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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Billingsley High School’s varsity girl’s basketball team defended its home floor and captured the AHSAA Class 1A Area 7 tournament championship on Feb. 6. The Bears took down Loachapoka High School 38-24 to capture the area tournament title and earn home-court advantage in the sub-regional round.

Alana Jones and Derrica Motley combined for 29 of the Bears’ 38 points in the final— Jones with 17 points and Motley with 12 points. Jones had a double-double in the final adding 13 rebounds and five steals to her totals. Motley was a rebound short of her double-double at nine boards, and had six assists and steals each. Billingsley dominated the rebounding battle grabbing 56 against Loachapoka.

After going 5-18 overall and 4-4 in their area last season, Billingsley won more games this season than it did the previous five seasons combined. They are 15-6 this season with at least one more game to come, and went 10-0 in area play including the area tournament.

“It has been about working together, and the girls have just grown,” Billingsley head coach Angela Jones said. “We added a new player, and the ones that played last year have just matured in the game. (They are) putting in the work, practicing every day and (we are) holding them accountable for what they do wrong and teaching them, and we are still teaching them the game, but they seem to understand it a lot more.”

Billingsley earned its sub-regional spot on Feb. 5 with a 60-21 win over Notasulga High School. Jones led the way with 28 points on 10-for-18 shooting, 3-for-4 from 3-point range, 18 rebounds and six steals. Motley had 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists and steals each, and Megan Chandler had 11 points and six rebounds.

Billingsley will host A.L. Johnson High School in the sub-regional on Feb. 9 at 6 p.m.