Shields works magic in Mobile
Shields head basketball coach Jerome Sanders has done it again. He has led the J.F. Shields Panthers back to the state basketball tournament and has put his team in a position to win its third-straight state basketball title.
This column is being written on Monday afternoon, so everyone will know the result of Tuesday’s Shields-Section game when this column hits the streets on Wednesday night. Win or lose, Sanders has put his team in a position to make history, which makes this trip to the state tournament extra special.
Just how special is Shields’ trip to the state tournament this year?
Thanks to state titles in 1972, 1994, 2004 and 2005, Shields is currently tied for third place on the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s list of most all-time state basketball championships. A win over Section on Tuesday and a win in the state championship game tonight (Thursday) will give Shields outright possession of third place on that list.
R.C. Hatch, located in Uniontown, holds the state record for most all-time state championships. Since 1978, they’ve won seven state titles, more than any other team in the history of the state.
Six schools (Sumter County, Central-Tuscaloosa, Woodlawn, Francis Marion, Sidney Lanier and Holy Family) have six state titles to their credit and are tied for second place in the record books.
A win today in the finals would also give Shields its third-straight state title. This is no small accomplishment. Only five schools in the history of organized high school basketball in Alabama have won three or more state titles in a row.
Francis Marion High School in Perry County holds the state record, having won four-straight state titles from 1988 to 1991. Only four other schools have managed to win three-straight state championships. Brantley did it from 1993 to 1995. Austinville won three-straight from 1957 to 1959. Geraldine did it from 1931 to 1933, and Simpson won three-straight from 1923 to 1925. A win today in the finals would allow Shields to join this elite class of basketball schools.
What is the secret to Shields’ success? I can sum it up in one word – leadership. From top to bottom, Shields’ basketball program enjoys outstanding leadership, the most important factor in the success of many of life’s endeavors, whether its sports, family, church or business.
Sanders is a first-rate coach, and Shields is lucky to have him. (Is he the greatest coach in the history of Monroe County sports? Probably.) Not only does he have two state titles under his coaching belt, but he also played on Shields’ 1972 state championship team, under Hall of Fame Coach W.R. Averette and alongside future NBA player John Drew.
In addition to Sanders, Shields also benefits from having Marion McIntosh and Herbert Blackmon on the basketball sidelines. Few people in Southwest Alabama can coach basketball like Sanders, McIntosh and Blackmon. Together, the three could probably even coach the Atlanta Hawks to an NBA title.
In the end, let’s hope that Shields whipped Section on Tuesday morning, putting the Panthers in a position to win that fifth overall title tonight. If so, Sanders and his team have made history. If not, there’s always next year. I’m sure that Sanders can lead them to "The Big Dance" again.
This column is being written on Monday afternoon, so everyone will know the result of Tuesday’s Shields-Section game when this column hits the streets on Wednesday night. Win or lose, Sanders has put his team in a position to make history, which makes this trip to the state tournament extra special.
Just how special is Shields’ trip to the state tournament this year?
Thanks to state titles in 1972, 1994, 2004 and 2005, Shields is currently tied for third place on the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s list of most all-time state basketball championships. A win over Section on Tuesday and a win in the state championship game tonight (Thursday) will give Shields outright possession of third place on that list.
R.C. Hatch, located in Uniontown, holds the state record for most all-time state championships. Since 1978, they’ve won seven state titles, more than any other team in the history of the state.
Six schools (Sumter County, Central-Tuscaloosa, Woodlawn, Francis Marion, Sidney Lanier and Holy Family) have six state titles to their credit and are tied for second place in the record books.
A win today in the finals would also give Shields its third-straight state title. This is no small accomplishment. Only five schools in the history of organized high school basketball in Alabama have won three or more state titles in a row.
Francis Marion High School in Perry County holds the state record, having won four-straight state titles from 1988 to 1991. Only four other schools have managed to win three-straight state championships. Brantley did it from 1993 to 1995. Austinville won three-straight from 1957 to 1959. Geraldine did it from 1931 to 1933, and Simpson won three-straight from 1923 to 1925. A win today in the finals would allow Shields to join this elite class of basketball schools.
What is the secret to Shields’ success? I can sum it up in one word – leadership. From top to bottom, Shields’ basketball program enjoys outstanding leadership, the most important factor in the success of many of life’s endeavors, whether its sports, family, church or business.
Sanders is a first-rate coach, and Shields is lucky to have him. (Is he the greatest coach in the history of Monroe County sports? Probably.) Not only does he have two state titles under his coaching belt, but he also played on Shields’ 1972 state championship team, under Hall of Fame Coach W.R. Averette and alongside future NBA player John Drew.
In addition to Sanders, Shields also benefits from having Marion McIntosh and Herbert Blackmon on the basketball sidelines. Few people in Southwest Alabama can coach basketball like Sanders, McIntosh and Blackmon. Together, the three could probably even coach the Atlanta Hawks to an NBA title.
In the end, let’s hope that Shields whipped Section on Tuesday morning, putting the Panthers in a position to win that fifth overall title tonight. If so, Sanders and his team have made history. If not, there’s always next year. I’m sure that Sanders can lead them to "The Big Dance" again.
posted by Lee Peacock at 3:16 PM
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