Top-seeded and undefeated Southern Middle downed No. 2 Leestown 41-31 in the “B” league basketball tournament finals, led by AJ Slaughter with 19 points. Southern, which limited Leestown to 10 points in the second half, had knocked off Jessie Clark and Bryan Station in the earlier rounds.

“I’m so proud of how the boys stayed focused throughout the season,” said Coach Ish Thomas. “They took it game by game, week by week. The way each player sacrificed for the team and didn’t worry about individual stats and goals speaks to the high character of them as young men. What a team, what a family!”

Thomas singled out co-captains AJ Slaughter and Daveyon Walker, along with the handful of sixth graders who contributed. "Greg Mason-Bell, Eli Hammons, and Miles Dabney were three of them that pushed us over the top and helped us be a real contender for the title," he said. "But overall, it was a group effort that earned us an undefeated season by winning both regular season and tournament titles." 

The squad also included Grant Hatton, Tobey Howard, Gabe Johnson, Brayden McCubbins, Blake Miller, Cooper Quaglio, and James Thomas. The assistant coaches were Mark Shearer and Ryan Ratliff.

Posted March 16, 2023