9 defending champions returning to Birmingham: See full schedule for high school basketball finals

56 high school basketball teams from around the state will converge on Legacy Arena next week for the state semifinals and championship games in Birmingham.

Nine of those teams are looking to repeat as state champions including:

• Hoover boys (7A — won last 2 titles)
• Hoover girls (7A — won last 4 titles)
• Hazel Green girls (6A — won last 7 titles)
• Fairfield boys (4A — won 5A last season)
• Jackson boys (4A)
• Good Hope girls (4A)
• Trinity girls (4A — won 3A last season)
• Mars Hill boys (2A)
• Spring Garden girls (1A — won last 2 titles)

Make sure to keep up with live stats from every game on the AHSAA website + buy tickets before you head down to the BJCC.

Players to Watch

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There will be plenty of talent on the court that you will be seeing at the collegiate level over the next couple of seasons.

One of the biggest stars of the week comes from one of the smallest schools as Alabama signee Ace Austin has led Spring Garden back to Birmingham in search for their third straight state championship. Austin has become a nationally-recognized name + is the frontrunner to win the state’s Miss Basketball award for the second straight year.

The Hoover boys team is also looking for a three-peat, led by two of the top recruits in the state. UAB signee Salim London and Tennessee signee DeWayne Brown have the Bucs back in the final four after a big win over No. 3 Huntsville in the Northeast Regional Final.

Just a few of the players to keep an eye on throughout the week include:

• Jacoby Hill, Central-Phenix City boys
• Saniya Jackson, Park Crossing girls
• Brett Douglas, Hazel Green girls
• Devin Barksdale, Gadsden City boys
• Milton Jones, Fairfield boys
• Francie Morris, Trinity girls
• Ava McSwain, Good Hope girls
• Sam Sweatt, Mars Hill boys

AHSAA State Finals schedule

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Several top-ranked matchups are already lined up for the week at Legacy Arena including five semifinals pitting the top-two ranked teams including No. 1 Park Crossing taking on seven-time defending champion Hazel Green in the 6A girls semifinal.

Check out the full schedule for the week below. It’s organized by classification and listed rankings come from the season’s final Alabama Sports Writers Association.

All times are estimated. There will be mandatory time between each game at Legacy Arena.

Class 7A

Class 6A

• Boys
• Semifinal 1: No. 4 Pinson Valley vs. McGill-Toolen | Wednesday, Feb. 26 | 10:30AM
• Semifinal 2: No. 6 Paul Bryant vs. Gadsden City | Wednesday, Feb. 26 | 1:30PM
• Championship: Saturday, March 1 | 2:15PM
• Girls
• Semifinal 1: No. 2 Hazel Green vs. No. 1 Park Crossing | Wednesday, Feb. 26 | 9AM
• Semifinal 2: No. 5 Mountain Brook vs. No. 6 Chelsea | Wednesday, Feb. 26 | 12PM
• Championship: Saturday, March 1 | 12:30PM

Class 5A

• Boys
• Semifinal 1: No. 8 Guntersville vs. Vigor | Wednesday, Feb. 26 | 4:30PM
• Semifinal 2: No. 5 Wenonah vs. Sylacauga | Wednesday, Feb. 26 | 7:30PM
• Championship: Saturday, March 1 | 10:45AM
• Girls
• Semifinal 1: No. 2 Scottsboro vs. Vigor | Wednesday, Feb. 26 | 3PM
• Semifinal 2: No. 1 Ramsay vs. Marbury | Wednesday, Feb. 26 | 6PM
• Championship: Saturday, March 1 | 9AM

Class 4A

• Boys
• Semifinal 1: No. 9 Brooks vs. No. 7 Jackson | Tuesday, Feb. 25 | 4:30PM
• Semifinal 2: No. 2 Plainview vs. No. 1 Fairfield | Tuesday, Feb. 25 | 7:30PM
• Championship: Friday, Feb. 28 | 5:45PM
• Girls
• Semifinal 1: No. 4 Good Hope vs. No. 8 St. Michael | Tuesday, Feb. 25 | 3PM
• Semifinal 2: No. 6 Plainview vs. No. 1 Trinity | Tuesday, Feb. 25 | 6PM
• Championship: Friday, Feb. 28 | 4PM

Class 3A

• Boys
• Semifinal 1: No. 8 Mars Hill vs. No. 5 Houston Academy | Tuesday, Feb. 25 | 10:30AM
• Semifinal 2: No. 10 Glencoe vs. No. 2 Montgomery Academy | Tuesday, Feb. 25 | 1:30PM
• Championship: Friday, Feb. 28 | 2:15PM
• Girls
• Semifinal 1: No. 1 Lauderdale County vs. No. 4 T.R. Miller | Tuesday, Feb. 25 | 9AM
• Semifinal 2: Sylvania vs. No. 2 Saint James | Tuesday, Feb. 25 | 12PM
• Championship: Friday, Feb. 28 | 12:30PM

Class 2A

• Boys
• Semifinal 1: No. 5 Decatur Heritage vs. No. 1 Provide Christian | Monday, Feb. 24 | 4:30PM
• Semifinal 2: No. 4 Section vs. No. 3 Tuscaloosa Academy | Monday, Feb. 24 | 7:30 PM
• Championship: Friday, Feb. 28 | 10:45AM
• Girls
• Semifinal 1: No. 1 Decatur Heritage vs. No. 5 Abbeville | Monday, Feb. 24 | 3PM
• Semifinal 2: No. 7 Pisgah vs. Ranburne | Monday, Feb. 24 | 6PM
• Championship: Friday, Feb. 28 | 9AM

Class 1A

• Boys
• Semifinal 1: No. 7 Hubbertville vs. No. 8 Brantley | Monday, Feb. 24 | 10:30AM
• Semifinal 2: No. 3 Oakwood vs. No. 9 R.C. Hatch | Monday, Feb. 24 | 1:30 PM
• Championship: Thursday, Feb. 27 | 5:45PM
• Girls
• Semifinal 1: Brilliant vs. No. 9 McIntosh | Monday, Feb. 24 | 9AM
• Semifinal 2: No. 1 Spring Garden vs. No. 5 R.C. Hatch | Monday, Feb. 24 | 12PM
• Championship: Thursday, Feb. 27 | 4PM

What game are you most looking forward to watch during the state finals? Let us know by tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, Facebook + LinkedIn!