Justin Bowen coached Ava McSwain in AHSAA All Star game:
GDW Analysis:
BOAZ: On July 16, Justin Bowen shared coaching duties for the North all stars in their AHSAA basketball game with Amber Deline of Hartselle.
The North dominated the game 87 to 46 at the Cramton Bowl Sportsplex in Montgomery.
Good Hope's Ava McSwain was on the North roster, earning MVP honors with 18 points, shooting 75 percent from the field.
Bowen was at Southside Gadsden at the time.
That has now changed for Bowen.
On August 5, the Boaz City Board of Education approved the hiring of Bowen to Boaz.
Bowen replaces Jordan McCarver Bowling after she submitted her resignation last month. She coached Boaz for one season with the Lady Pirates posting a 15 & 13 record.
Bowen took over the Southside squad in 2022. The Lady Panthers went from a 5 & 15 unit to 22 & in 2022/23 and 26 & 6 last season.
Southside earned a pair of area championships in Class 6A and to the Elite Eight in back to back seasons, playing in the Northeast Regional at Jacksonville State.
His success caught attention that enabled the AHSAA to select him to be on the North team for the mid summer classic that the North has dominated.
Deline got chosen too after Hartselle reached the 6A finals in the Northwest Regional at Wallace State.
McSwain showed her shooting stroke that had to be a delight for Bowen and Deline as the team was deep in talent from the backcourt position.
Update:
With Bowen now to coach at Boaz, the list of new girls' basketball coaches in the neighboring area of Gameday Weekly is up to eight.
Here are the changes.
Emily Willoughby at Vinemont
Natasha Smallwood at Albertville
Terrance Maze at Arab
Justin Bowen at Boaz
Kelly Robinson at Guntersville
Shane Childress at Priceville
Jeff Daniel at Brewer
Clay Walker at Mortimer Jordan.
Marshall County has gone full circle with four new coaches at the largest schools the county has. Albertville is 7A, Boaz, Arab and Guntersville play in Class 5A.
Vacancies remain at Susan Moore, Lauderdale County, Clements, Elkmont and West Limestone, according to reports.
This is the most of a coaching turnover in AHSAA girls GDW has noticed following a season that was great for GDW as Good Hope won the AHSAA 4A state championship for the first time.
Photo of AHSAA North all stars in a huddle vs, the South July 16 at Cramton Bowl Sportsplex in Montgomery. Justin Bowen is kneeling in this timeout with Amber Deline to his right.
Sitting down and listening for Team North is Ava McSwain (2), shooting guard for the Good Hope Lady Raiders.
Photo courtesy of the Montgomery Advertiser.
