JAGUARS HAND SPARTANS FIRST LOSS

The Mae Jemison coach won his 11th title in the event's 34-year history as Alabama signee John Petty scored 21 points to lead the Jaguars past previously unbeaten Mountain Brook 64-53 tonight at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville. Doss and Petty combined to help J.O. Johnson win the previous two Classic crowns. "This one was really special because we beat a great team," Doss said. "It was two different systems and you wonder which system is going to win. We felt good about our system. Defensively, can you ever see a team play any better than that against a great team? Our kids played most of the game. He (Spartans coach Bucky McMillan) substituted a lot of his after two or three minutes. It showed what kind of fortitude we had." Class 5A, No. 1-ranked Mae Jemison (17-4) built a 13-point lead in the second quarter and led 25-18 at the break. Class 7A top-ranked Mountain Brook (17-1) rallied to within a point four times in the third quarter, but never led. Spartans five-star sophomore forward Trendon Watford fouled out with 3:11 left in the game after picking up two fouls in 33 seconds. He finished with 14 points and five rebounds. Game ball: Petty, the reigning state Mr. Basketball, also had seven rebounds and six assists. He picked up his fourth foul with 6:25 left in the fourth quarter, but stayed in the game and avoided fouling out. He picked up his second foul on a personal call earlier in the quarter, followed immediately by a technical. "It was tough," Petty said of playing with four fouls. "I had to play smart and that's what I did." Play of the game: Jemison's Brandon Nicholas got loose on a fast break and bounced a pass off the backboard to Petty, who was unable to slam the ball home, but still managed a nice layup early in the fourth quarter for a nine-point lead.

JAGUARS HAND SPARTANS FIRST LOSS

Photo Credit: Bob Gathany