LeFlore Stuns Top-Ranked Williamson in 5A Playoff Upset

Mobile, Alabama (BuzzReport) — In one of the most dramatic results of the 5A basketball playoffs, LeFlore High School Rattlers knocked off No. 1 Williamson High School Lions 53–47, ending the Lions’ title hopes and announcing themselves as a serious postseason threat.

Williamson entered the matchup as the clear favorite, having spent most of the season atop the 5A rankings behind standout forward Corien Hawthorne-Coleman. The Lions had looked dominant throughout the year, displaying depth, discipline, and consistency on both ends of the floor.

But LeFlore arrived believing the moment belonged to them.

After an up-and-down regular season, head coach Johnny Mayhane said his team had finally found its identity entering the playoffs. That belief showed on the biggest stage, as the Rattlers matched Williamson’s intensity and refused to be overwhelmed by the pressure of facing the state’s top-ranked team.

The turning point came in the fourth quarter. With the game tight, LeFlore locked in defensively, throwing multiple looks at Hawthorne-Coleman and disrupting Williamson’s offensive rhythm. The Lions managed just one field goal in the final period, struggling to find answers as LeFlore controlled the tempo.

Offensively, the Rattlers delivered when it mattered most. Brayln Taylor led the charge with 15 points, while LeFlore dominated the glass, won the rebounding battle, and capitalized at the free-throw line down the stretch. Each possession became more physical and deliberate, favoring a LeFlore team playing with confidence and composure.

The upset victory, secured in Montgomery, sends LeFlore one step closer to Birmingham and underscores a team peaking at exactly the right time.

LeFlore now advances to face Charles Henderson High School Trojans on Tuesday afternoon, with a trip to the Final Four on the line. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:15 p.m.