From there, the Jags took over.
Spain Park outscored Pelham 21-13 in the final quarter, fueled by clutch buckets from Morrison, Stewart and Wilkerson, along with airtight defense that forced key turnovers down the stretch. The Jaguars led by as many as six in the closing minutes before sealing the win at the free-throw line and with steals in the backcourt.
Stewart led Spain Park with 17 points, while Morrison added 15 points and controlled the paint in key moments. Wilkerson finished with 14 points in his return to the lineup, a presence that head coach DJ Black said made a significant difference.
“Pelham’s got a great team. They’re well-coached and they play hard,” Black said. “This is the third game this season where we’ve had all of our guys healthy. It’s been a season full of adversity, which we love. It’s going to make us better.”
Black lauded the connectivity of his team, particularly highlighting the play of Morrison as a spark.
“We really played together as a collective tonight. We always have that next man up mentality. Tommy’s a monster. A Division I, high-level basketball player. He’s starting to get back healthy. Once he’s fully 100 percent, watch out.”
The Panthers were led by Morrissette’s 17 points and Childress’ 13, but struggled to find consistency late as the Jags’ defensive pressure intensified. Pelham accrued just 13 points in the fourth quarter after averaging around 73 points per game entering the contest.
The Panthers will look to regroup at home following their first setback of the year on Friday, Jan. 16 when they face the Chelsea Hornets, who they beat 60-46 earlier in the season.
For one night in Hoover, Spain Park stole Pelham’s spotlight and ended a perfect season in dramatic fashion. The Jags will look to ride the momentum into another home game on Friday, Jan. 16 against Helena, looking to avenge a previous 46-36 loss.