By Erik Harris
CLAY – Class 6A, Area 12 has run its regular season course, and both the Clay-Chalkville boys and girls teams secured at least a part of the league championship.
The eighth-ranked boys won the Area 12 championship outright with a 3-1 record in head coach Jeremy Monceaux’s first season. They will host the area tournament, which according to the Alabama High School Athletic Association, can be played any time between Jan. 31 and Feb. 7.
A 3-1 record was only good enough to share the hardware for the No. 2 Lady Cougars. Head coach Justin Haynie was five seconds away from winning the area outright when a crucial turnover against No. 3 Center Point sent the decisive game into overtime, where the Lady Eagles eventually won Jan. 13.
Center Point followed that up with a win over Pinson Valley three days later to match Clay-Chalkville’s 3-1 area mark. A coin toss will break the tie between Clay-Chalkville and the Lady Eagles later this week. No date has been set for the coin flip.
The final Area 12 girls’ standings: T1. Clay-Chalkville (3-1); T1. Center Point (3-1); 3. Pinson Valley (0-4).
Monceaux and the boys also split with Center Point this season, with both contests going to the home team. But the boys got help from Pinson Valley in the final area game of the year. The Indians found a way to pull the upset at Center Point 53-51 on Friday night. It was Pinson Valley’s only area win of the season.
Clay-Chalkville then took to Twitter to celebrate the title.
“Pinson Valley upsets Center Point tonight which makes your Cougars outright Area 12 Regular Season Champs! Will host Area 12 Tournament!,” read the Clay-Chalkville High School basketball Twitter account.
The boys’ final Area 12 standings: 1. Clay-Chalkville (3-1); 2. Center Point (2-2); 3. Pinson Valley (1-3).