By WESLEY HALLMAN / Sports Editor

HOMEWOOD — Members of the Spain Park High School girls’ basketball team may have been given the day off from schoolwork, but the Jaguars still faced a big test Jan. 17 on the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

Spain Park met Madison Academy, one of the top-ranked high school basketball squads in the nation, in the MLK Classic at the Pete Hanna Center on the Samford University campus.

The athletic Mustangs jumped out to an early lead and led throughout the contest to hand the Jaguars a 48-27 loss.

Whitney Gulledge led Spain Park (14-10) with eight points, including six points in the opening half.

Kathryn Boswell and Kelsie Williams added six points each. Tori Morgan and Jasmine Moore contributed three points each.

Colby Ryan led the Jaguars with six rebounds. Boswell and Jessica Freeman grabbed four rebounds each.

Madison Academy opened the contest with a 17-2 run. Meanwhile, the Jaguars could only muster two baskets in the first quarter and trailed by 12 points after the opening period.

Gulledge and Boswell contributed a 3-pointer each in the second quarter for the Jaguars’ only baskets in the period, as the Mustangs headed into the locker room at halftime with a 28-11 lead.

Madison Academy led by as many as 26 points in the second half. Moore scored on an offensive rebound and Williams nailed a 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter to cut the final margin of defeat to 21 points.

Montevallo tops Northside in area contest

The Montevallo High School girls’ basketball team defeated Northside 57-29 in a Class 3A, Area 7 contest Jan. 17.

Amber Cardwell led the Bulldogs (7-7 overall, 1-3 in Class 3A, Area 7) with 25 points. Cardwell also grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds to finish with a double-double.

Savannah Smith added 13 points and a team-high five assists.

Kingwood Christian tops Morgan Academy

The Kingwood Christian School girls’ basketball team defeated Morgan Academy 31-20 on Jan. 17.

Whitney Gillespie led the Lions (7-12) with 18 points.

Gillespie also finished with seven steals in the victory.

Coosa Valley defeats South Montgomery

The Coosa Valley Academy girls’ basketball team defeated South Montgomery County Academy 57-24 on Jan. 17.

Amelia Ripley led the Rebels (12-2) with 17 points. Ripley also grabbed a team-high 14 rebounds.

Jordan Smiley added 16 points and 12 rebounds. Lauren Archer contributed eight points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.

Hope Christian defeats Cahawba Christian

The Hope Christian School girls’ basketball team defeated Cahawba Christian School 44-13 on Jan. 17.

Leigh Wilson-Legg led the Eagles (9-5) with 16 points.

Davina Drew added nine points. Christina Jones chipped in six points. Joelle Reed and Brooke Machen, who recorded four steals, finished with four points each.

Rachel Holmes, who scored two points, grabbed a team-high five rebounds.

BOYS

Montevallo falls to Northside in area contest

The Montevallo High School boys’ basketball team fell on the road at Northside 47-27 in a Class 3A, Area 7 contest.

Demetrouse Conwell led the Bulldogs (4-11 overall, 0-4 in Class 3A, Area 7) with eight points.

Kingwood Christian defeats Morgan Academy

The Kingwood Christian School boys’ basketball team defeated Morgan Academy 57-40 on Jan. 17.

Daniel Fillingim led the Lions (13-8) with 22 points. Fillingim added a team-high 18 rebounds to finish with a double-double.

Ben Littrell contributed 16 points.

Coosa Valley downs South Montgomery

The Coosa Valley Academy boys’ basketball team defeated South Montgomery County Academy 63-36 on Jan. 17.

Sam Bullard led the Rebels (6-10) with 19 points. Bullard also grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds to finish with a double-double.

John Bullen also recorded a double-double with 16 points and a team-high 10 assists. Steven Cryer contributed 10 points.

Hope Christian defeats Cahawba Christian

The Hope Christian School boys’ basketball team defeated Cahawba Christian School 62-49 on Jan. 17.

Pete Thomason led the Eagles (8-7) with 17 points. Thomason also grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds to finish with a double-double.

Blake Thomas chipped in 13 points. Caleb Douglas added 12 points and seven rebounds in the victory.

Seth Burnham contributed nine points and six rebounds. Terrance Moore finished with eight points.