#TerryTalks AHSAA Final Four Standouts

The AHSAA Final Four had talented players from class 1A to 7A. Many players made their impact, and here are a few that stood out…

Jarett Fairley Jarett Fairley 6'0" | PG Hoover | 2025 State AL  (6’2/CG/Hoover HS)

Instagram: jarettgotquicks_

Twitter: @fairley_jm

Jarett was absolutely amazing in the semi-final game against Dothan. He came out early and was extremely aggressive. He did not settle but was attacking the rim off the bounce. Once he realized that Dothan had no answer for his ability to get to the rim, he was in playmaker mode the entire game. His coaches and teammates saw that he had it going and rode him into the championship game. He did not shoot it well from beyond the arc, but he was at his best when he was attacking off the bounce. He flashed his athleticism and beat Dothan defenders with his smarts, skills, and burst. He got it done on the year’s biggest stage and saw his stock increase. He finished the game with the following stat line: 17pts (5-10 [1-5 3-Ptr])

Sam Wright Sam Wright 6'10" | PF Spain Park HS | 2023 State AL  (6’10/F/’23/Spain Park HS)

Instagram: s_wright_41

Twitter: @samwright_41

Sam had been on a tear entering the final four, and it did not stop in the semi-final game. It was evident early that Spain Park had decided that they were going to put all their cards in Sam’s hands and ride him to the blue map. Sam did not disappoint as he poured in 25pts on a very efficient shooting night. His size and skillset were too much for Central defenders as Sam could get any and everything he wanted as he just shot over the top of the defense. Sam is not your stereotypical power forward, but he fits the mold in every way, especially with his size. He knows exactly where to be and how to move without the ball to maximize the potential for open opportunities. He punished defenders on the low block, and he possesses a smooth stroke even though he did not show his perimeter game much in this game. Even though his team came up short, Sam saw his stock skyrocket after this game. He finished with the following stat line: 25pts (9-16 [0-1 3-Ptr]); 6rebs

Thomas Dowd Thomas Dowd 6'7" | SF Dothan | 2023 State AL  (6’7/SF/’23/Dothan HS)

Instagram: thomasdowd_

Twitter: @thomasdowd_

Thomas started out slow against Hoover, and it could be viewed that he was settling early on in the game. When you view his numbers from beyond the arc, you see he did not shoot the ball well, as he did his damage off the bounce and in the paint. When he adjusted and began getting to the paint, he used his length and athleticism to rise up and score in tight spaces. It was evident that he was a primary focus of the Bucs’ defensive game plan, as Thomas is a versatile offensive weapon that can change the flow of any game at any moment. Even though he was close to a double-double, it wasn’t one of his best games, but he still showed his ability to score the rock. He finished with the following stat line: 17pts (7-19 [2-12 3-Ptr]); 9rebs

Tyson Sexton Tyson Sexton 6'5" | SF Scottsboro | 2023 State AL  (6’5/SF/’23/Scottsboro HS)

Instagram: _tysonsexton

Tyson is a wing with good positional size that knows how to score from all areas of the floor. He gave Valley defenders a headache with his ability to create his own and for his teammates as well as with his creative passing. He has a solid frame with plenty of bounce, long-term upside and plays with a competitive edge. Tyson is a talented scorer that can score pretty much however you ask him to, as he showed in the semi-final game against Valley. He demonstrated he was an invaluable piece to Scottsboro’s hopes of capturing the blue map. Even though his squad came up short, he showed why he was one of the most frustrating covers in the final four. He finished with the following stat line: 20pts (8-17 [3-5 3-Ptr]); 5rebs

Jaycob Johnson (6’0/G/’24/Paul Bryant)

Looking at the numbers shows Jaycob’s specialty. He shot the ball from behind the arc better than anyone I saw throughout the final four. He is a lethal c&s shooter and does not need a lot of room to get his shot off. Some may consider Jaycob to be one-dimensional, but he showed his effectiveness and accuracy in that dimension, showing how valuable he is to the Bryant squad. In the semi-final game against Mountain Brook, he did what he did best: produce from downtown. He finished with the following stat line: 15pts (5-9 [5-8 3-Ptr])

Bennett Russ (6’0/PG/’23/McGill-Toolen)

Instagram: bennettwruss

Bennett, throughout the years, has been a reliable ball-handler and leader for McGill. This year he has had to take a bigger role in the scoring column, as was seen in his play in the semi-final game against Buckhorn. He looked for his shot early and often, and it was evident that he would have to be a score-first PG in this match-up. He was a high-volume shot-taker and made some huge shots going down the stretch as he did everything he could to try and carry his team to the blue map. McGill came up short, but Bennett was able to get a lot of people talking about his potential for the next level. He finished with the following stat line: 20pts (7-20 [4-12 3-Ptr])

Emmanuel Clarton Emmanuel Clarton 6'5" | PG Sumter Central | 2025 State AL  (6’3/G/’25/Sumter-Central)

Emmanuel is a guard that showed his ability to score at all 3-levels. He showed he can handle the rock and showed his ability to score it from the perimeter. To be a sophomore and to have a performance as he did on the biggest stage showed a lot of promise. He leveraged the attention Plainview gave to stop him by getting to the rim, scoring at the mid-range, and distributing the ball to shooters. He also showed his value through his versatility on the defensive end of the floor. He is going to be a good prospect to keep an eye on. He finished with the following stat line: 10pts (4-11 [2-5 3-Ptr]); 5rebs