricky Austin if his latest Spring Garden team is the best. He doesn’t run away from the question. He just knows when to call timeout.
“They’re definitely in on the conversation,” said Austin. “We can talk about it after the season is over, but definitely in conversation.”
Spring Garden coach Ricky Austin speaks with his daughter Ace Austin during Monday’s 56-46 win over Oxford. The top-ranked Panthers are back in Class 1A for the first time in two years and hope to win his eighth state title this season.
Joe Medley, Star Sports Writer, jmedley@annistonstar.com
Austin’s thinking about it runs deeper than most fans see. Evaluate.
What he has long established is being able to draw the nearest 6A team to face him home and away in each of the last three seasons. Oxford coach Melissa Bennett believes there is something to be gained from winning or losing to Austin’s team.
“It’s a solid play,” she said. “First of all, it’s a great environment. On the night of the[college football]national tournament, the gymnasium was packed for the women’s only game. It’s special. I want to play home games in that kind of environment.
“It’s kind of an old-fashioned feeling. Most people don’t know what a gym feels like ‘Hoosiers,’ but it does. It’s a great program.” ”
Then you get the chance to play Spring Garden security guard Ace Austin, Austin’s daughter. That’s because she helped the Panthers win their most recent state title as her seventh grader.
She has played a varsity-length career playing over two seasons and counts Bennett as one of her admirers.
“Sometimes in the playoffs you run into an ace,” she said. “Hopefully not too often.
“As long as she’s doing it for the team, she’s the best player we’ll see. If you compare her to the (Lenya) Kelly girl at Hoover, she’s probably pretty evenly matched. It’s going to be a tough fight.” I will buy a ticket for that one-on-one match.
Austin played her role on Monday, her role was her 21 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds and 6 steals, tailored to the level of competition.
She did just that by dribbling around a team that included 2022 6A Player of the Year finalist Xai Whitfield and two starters returning from the Final Four squad. Oxford gave Ricky Austin the size, length, physicality and quickness he needed for his midseason test of willpower.
Whitfield scored 10 of his 19 points in the first quarter and the rest in the fourth, helping Oxford hold back Spring Garden’s lead, which extended to 52–32.
Oxford have 10 points from Kaylen Kenny and 9 from Jamie Gaston, while Spring Garden have 13 from center Chloe Rule, 9 from 3-point shooter Kaley Kirk and 8 from Maggie Jarrett. obtained the
With Kirk’s knee fully recovered from the injury he suffered two years ago and Libby Brown’s growth into the starting role, ample options have been developed around ace Austin to force opponents to pick Poison. her score or her pass.
“Last year Libby will come off the bench,” Ace Austin said. “She’s still a threat, but this year she’s been a really big threat and Kaley, last year she wasn’t 100%.
“We have a lot of threats. Maggie Jarrett didn’t play last year, but she’s a hustler too. She’s going to rebound and Chloe, we’ve got some real big.”
Now that Hurd has graduated and a de facto state championship game against Pisgah is looming in the region, it’s enough for Ace Austin to hope Spring Garden will have another reclassification cycle in 2A.
“I wish I had this team that could run faster,” she said.
Of course, Ace Austin is an ever-present threat.
With offers including Auburn, Mississippi, Florida, Southern Miss, and Lipscomb who could team with Hurd, the sophomore is no longer the smallest girl on the court. At 5 feet 7 inches and a 100 lb listing, she can do more than hold herself against bumps and hand checks.
“She moved forward,” said Ricky Austin. “She’s definitely a little stronger and a little bit bigger than last year. She did a really good job of facilitating when needed, but at the same time, in a non-selfish way for the team when needed. becomes selfish.
“She understands her role. Just because you’re protected doesn’t mean you take it off every time. You still have to play to your strengths.”
Sportswriter Joe Medley: 256-236-1551. On Twitter: @jmedley_star.