By Scott Nickerson
Elmore Autauga News
Photos from Prattville High School and players
When the host Marbury Bulldogs cut Prattville’s lead to 1 point in the 4th quarter, the two-time defending Class 7A Region South champs turned to their most experienced players, Jayla West-Young, KeLeigh Mullens, and Jaina Misigah. The Lions scored the next 10 points and led by double digits for the remainder of the game. The experienced trio of Lions scored 14 of the Lions’ 15 4th quarter points and Prattville won the 2024 Autauga County Girls’ Basketball Tournament hosted by Marbury High School.
“I told the girls going into the 4th quarter to pick up the intensity but keep them off the free throw line,” said Prattville Head Coach Erica DuBois. “Most of their points were coming from free throws late in the game. Play clean while still playing our brand of basketball. They are in the type of shape to where late in the game, they can really pick up defense and push on offense. So I told them to just keep working.”
Mullens, who made Class 7A 3rd Team All-State as a freshman and sophomore, was in foul trouble most of the game, but scored 6 clutch points immediately after Marbury cut the lead to 43-42. She was named to the All-Tournament Team.
“Getting into foul trouble early forced us to rely on players coming off the bench,” said Coach DuBois. “I had two starters pretty much sitting the entire game until late. I am impressed with the players that came off the bench into this game. They didn’t let up, played hard and executed the game plan. Having two freshmen in at the same time for a good portion of the game can be scary, but when I was put in that situation during the game, they stepped up and played ball.”
West-Young made five 3-point shots and scored 17 points for the Lions. She was named the Most Valuable Player of the Autauga County Tournament. Jada Scott scored 15 points for the Lions and was also named to the Autauga County All-Tournament Team.
“It feels great winning this tournament,” said Coach DuBois. “It shows some promising things for the girls this year. But we have a lot of little things to fix so we can get better.”
For Marbury, Gabby Brown scored 18 points and Justice Blackmon scored 13 points. Both were named to the All-Tournament Team.
In the semi-finals of the county tournament, Prattville defeated Autaugaville 71-15, and Marbury defeated Prattville Christian Academy, the 5-time defending Autauga County tournament champs, by a score of 59-56.
According to Max Preps, Prattville’s record improves to 12-3, and Marbury’s record is now 10-4.
