Phenix City, AL (WRBL) – The Glenwood Boys Basketball team hasn’t won a State Championship since 2017. However the Gators finally ended the Championship drought ended with a buzzer beater in this year’s Class 3A Championship Game against Macon East. Glenwood won the final game of the season 41-39. The team is still in shock of that thrilling ending.

Junior Brandon McCraine hit the game winning shot and is still in shock
“It was great! Loss of words,” said McCraine.

“To be honest with you I’ve watched the video over and over again and I’m still in shock. I was in shock when it went in. When it went in, I’m looking around like did we really just win this?!,” said Glenwood head coach Dusty Perdue.

“It means the world because it’s the senior’s last chance and to help them win it, it means a lot,” said sophomore forward Mason McCraine.

Until this season, the Gators just couldn’t get past the Elite Eight round of the AISA playoffs. At times it felt like a curse for the Glenwood boys basketball team. This year was a massive relief to get past that bump in the road.

“To get past that and the Final Four and win State it was awesome,” said senior forward Lukas Holman.

Head Coach Dusty Perdue described this team as a group made up of athletes that were defined by grit and a ruthless determination. Their road to the championship was defined by the phrase “why not us?”

“Once you have that killer instinct or the instinct to win and never want to quit and that’s how you win ball games. You know the adrenaline took over. Their ‘want to’ took over and ‘Why Not Us?,” said Perdue.

These champions will never forget this run to the top of AISA’s Class 3A.

“It means everything. This is the best group of guys I’ve ever played with,” said Holman.

Congratulations to our newest Kia AutoSport Athletes of the Week, the Class 3A State Champions the Glenwood Boys Basketball Team.