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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Billingsley High School’s varsity girl’s basketball team secured its spot in the Sweet 16 of the AHSAA Class 1A state basketball playoffs on Feb. 9. The Bears took down A.L. Johnson High School 67-65 in an overtime thriller that saw seven different players for Billingsley add at least four points to their scorebook. They were led by Alana Jones who had 25 points, 14 rebounds and seven steals to lead them to the Central Regionals in Birmingham.

“It is awesome, and I think we are still on a high from it,” Billingsley head coach Angela Jones said. “It just shows that if you trust the process it works, and I told them (before the A.L. Johnson game) you have to have a lion’s mentality, and be ready to fight and grind.”

Derrica Motley added 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists and five steals, and Kaliyah McCary rounded out the Billingsley scorers in double figures with 10 points. She was 3-for-5 from 3-point range, and added seven rebounds.

“I just think we are in a good spot mentally, and that is half, if not 98% of the battle,” Jones said. “We have to be able to move on from play to play, turnover to turnover or missed shot or made shot, and we can’t stay in that moment. It’s a marathon not a sprint.”

Billingsley plays Calhoun High School on Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. at Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham in the Sweet 16.