By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

BIRMINGHAM – The Montevallo High School boys’ basketball team moved to 5-0 on the young season after winning the Second Annual Cornerstone Thanksgiving Classic, hosted by Cornerstone School in Birmingham. The Bulldogs beat the host team Cornerstone in the finals on Nov. 24 by a final of 85-75.

The Bulldogs took the floor in the first round of and beat Talladega County Central easily by a final of 63-34. The Bulldogs scored 21 points in the first quarter and only gave up 20 points total in the first three quarters combined. Smith and Hall both had 11 points on the day while Daqwan Bryant added 10 as the Bulldogs coasted to the win.

After moving on to the semifinals, Montevallo turned its attention to a feisty Bayside Academy team, which jumped out to a 15-7 lead on Montevallo in the first quarter. The Bulldogs responded in the second quarter and went into the half trailing 28-25. Behind Hall’s 14-point, six-rebound, five-assist effort, Montevallo stayed perfect on the season, winning its closest game of the year to date, by a final of 63-61

The Bayside game proved to be the closest game of the tournament for Montevallo, as the Bulldogs beat the Eagles by a final of 85-75 to stay perfect on the year. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 20-7 lead, which proved to be the difference in the game, as Cornerstone chipped away slightly at that lead throughout the rest of the game, but never could come all the way back against the Bulldogs. 

Tavarus Hall was named the Tournament MVP after hitting eight threes in the championship game to go along with five rebounds and five assists. Tae’ Smith finished with 19 points and seven board in the game and was named to the All-Tournament team as was Undreaz Lilly, who finished with 12 points and nine rebounds in the championship game.