Saint James dominates 3A Area 5 Championship

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Saint James continued its winning ways at home, improving to <strong>28–4 on the season</strong> with a strong performance against Montgomery Academy. Notably, all of their in-state losses this season have come at the hands of <strong>higher classification opponents</strong>, highlighting the team's dominance within their class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Next up, Saint James will host <strong>Sumter Central</strong> on Friday at 6:00 PM, aiming to extend their winning streak and maintain momentum heading deeper into the postseason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1207423"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698e7b3f572ad"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>17 points | 2 rebounds | 2 assists | 2 steals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1207423' first='Morgan' last='Lilly'] led Saint James with 17 points, delivering a strong two-way performance. A true <strong>combo guard</strong>, she impacts the game on and off the ball while competing defensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">As a <strong>three-level scorer</strong>, Lilly can finish at the rim, score in the mid-range, and stretch the defense from deep. Add in her defensive activity and playmaking ability, and she continues to prove she's a complete backcourt presence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1165218"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698e7b3f5734d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>15 points | 3 rebounds | 2 steals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1165218' first='Kaitlin' last='Mitchell'] delivered a strong all-around performance, finishing with 15 points while impacting both ends of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A true <strong>three-level scorer</strong>, Mitchell can attack the rim, score in the mid-range, and knock down shots from deep. Defensively, she competes with intensity, making her a reliable <strong>two-way player</strong> who contributes beyond the scoring column.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["981283"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698e7b3f573bf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='981283' first='Natalie' last='Barton'] | Area MVP</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>12 points | 3 rebounds | 3 assists | 7 steals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='981283' first='Natalie' last='Barton'] earned <strong>Area MVP honors</strong> with a standout all-around performance. She contributed 12 points while creating havoc on defense with <strong>7 steals</strong>, showing why she's a complete <strong>two-way player</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Offensively, Barton is a <strong>three-level scorer</strong>, capable of finishing at the rim, scoring from mid-range, and hitting perimeter shots. Defensively, her anticipation and quick hands allow her to disrupt opposing offenses and generate transition opportunities.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kaden Fair ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12122","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Saint James","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698e7b3f574a3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong>Kaden Fair | Forward</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>10 points | 3 rebounds | 2 assists | 1 steal</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kaden Fair contributed a solid performance with <strong>10 points</strong>, showing efficiency and reliability on the offensive end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">He added <strong>3 rebounds and 2 assists</strong>, helping his team maintain possession and flow. While not flashy, Fair's consistent play and ability to contribute across multiple areas make him a dependable presence on the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->