Rising Stars Take Center Stage in the Class 3A Semifinals

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">The Class 3A Semifinals delivered exactly what fans hoped for which was high-level basketball, clutch moments, and a gym full of rising talent competing with a trip to the championship on the line. In one semifinal, Montgomery Academy looked every bit like the favorite to capture the Blue Map, powering past Lauderdale County 60–50 behind a balanced and physical effort. In the other matchup, Southside-Selma and Whitesburg Christian put on an absolute thriller, with Southside escaping with a 62–60 nail-biter that had the crowd on its feet until the final buzzer. With the stage now set for a Friday championship showdown between Montgomery Academy and Southside-Selma, several players left their mark on the semifinals with standout performances. Before the title game tips off, here is a closer look at the players who elevated their teams and electrified the BJCC floor…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2194591' first='Mason' last='Ellis']</strong> (6'3/CG/'28/Montgomery Academy)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: masewitdashifts.1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @Masewitdashift</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Mason is a young, talented guard with end-to-end speed and consistently puts pressure on the rim. He is one of the toughest iso scorers in the Class 3A final four, with really good shot-making ability. He handles pressure well, as he showed that it does not speed him up. He lives in the paint and has the scoring tools to finish from all areas of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2472362' first='Braden' last='Gordon']</strong> (6'4/G|F/'27/Montgomery Academy)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: _brayhoops5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Braden, while many feel as though he has been focused on football, showed why he is still one of the top players in his class as he led his squad to a shot to play for the blue map on Friday, and he is a huge reason why many have MA favored to lift the blue map. He is a big body guard who is skilled and knows how to score the rock as a multi-level scorer. He is extremely athletic and is a tough downhill attacking guard. Southside Selma will have their hands full trying contain him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3542474' first='Calvin' last='Watkins']</strong> (6'1/G/'26/Lauderdale Co.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Calvin is a backcourt talent with a mature floor game, and despite not having his most efficient night from the field, he made plays that kept his team competitive. His ability to knock down the three helped him to impact the game in the scoring column, but he also showed his playmaking capacity by making plays off the bounce and living in the paint. He showed a lot of craftiness in his game off the bounce. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2896588' first='Tripp' last='Mason']</strong> (6'2/CG/'26/Whitesburg Christian Academy)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Tripp had a dynamic performance as he shot the lights out from behind the arc and quickly became a crowd favorite as he electrified the BJCC. He is a tough shot maker and showed his ability to flat out score the rock, especially from the perimeter. He has a mature floor game and showed that he doesn't shy away from making tough plays or taking tough shots. Despite his squad coming up short, he had a dynamic night. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2472372' first='Kaden' last='Ragland']-Morris</strong> (6'6/Wing/'27/Whitesburg Christian Academy)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: Kadendewanye0</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @Kd Ragland-morris</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Kaden has had a stock rising season this year, and he was one of the main reasons why WCA was one of the last four teams in Class 3A playing in Birmingham. He is a big body wing who is skilled and showed his athleticism on both ends of the floor. He has shown all year his scoring prowess, but I was really impressed with his activity on the glass and the pressure he put on the defense off the dribble in the open floor. I expect his stock to continue to rise this spring and summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2454987' first='Ar'Mari' last='Towns']</strong> (6'6/PF|C/'26/Southside Selma HS) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">IG: Ayoomarii2026._</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">X: @ayoomarii2026</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">I had not seen much of Amari since he transferred from Hoover to Southside Selma, but he showed he had been working. His athleticism is a major part of his ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor, but he showed a scoring package that has developed over the years. He impacted both ends of the floor, and offensively, he had a strong, efficient performance that was clearly seen across the stat sheet. &nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3536399' first='Caeden' last='Moody']</strong> (5'10/PG/'27/Southside Selma) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Caeden did not have an efficient night from the field overall, but he shot it well from behind the arc. He is a small guard who puts pressure on the defense from the point of attack, consistently drawing paint touches and either dropping dimes or spraying it to his shooters. He did a good job running the show, but showed that he can heat up quickly and carry his team for stretches.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->