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Trendon Watford (2) throws down a dunk during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Vestavia's Luke Couch (10) dribbles through defenders during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Vestavia's Luke Couch (10) drives on Mountain Brook's Colby Jones (3) during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Vestavia's Jackson Smith (12) looks for a lane during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Mountain Brook's Trendon Watford (2) blocks a shot from Paul Michael Hargrove (0) during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Vestavia's Paul Michael Hargrove (0) shoots a layup during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Colby Jones (3) throws down a two handed slam during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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The Mountain Brook bench reacts as Trendon Watford (2) throws down a dunk during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Trendon Watford (2) wants more from the crowd during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Lior Berman (32) drives through the Vestavia defense during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Lior Berman (32) is fouled in the process of shooting during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Alex Washington (4) flexes his muscles in celebration of Lior Berman's (32) basket and one during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Mountain Brook's Alex Washington (4) leads the offense during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Mountain Brook's Alex Washington (4) attempts a free throw during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Mountain Brook's Hold Bashinsky (1) lines up a three point attempt during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Mountain Brook head coach Bucky McMillan gives instruction to his second strong during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Vestavia's Paul Michael Hargrove (0) shoots a free throw during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Vestavia's Michael Vice (25) shoots a three pointer during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Colby Jones (3) reverses his dribble during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Trendon Watford (2) celebrates with the crowd during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Trendon Watford (2) celebrates a win with the Mountain Brook student section during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Members of the All-Tournament team from Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills are honored following the Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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The Mountain Brook Spartans pose for a team photo in front of their student section after winning the Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Starters from Mountain Brook are removed late in the fourth quarter with a big lead during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Alex Washington (3) looks to make a pass during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Vestavia's Paul Michael Hargrove (0) shoots a layup during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Mountain Brook starters Colby Jones, Trendon Watford and Alex Washington pose for a photo on the bench after being replaced with a big lead during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Mountain Brook's Peyton Haley (5) floats a shot over defenders during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Colby Jones (3) avoids a defender in the air to lay the ball in the basket during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Colby Jones (3) runs a solo fast break during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Jackson Smith (12) drives towards the basket during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Luke Couch (10) shoots a three pointer during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Mountain Brook's Trendon Watford (2) hits a three at the buzzer then asks his student section for more during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Vestavia's Luke Couch (10) dribbles between his legs during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
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Vestavia's Michael Vice (25) makes a pass over a defender during a Class 7A Northwest Regional final game between Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Tom Drake Coliseum in Hanceville. (Kamp Fender)
HANCEVILLE — If even a modicum of hope remained for the Vestavia Hills High School boys basketball team, Trendon Watford squashed it upon takeoff.
Watford, Mountain Brook’s 6-foot-9 senior forward, caught a pass in midair from teammate Colby Jones as he sprang toward the basket at Tom Drake Coliseum.
His two-handed, alley-oop dunk extended the Spartans’ lead back to 20 points in the third quarter of Tuesday’s Class 7A Northwest Regional final, which Mountain Brook won in overwhelming fashion, 57-36.
The victory sends the Spartans (29-3) to their third consecutive state final four — and sixth in seven years.
“We wanted to come out and just keep our foot on them,” said Watford, who finished with a game-high 21 points and nine rebounds. “I feel like that’s what we did.”
Mountain Brook will play Lee-Montgomery on Thursday, Feb. 28, at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena in the state semifinals. The Spartans are shooting to secure their third straight 7A title.
“I think a major factor in this is past teams who have gotten us here,” Mountain Brook head coach Bucky McMillan said. “These players are comfortable being here, and I think that will carry over to the Civic Center as well.”
This season Mountain Brook has not faced Lee, which will present a new set of challenges. But lack of familiarity did not factor into the equation against Vestavia Hills (22-11).
Tuesday marked the fourth meeting of the year between the neighboring rivals, with Mountain Brook winning the first three by margins of 11, 26 and 27 points.
The Spartans left no doubt that the fourth matchup would yield an identical outcome. Playing with their backs to a Mountain Brook student section clad in neon T-shirts, they bolted out to a 21-4 first-quarter lead.
Lior Berman, who finished with 11 points, began the first quarter by swishing a 3 from the left wing. Watford, who was named regional tournament MVP, closed the quarter by canning another 3, this time atop the key.
“I felt like we were ready for anything,” said Berman, a senior. “We had been practicing hard, preparing, and I knew that we were going to play good regardless.”
Mountain Brook ceded no ground in the second quarter. It played tight interior defense and forced Vestavia Hills to shoot from the perimeter.
The Rebels sank only 25 percent of their field-goal attempts, including a single 3, in the opening half. They trailed 32-11 at the break.
“I thought we played really well defensively,” McMillan said. “There was a time there where I thought we had a good chance to...maybe hold them to 30 or something. It’s a great job by our guys in that game.”
Vestavia Hills surged slightly to begin the third quarter. It made three consecutive stops on defense, and Michael Vice connected from beyond the arc.
Then came Watford’s aerial acrobatics, which quieted the Rebels’ sprawling student section while evoking a roar from the Spartans’. Watford pointed to his classmates as he backpedaled down the court next to Jones, who notched 11 points and seven rebounds.
“Obviously, today didn’t go the way we wanted it to go,” Vestavia Hills head coach Patrick Davis said. “We got kicked. That happens.”
Luke Couch recorded a team-high nine points for the Rebels. They trailed by 31 points, 48-17, entering the final frame.
Mountain Brook played its reserves for much of the fourth quarter. By then, the Spartans had sealed their fate.
On to state they go.
“We’ve just got to continue what got us here,” McMillan said, “and that’s focusing on every day being the best we can in practice moving forward.”
