North Alabama Stars take fifth at national tourney

The North Alabama Stars league began in 2016 through Youth Basketball of America, with games beginning in March, but the team already has great success to its name. The Stars took first place in the state and recently claimed fifth place in nationals at Orlando, Fla.

The seventh grade team ended the season with a 31-9 record.
In Orlando, team member Chandler Dyas participated in the individual skills competition and was the seventh grade winner of the 3-point shootout. In team action, the Stars won against Port Orange, Fla., 58-40 with high scorer Cedric Willis. The team lost to the Rising Stars of Virginia 20-49 but beat Bayou Blaze from Louisiana 72-64 behind lead scorer Collin Bonner.
The team finished second in pool play and began bracket play Thursday versus Showtime Hoops, of Florida. The team won 53-40; lead scorer was Brooks Scott. Friday saw the Stars matched against Holyoke, Mass., with a loss of 52-69. Bonner hit seven three-pointers in the loss for 21 points. Friday evening was a second meeting with Port Orange, Fla., in which the team won 61-55 with Dyas leading with 19 points and Scott close behind with 18 points.
In the championship game Saturday morning against Warren Robbins from Georgia, the team ended up with a score of 46-34 to earn fifth in the nation out of 20 seventh grade teams.
Other team members are Ducee Graham, Drake James, Carson Shaw, Vondarius Gardener, Jakobe Fields and Audie Crane, with coaches Byron Tiggs and Bobby Winston.