Gulf Shores’ longest girls’ basketball season in program history came to an end in the Class 5A state semifinals with a 54-34 loss to Scottsboro on Wednesday. The Dolphins finished with a 29-7 overall record.

However, this year’s team raised the standard for winning basketball games in Gulf Shores and head coach Brian Sexton couldn’t have been more appreciative to the senior class for their efforts.

“These girls have been to four Sweet 16s, two Elite Eights, a Final Four; they’ve grown the expectation to win at Gulf Shores in basketball,” Sexton said in the postgame press conference. “I’m proud of them for building that. They don’t walk in and hope to win, they walk in and expect to win. When we worked them hard all fall, our core freshman class doesn’t know anything different now. That’s all they know is how hard these girls worked.”

‘What does this team mean to you?’

The emotions were visible when asked what this team and the Class of 2024 meant to Sexton.

“We’re a family in Gulf Shores,” Sexton said after a sigh and a look to senior point guard Maya Griffin. “It’s going to be sad to see them go. We’ve spent so many hours together, they’ve all been in the program every year and it’s just hard to see them go.”

During Griffin’s time as a Gulf Shores Dolphin, the Coastal South signee said there was plenty she learned and hoped the younger classes took notes.

“After my sophomore year, we graduated every senior so our junior year we had no one older than us,” Griffin explained. “Now that we’re seniors and we’re leaving, I feel like us getting to the Final Four shows the younger girls that you may not have all the weapons you need, but over time you can fill your artillery with those weapons. You can get to be that great, you can make it to the final four. Six seniors are graduating? That’s OK, fill in everyone’s place.”

Royal already setting the tone for next season

Junior forward Keyona Royal will be one of the crucial returning pieces for Sexton and the Dolphins next season and her sights were already set on putting in the work to return to the state finals.

“(This year) really shows we can do anything,” Royal said. “As a team, yes you have to believe but that’s when you have to show up to practice and show that you really want it and talk about it like, ‘We made it and we can get there again.’”

The head coach, too, knows that Royal and the rest of the returners will remember the sting from Wednesday’s Final Four loss.

“Those young girls are going to be ready and we’re going to be alright next year, but we’ll miss these seniors,” Sexton said.

Stat sheet

Alyssa Thompson was Gulf Shores’ leading scorer Wednesday night with 11 points to go along with 3 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block. Maggie Myers was right behind with 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals.

Royal pulled down 10 rebounds to complement 8 points, 2 steals and 1 assist and Griffin finished with 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block and 1 steal. Defensive specialist Tristyn Baggett logged 3 points and 3 rebounds, Ansley Warner recorded 4 rebounds, Kate Cimino collected 1 rebound and Anna Murray registered 1 assist.

Final thoughts

“Disappointed for my girls, they worked hard just disappointed with the outcome,” Sexton said. “Proud of everything they’ve done all season. These seniors, it’s sad to see them go. We wanted to see them go out on top, but it wasn’t our night.”