Girls tip off classic at Fairview continues traditional event:
Four local girls' teams get the season started on November 8:
GDW Analysis:
FAIRVIEW: Tradition continues from Fairview High School with the Lady Aggies' basketball tip off classic on Saturday.
This has become a common event on opening weekend of AHSAA hoops for several years.
It started when Justin Billings was in charge of Fairview basketball and now continues with great quality as Chris Nichols enters his 3rd year directing the Lady Aggies.
Four teams locally will see the new schedule begin from Joe Shults Gymnasium.
The resume with the locals include a state runner up from 2025, a regional runner up last season and two programs moving forward in their respective classification.
The schedule:
11:30: Albertville vs. Lauderdale Co
1:00: Good Hope vs. Muscle Shoals
2:30: Cullman Christian vs. Holly Pond
4:00: Fairview vs. Geraldine.
In the opener, Albertville who made tremendous strides last season when the school hired former Susan Moore coach Natasha Smallwood to take over.
Albertville went 29 & 3 and was a game away of getting to the Final Four in Class 7A.
Leading the team is senior Lani Smallwood. Smallwood was the MVP for the North in the AHSAA All Star game July 22 in Montgomery, seen by Gameday Weekly.
Lauderdale County has a great resume in winning last year's 3A state championship. Coach Carla Clemons returns good talent from seniors Ansley Shelton, Armani Thomas, Emery Owens and junior Kenzie Mobley.
For Good Hope, the quest to remain a strong squad is there despite losing all state standout Ava McSwain to graduation.
Point guard Ella Gossett continues to display skills needed in her position, now she is a junior for coach Justin Aby.
Lucie Adams is steady in her play on the front line while Sophie Konard heads into her freshman season after making impact in the Lady Raiders' run toward the state title last year.
Lexi Marshall is part of the backcourt with speed and consistent play.
Muscle Shoals comes to the classic seeking a good day against one of Cullman County's elite programs.
A standout for Muscle Shoals is senior power forward Makenzie Sears. Sears is the sister of former Muscle Shoals and University of Alabama standout Mark Sears.
Cullman Christian's Lady Lions are a first time participant with the squad maturing under the leadership of coach Heith Yearwood.
Seniors Zoe Powell and Gracie Stidham have grown in providing leadership and hard play. Junior Piper Coots handles things from the point guard position with assistance being shown by junior Lila Sellers in the post and sophomore Rylee Stubbs from the backcourt.
CCS gets a Holly Pond squad who went on a great postseason run, upsetting Vinemont in the 3A, Area 11 Tournament before they lost in the Northwest Regional final to Lauderdale County.
This is Mary Hartline's fourth year with the team. Holly Pond went from 13 & 13 in 2023/24 to 21 & 9 last season.
The Lady Broncos are pleased to see a healthy Madison Butts at PG, now a junior.
She is surrounded by determined personnel such as leading scorer Ava Thomas at forward, Maggie Nail at shooting guard, Sadie Nail in the post and Blakely Baggett from the forward position.
Fairview will put an experienced cast of Lady Aggies on the floor in the finale of the classic vs. Geraldine.
Darby Nichols is the floor leader with the senior point guard having options to utilize for Fairview to seek improving the victory total from 16 in 2024/25.
Whitney Quick brings solid shooting skills from the perimeter, Davie Stidham works on the opposite side of Quick in the backcourt.
Kailyn Redding is a boost for the team at 5'10" and in the middle.
Mali Gregory and her sister Maci present experience from the wing and low post area.
Geraldine is a new opponent and eager to get back into a winning formula following last season that went 9 wins & 16 losses.
Jamie Gilbert is in his 6th season with the Lady Bulldogs.
Sadie Cox is a sophomore that performed well last season for the team in GDW analyzing this 3A school from Dekalb County.
Their roster consists of 3 seniors, a junior, 3 sophomores and a freshman.
Geraldine had a stretch of winning 5 of 7 games between December 10 and January 13 of the previous season.
They were eliminated by Sylvania 55 to 50 in the 3A, Area 13 Tournament semifinals at Fyffe High School.
Photo of the 2025/26 Fairview Lady Aggies basketball team.
Photo courtesy of Fairview High School.
