For the second time in three years, two Dallas County Schools are back in Birmingham in the Alabama High School Athletic Association state finals.

Dallas County’s boys and Keith’s girls qualified for the state semifinals with wins at the central regional at Alabama State University this week. Their wins gave the Dallas County School System — which has only three high schools — its fifth appearance in Birmingham among the three schools since 2013.

Dallas County made the state finals for the second straight year, while Keith’s girls made it for the second time in three seasons. Southside’s boys also made the championship game in 2013. The Keith boys also made it to Birmingham in 2011.

If the Hornets are going to repeat and if the Lady Bears are going to win their first girls basketball championship since 1990, both teams are going to have to go through at least two more elite teams. Dallas County will face Ramsay Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. The winner will face the winner of Wednesday’s other semifinal between Faith Academy and J.O. Johnson in Saturday’s championship game at 11 a.m.

Keith will play Decatur-Heritage at 9 a.m. Monday. The winner will face the winner of Monday’s other semifinal between Brantley and Spring Garden in Thursday’s championship game at 4 p.m.

 

5A Boys Finals Notebook:

Dallas County (24-5)

• The Hornets are technically aiming for a different championship — the 5A crown — this season after winning the 4A championship in 2014.
• Dallas County attempted more free throws (78) in its two regional games than any of the other three 5A boys still playing. J.O. Johnson and Faith Academy each attempted 67 free throws apiece and Ramsay only took 39 free throws.
• Hornets senior Jerrod Moorer scored 65 points in the two regional games, which is an average of 32.5 per contest. Moorer’s 65 points were the most of any player in the state during the regional round.
• Moorer attempted more free throws (44) in the two regional games than Dallas County’s semifinal opponent, Ramsay (39), did as a team did in its two games.
• Dallas County has six seniors, more than Ramsay (5), J.O. Johnson (4) and Faith Academy (3).

 

Ramsay (29-5)

• Ramsay defeated Parker in a rematch of last year’s 5A championship game to win the northwest regional title. Ramsay lost the 2014 title game to Parker.
• No Ramsay player scored more than 22 total points in the team’s two games last week in the northwest regional. On paper, the Rams enter the state finals as the most balanced 5A team remaining.

 

Faith Academy (34-2)

• Faith Academy defeated Greenville and Vigor in Dothan to win the south regional and advance to the AHSAA state finals.
• Faith was led in scoring in the regional tournament games by Rod Williams, who averaged 20.5 points. Four Faith players averaged over 10 points per game in regional play — Williams, Shawn Bernard, RJ Mhoon and Josh Hill.

 

J.O. Johnson (30-4)

• Dallas County came from behind to defeat J.O. Johnson in overtime of last year’s 4A state championship game. Both teams sit one win away from a rematch in this year’s 5A state championship game.
• Four J.O. Johnson players averaged double figure scoring in the regional round — Terrion Bone (18), Devonte Lanier (16), Justin Hopkins (15.5) and Jarius Grayson (12).

 

1A Girls Finals Notebook:

Keith (27-5)

• Keith is back in the AHSAA finals after making it to the championship game in 2013. After leading by five at halftime, the Bears lost to Brantley in that title game.
• Harriet Winchester averaged 22 points per game in the Bears’ two central regional victories over Loachapoka and Sunshine, but she filled the statsheet in many other areas too. Winchester also averaged 7 rebounds per game, 2 blocks and 2.5 steals per game in those wins.
• Keith forward Zykia Pettway did most of her damage on the boards. She had 15 rebounds against Sunshine and 11 against Loachapoka.
• Outside of Winchester, Shatavia Moore was the only Bears’ player that scored in double figures in both wins. Moore scored 12 in both games.

Decatur-Heritage (23-5)

• The Eagles appear a bit more balanced than Keith, who they will face in the first 1A semifinal Monday. In each of Decatur’s two regional wins, four players scored in double figures. Savannah Naylor led the way averaging 14 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5 assists per game.
• While Keith did not make a single three-pointer in its regional wins (0-for-7), Decatur made 6-of-21. Maddie Vinton made half of those (3-for-12) and knocked in all six of her free throw attempts.
• Decatur finished its regional games with a plus-2 rebounding margin. Keith finished -3 against Loachapoka and Sunshine.

Brantley (27-2)

• Brantley defeated Pleasant Home for the fifth time this season to return to Birmingham. Brantley has won the last two 1A state titles.
• Payton Burnett led the Bulldogs with 19 points per game in the regionals.
• Brantley outrebounded J.F. Shields 50-36 and Pleasant Home 30-18 to finish an impressive plus-26 on the boards in the regional round.

 

Spring Garden (32-2)

• Tykeah Rogers totaled 35 points and 28 rebounds in Spring Garden’s wins over Woodville and Talladega County.
• Spring Garden made 15-of-29 threes in its regional wins.
• Of the four, Keith and Spring Garden have the fewest number of seniors (1). Brantley and Decatur have 4.