Spartans steamroll Central in second half to advance to final
BIRMINGHAM – By the end of the game, Mountain Brook had broken the will of its opponent.
It’s a scenario that has played out many times over the last six years specifically, as the Mountain Brook High School boys basketball team routed Central-Phenix City, 70-42, on Thursday, in the Class 7A State Semifinals at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena.
With the win, the Spartans advance to the state final for the fifth time in six years, and will play McGill-Toolen on Saturday at 5:45 p.m.
“We played really well today,” said Mountain Brook coach Bucky McMillan. “I was really pleased with the way our players played all the way around, defensively, offensively, all the way around.”
The Spartans suffocated Central-Phenix City in the second and fourth quarters, as the Red Devils combined for just seven points in the two periods while totaling 35 in the other two.
The Red Devils even led 17-15 at the end of the first quarter, but Mountain Brook took a 28-22 edge into the halftime break and poured it on in the second half, as the Spartans’ depth wore down Central.
Trendon Watford said “we wanted to amp it up” coming out of the locker room for the third quarter, and his emphatic dunk with 5:28 to go in the third period put the Spartans up 43-26.
“We have a lot of returners that have been here,” said Watford, when asked about playing in the Final Four. “We don’t try to get caught up in the big stage. We’ve been playing on the big stage all year.”
Watford posted a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds, both game-high totals, on an efficient 8-of-12 shooting. Lior Berman and Sean Elmore chipped in 13 and 11 points, respectively, to join Watford in double figures. Both pulled down six boards as well.
“He sets a great example,” Berman said of Watford. “We all want to be like him and rebound and block shots. He gets our teammates a lot of open shots for not being selfish.”
Donald Jackson and De’Anthony Miles each scored 11 points to lead Central.
McMillan said Saturday’s matchup will “be a fun game for everybody to watch.” If the Spartans play the way they did on Thursday, they will be tough to beat.
“There’s just something special about this team,” Elmore said.