‘Epic’ state final caps Spartans’ exceptional 2019-20 season

The Mountain Brook High School boys basketball team ended its 2019- 20 season at a familiar venue: the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center’s Legacy Arena.

The Spartans advanced to their seventh final four in the past eight years and faced Lee-Montgomery in the Class 7A state final Feb. 29. Entering the game, the teams had combined for only three total losses.

Mountain Brook head coach Bucky McMillan predicted that fans who attended would be treated to an entertaining clash. He was right.

Lee overcame a nine-point halftime deficit to defeat Mountain Brook 40-38 in a heart-pounding title bout that came down to the wire. The win secured the Generals their first state championship in school history.

“We knew it’d be an epic game. It’s great to see so many people here to witness that game,” McMillan said. “It wasn’t a high-scoring game, but you just witnessed like a war out there, you know what I’m saying? You just saw, on both sides, people that would die for their brothers out there on the floor with them.”

Lee’s triumph denied Mountain Brook a fourth straight state title and sixth in eight years. Although the bitter ending left a sour taste in the Spartans’ mouth, it didn’t spoil an otherwise exceptional season. They won 32 of their 35 games, including the area and regional tournaments, and spent much of their campaign ranked among the country’s top 10 teams.

They did all of that without departed star Trendon Watford — who has enjoyed a strong freshman season at LSU — and senior point guard Paulie Stramaglia.

He suffered a season-ending knee injury in December.

“We didn’t make any excuses. We dedicated the season to playing tough, hard for him, because he couldn’t be out there with us on game day,” McMillan said.

In Stramaglia’s absence, Mountain Brook relied heavily on seniors Colby Jones, Holt Bashinsky and Carter Sobera. Sobera scored 25 points in his team’s 67-48 regional semifinal victory over Florence on Feb.13, while Jones poured in 17 points in the Spartans’ 41-34 regional final win over Spain Park on Feb. 18.

Jones, a Xavier University signee, stepped up again in Mountain Brook’s 60-50 triumph over Fairhope in the Feb. 27 state semifinal, totaling 29 points and 14 rebounds. Bashinsky and Sobera contributed 12 points apiece in the win.

“When you’ve got somebody that can fill up the stat sheet and make people better, that’s what superstars do,” McMillan said of Jones after the game.

Behind its veteran trio, Mountain Brook started fast in the state final. Bashinsky scored his team’s first two buckets and helped it stake claim to a 10-8 lead after one quarter.

Jones then dominated the second, recording eight points even as Lee guarded him closely. His final bucket of the first half came on an off-balance jumper that sent him to the locker room smiling.

Mountain Brook held a 21-12 advantage at the break after scoring 16 of their points in the paint and outrebounding Lee 19-10.

“I thought we played really good defense,” McMillan said. “I thought we did a good job mixing our defenses up to try to keep them a little bit off rhythm.”

Lee-Montgomery (33-1) started the third quarter on an 8-0 run to trim Mountain Brook’s advantage down to one. But Sobera, who led the Spartans with 14 points, responded by sinking two free throws and a pair of layups to keep his team ahead.

The Spartans didn’t stay there long, though, as Lee drew even at 29-29 on a Deyunkrea Lewis layup at the end of the quarter.

“We usually play pretty good after halftime for some apparent reason,” Lee head coach Bryant Johnson said. “I think we play with more sense of urgency...I think our energy kind of changed after halftime.”

The Generals made only 2-of-14 3-pointers in the state final, but a triple from Nicholas Barnes with 5:20 remaining gave them their first lead, 34-31. Bashinsky answered on Mountain Brook’s ensuing possession with a 3 from the right wing to tie it at 34-34.

It was his team’s only 3 of the night, as the Spartans shot 1-of-14 from beyond the arc.

“They didn’t make a lot of 3s. They made one more than us…” McMillan said. “We could play that game 100 times, and we may make the one more 3 and win.”

Mountain Brook never led again after the teams traded 3s. Lee’s Jamari Smith converted four clutch free throws in the final 4:14 to help his team reclaim and retain its edge. Mountain Brook pulled to within one twice down the stretch, 37-36 and 39-38, but couldn’t push ahead.

A shot from Jones bounced off the rim just before the final buzzer. Lee’s Lewis pulled down the game-sealing rebound, prompting an on-court celebration for the Generals.

Tears, meanwhile, flowed down their opponents’ cheeks.

“The heart, the toughness, the fight our guys played with and Lee played with is something that will be remembered forever, and it’s so much bigger than one game or one trophy,” McMillan said.

Lee outrebounded Mountain Brook 30-28 by game’s end, and both teams committed 13 turnovers. Duke Miles led the Generals with 12 points and was named tournament MVP.

Jones and Sobera were both named to the all-state-tournament team.

“I feel like our guys and I really just left it all out there,” Sobera said, “and I think that’s something we can live with.”

In addition to Sobera, Jones and Bashinsky, the state final marked the final high school game for fellow seniors Peyton Haley, Edward Reed, Alex Belt, Andrew Strickland and Richman Priestley.

During the press conference after the final, Sobera, Jones and Bashinsky expressed appreciation for their time in the Mountain Brook program.

“I think basketball at Mountain Brook, just having the opportunity to play under Coach Bucky, it’s a blessing,” Sobera said. “Obviously not everyone gets to experience that.”

McMillan returned the sentiment.

“These guys fought, and they put it on for our city, the same way Lee did,” he said. “And when you get to see something like that, it’s truly special, and I’m so proud of these guys and I’m so proud to be their coach.”