Alabama
The new role Mark Sears needs to fill for Alabama
Alabama men’s basketball doesn’t need or want Mark Sears to fill the role he did in 2023-24.
Sears doesn’t need to be the player averaging 21.5 points and 33.6 minutes per game for this version of the Crimson Tide to succeed at a high level. And frankly, it’s going to be a challenge for him to do that again, as it already has been. Teams are too aware of him.
“First thing is, he’s got to understand it’s going to be a lot different than any other college year for him because he’s preseason player of the year, people are going to design their defense to stop him,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said. “He may play a game where he has an unbelievably great game and only scores five points but he moves the ball around and attracts so much attention that it makes it easier for his teammates.”
Sears’ role on this new roster has moved to center stage after he scored no points and didn’t play as much in a win over Illinois last week. He played 13 minutes in the first half then eight minutes in the second. Sears finished 0-for-5 and 0-for-4 from deep. Yet No. 8 Alabama won 100-87 at Legacy Arena in the CM Newton Classic.
Alabama got strong play from its other guards: Labaron Philon, Latrell Wrightsell Jr. and Aden Holloway. Philon scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds and tallied nine assists. Wrightsell Jr. also scored 16 but had two rebounds and four assists. Then Holloway scored 18 and made 3 of 4 from deep.
Alabama didn’t have that much talent or depth in its backcourt a season ago. Especially when Wrightsell missed time with injuries. So Sears had to be the guy almost all the time and play a bunch of minutes for the Crimson Tide to play at a high level.
Now he doesn’t have to do as much, even though he’s capable.
“I think one, he’s got to quit pressing,” Oats said. “He’s not going to average as many points this year as he did last year. We knew that coming in. People are going to focus on him. We’ve got more talent around him. It just is what it is. He’s got to do it takes to help us win games.”
Sometimes, Oats said, that will be moving the ball and getting assists. Other games, he will be a decoy, attracting attention away so others can get open looks. And then there will be nights where teams let Sears score a bunch and prevent others from having an impact.
“He’s just got to get comfortable with the new role and get comfortable with doing whatever it takes to win and understanding that there’s going to be games he’s just not going to score that many,” Oats said. “We’ve got to do a decent job screening for him to get him open. Give him enough space to get downhill. Keep him playing aggressive without being overly aggressive to where he’s trying to score on multiple opponents. He’s got to stay aggressive and make the right reads when they bring multiple defenders to him.”
Next up, No. 9 Alabama (4-1) will play in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, starting with a game against No. 6 Houston on Tuesday (7 p.m. CT, TBS). Then the Crimson Tide will face Rutgers on Wednesday (9 p.m. CT, TBS).
Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.
SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WALA) – The YMCA of South Alabama held a Healthy Kids Day at Spanish Fort Town Center Park.
Saturday’s event featured games and demonstrations, along with interactive activities featuring police and fire vehicles.
“I think just seeing so many organizations come together that serve kids, and just seeing kids have fun,” said Gwen Summer, CEO of the YMCA of South Alabama.
Marissa Rennaker, director of development for the YMCA of South Alabama, said the event exposed children to new activities.
“I think it’s been seeing all the kids laugh and try different things that they probably haven’t tried before,” Rennaker said. “There was a big group doing pickleball and yoga. We had ballet earlier, so just getting them out and exposed to things, I think it’s been great.”
The event was designed to kick off a healthy, active summer.
The YMCA of South Alabama is located at 27080 Pollard Road in Daphne.
Copyright 2026 WALA. All rights reserved.
Former Alabama star Will Anderson Jr. has reportedly signed a three-year, $150 million extension with the Houston Texans, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Anderson instantly solidified himself as one of the top defensive players in football throughout his rookie campaign in 2023. The star defensive end was named as the Rookie of the Year in 2023, as Anderson’s extension will officially keep him in Houston long-term, as well as make him the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
Anderson recorded an impressive 12 sacks on the Texans’ defensive line in 2025, as the former Alabama star has made history following his head turning extension with Houston.
Anderson was nothing short of a superstar throughout his time at Alabama. Houston drafted the talented lineman with the third overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft, as Anderson was widely regarded as one of the top overall selections from his class.
The former Crimson Tide superstar has officially inked a massive extension with the Texans, as Anderson will undoubtedly continue playing a critical role on Houston’s defensive line over the coming seasons.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
Alabama head coach Rob Vaughn said that No. 4 Texas would be “hungry” against the No. 11Crimson Tide coming off its first series loss of the season to Texas A&M.
The Longhorns certainly were, as they pounced all over Vaughn’s team, striking out 17 Alabama batters en route to a 10-2 win.
“The story of the game was they just kind of kicked our tail in every phase tonight,” Vaughn said.
Alabama starter Tyler Fay had been elite over his past four starts, dating back to his complete-game no-hitter against Florida, allowing just six earned runs over the 26.0 innings pitched in those games. That changed instantly on Friday evening, as leadoff batter Aiden Robbins opened the game with a double and catcher Carson Tinney took him deep for a two-run blast moments later.
Texas added a third run in the first off an Ethan Mendoza RBI double, setting the tone for a dominant day. Alabama did not record a hit until the fourth inning as Longhorn ace Dylan Volantis tore through batters, striking out 12 over six innings.
Fay ended up going 5.1 innings, just the second time he did not make it through the sixth. The other, against Auburn, was only due to Vaughn wanting to keep his pitch count down in the wake of the no-hitter. He allowed season-highs of seven earned runs and 12 hits in the loss.
The Longhorns added a run each in the third and the fifth, before Alabama put the slightest amount of pressure on Texas in the top of the sixth. Bryce Fowler and Justin Lebron scored on the basepaths off an error and a wild pitch, respectively, to cut the Texas lead to three runs.
“You’ve got to find ways to score,” Vaughn said. “Those two guys just created two runs for us, and did a great job creating those runs and we crawl back in at 5-2, and it’s like, ‘Let’s go back to work…’ So thought we had that chance in those middle innings.”
The Longhorns effectively put the game to bed in the next frame, responding with three runs as Fay was relieved by Connor Lehman. Texas would add two more runs on the day, with the only silver lining coming in the fact that Alabama avoided a run-rule.
The Crimson Tide has now lost four straight SEC games after winning three consecutive series. Zane Adams takes the mound with the series on the line on Saturday, in a game that has been moved up to 12 p.m. CT due to anticipated rain in Austin.
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Threads, and Blue Sky for the latest news.
Follow
-
World4 minutes agoBulgaria votes in eighth election in five years
-
News34 minutes agoReal estate investors are buying up long-term care facilities. Residents can suffer
-
Detroit, MI3 hours agoFormer Piston shows Detroit what they’re missing as he dominates next to LeBron
-
San Francisco, CA3 hours agoEastbound I-80 closure in San Francisco snarls traffic, slows business
-
Videos3 hours agoCan Keir Starmer survive the latest Mandelson revelations? | BBC News
-
Dallas, TX3 hours agoPetar Musa’s Brace Not Enough as FC Dallas Draws LA Galaxy 2-2
-
Miami, FL3 hours agoMLS: Messi double helps Inter Miami slay Rapids in front of huge crowd
-
Boston, MA3 hours agoFrom across Boston they flock to play for Latin Academy boys’ tennis, a co-op of 29 schools – The Boston Globe