Spartans advance to Steel City final

Class 7A No. 1 Mountain Brook (13-0) held off Pelham (10-2) in the semifinal round of the Steel City Invitational, 72-56, on Wednesday night at the Pete Hanna Center.

The Spartans started off hot thanks to the efforts of star sophomore, Trendon Watford. With 15 points in the opening quarter, he propelled the Spartans to a 28-19 lead at the end of the first quarter.

“He always refuses to make a selfish play or take a bad shot,” Mountain Brook head coach Bucky McMillan said of Watford. “He averages about 26 or 27 points a game, which allows other guys to get shots.”

Pelham cut the Spartan lead to single digits in the second half and threatened, but Mountain Brook’s defense held the Panthers at bay, forcing 16 turnovers on the night.

Ben McCool added 12 points and five rebounds for Mountain Brook. The Spartans shot 52% from the field.

“It will be good to play in a championship game in something we as a program and school have put so much in to (the Steel City Invitational),” McMillan said.

Mountain Brook is set to take on Huffman in the Steel City final on Thursday at 2:30 p.m., pitting new Class 7A, Area 6 foes against each other.