Team defeated Oakwood Adventist in semifinals on Monday in Birmingham
R.C Hatch’s Bobcats and Lady Bobcats basketball teams both played in the 1A division semifinals held at the BJCC on Monday, February 24, 2025. The Lady Bobcats took the floor first in a noon game against the Spring Garden Panthers. The Hatch girls team entered the game with an impressive record of 25-3 but couldn’t overcome the Panthers (35-1) and their point guard phenom Ace Austin. Austin is the Gadsden Times player of the year and an Alabama Crimson Tide signee who has been featured in an ESPN top 100 recruit ranking list. Austin picked up a triple-double in the game with 32 points, 11 assists, 11 rebounds, and 5 steals, paving the way for the Panthers 81- 3 R 4 rout over the Lady Bobcats.
The R.C Hatch boys team tipped off against Oakwood Adventist Academy at 1:30. The Bobcats got off to a quick start, leading Oakwood 13-9 halfway through the first quarter. The Mustangs narrowed that lead to a point by the start of the second quarter, with R.C Hatch up 17-16. The Bobcats started the second quarter with a scoring run, notching 8 points to just 2 from Oakwood. But the Mustangs quickly came back, and the score was 31- 29 with Hatch up at the half.
Both teams showed why they made it to the finals in the third quarter, bringing the score to 52-41 with fast plays and multiple layups. Bobcat Merion Jones tipped in a rebound at the buzzer to close the quarter.
R.C Hatch went on a 3 for 3 streak in the fourth quarter, leading at 58-51 with less than five minutes to play. The Mustangs brought the Bobcats’ lead down to 4 with a pair of free throws in the final three minutes. Oakwood’s Austin Germono sank a three-point shot in the closing minutes of the game, but the R.C Hatch Bobcats won 65-61. The team will play the Brantley Bulldogs in the 1A Championship Game Thursday.
