Northridge's Jakeya Horton scores career-high 26 points to lead top performers
Here are the top performers in the Tuscaloosa area for the week of Dec. 29.
Boys basketball
American Christian Academy's Davis Dare put up a combined 65 points and 18 assists in three games at the Rogers Holiday Invitational.
Central's King Larkin's performance in the KSA Holiday Tournament in Orlando, Florida included 42 points and 25 assists across three games, along with Javion Taylor who put up 42 points, 19 rebounds and three steals in tournament play.
Central's Deundre Grant put up 20 points and eight rebounds in a 66-44 win over Highland Home in Day 1 of the Big Orange Classic. Javion Taylor added 17 points and five rebounds and Tyler Colvin added eight points to go with six rebounds.
Central's Thaddeus Long put up 18 points and Javion Taylor 16 in a 59-51 win over Briarwood in the semifinals of the Big Orange Classic. Deundre Grant added 15 points and eight rebounds in the win, while King Larkin added 10 points and six rebounds.
Central finished runner-up in the Black Bracket of the Big Orange Classic following a 42-33 loss to John Carroll.
Northridge's John Walker scored 15 points in a 45-42 loss to John Carroll in Day 1 of the Big Orange Classic. Anderson Wilkin and Marquez Barrera each added eight points.
Northridge's John Walker led the Jaguars with 21 points in a 71-45 win over Calhoun City in Day 2 of the Big Orange Classic as they improved to 16-2 on the season. Anderson Wilkin and Jordan Suiter each added 10.
Northridge saw 10 different players score in the 63-18 win over Highland Home on Day 3 of the Big Orange Classic. John Walker led the team with 13, followed by Jonas Wilkin and Anderson Wilkin with 10 each.
Northside's Luke Mason put up a combined 28 points and 14 rebounds across two games at the Brookwood Panther Holiday Jam Classic.
Paul W. Bryant's Rafe Merriweather put up 16 points in an 88-44 win over Mt. Zion (Georgia) in Day 2 of the Catch-A-Taste Holiday Tournament, while Adrian Wooley scored 11.
Paul W. Bryant's Adrian Wooley put up 16 points in a 51-45 win over Shades Valley on Day 3 of the Catch-A-Taste Holiday Tournament. Rashenzo Sullivan added 13 points and Rafe Merriweather 10.
Tuscaloosa County's Jaxon Pearson led the team with 12 points in a 49-42 win over Smiths Station in Day 2 of the Catch-A-Taste Holiday Tournament. Jackson Moore and Ford Traweek finished with 10 each.
Tuscaloosa County's Sheldrick McNeal Jr. finished with 16 points in the 68-63 win over Mt. Zion (Georgia) in Day 3 of the Catch-A-Taste Holiday Tournament. Ford Traweek scored 12 and Jackson Moore added 11.
West Blocton's Markell O'Neil added 18 points, six rebounds and five steals in the 57-49 win over LAMP in Day 1 of the Billingsley High School Winter Challenge, while Montray Washington added 13 points and six rebounds.
West Blocton's Markell O'Neil logged 17 points, eight rebounds and six steals in the Tigers' 66-28 win over Billingsley to win the Billingsley High School Winter Challenge. Brody Martin added 15 points, while Montray Washington added 10.
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Girls basketball
Hillcrest's Sinaya Gibson put up 14 points in the 39-32 win over Lee-Huntsville on Day 1 of the BallN Prep Tournament, while Ny Davis added 10.
Hillcrest's Jareah Branch led the team with 12 points in the 47-36 win over Sparkman on Day 2 of the BallN Prep Tournament. Ny Davis added 11 points of her own.
Hillcrest's Bri Turner scored 12 points, including the game-winning 3-point shot, in the 46-44 win over Pleasant Grove on Day 3 of the BallN Prep Tournament. Jareah Branch put up 11 and Sinaya Gibson added 10.
Northridge's Jakeya Horton led the team in scoring with 22 points in the 47-37 loss to T.R. Miller in Day 1 of the Pea River Christmas Classic.
Northridge's Jakeya Horton scored a career-high 26 points in the 75-28 win over Straughn on Day 2 of the Pea River Christmas Classic. Ryan Bardenwerper added 21 points and Tremyah Washington added 10.
Northridge's Jakeya Horton put up 15 points and Ryan Bardenwerper 14 in the 56-23 win over Pike County on Day 3 of the Pea River Christmas Classic.
Anna Snyder covers high school sports and University of Alabama recruiting for The Tuscaloosa News. Reach her at asnyder@gannett.com. Follow her on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, @annaesnyder2
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Here are the Tuscaloosa area top performers from the week of Dec. 29
