A handful of Baldwin County basketball teams are going dancing with area championships as playoff berths have been secured following the first half of this week's area tournament action.

Orange Beach swept the spotlight by capturing both the girls and boys titles while several other county programs punched tickets to their respective Sub-Regional brackets.

MAKOS WIN IN TRIPLE OT

The Orange Beach girls hosted the Class 4A Area 1 tournament after finishing the regular season 13-17, and the Makos delivered one of the most dramatic wins of the postseason. Orange Beach outlasted 19-5 St. Michael Catholic in triple overtime, pulling out a 69-61 victory to claim the area championship.

The Makos trailed at the end of regulation and at the end of each overtime period, but came away with the win even after leading scorers Allie Roach and Arianna Santos fouled out. Senior captain Mia Watts stepped up late with clutch three-point shots, while freshman point guard Sloane Stephens handled the ball under pressure in the extended finish. Fellow freshman Marianna Peters later iced the game at the charity stripe for the victory.

BRING OUT THE BROOMS

The Orange Beach boys also hosted their area tournament after a strong 24-5 season. The Makos defeated St. Michael 33-19 in the championship game after the Cardinals opened tournament play with a win over Satsuma.

Orange Beach was aided by sophomore Lee Steele's scoring and junior Sutton Rambo's physicality in the title-clinching performance. Despite the losses, both St. Michael teams earned Class 4A playoff spots with their wins over Satsuma during area tournament play.

GOING DANCING

In Class 6A Area 2, the Gulf Shores girls picked up a key postseason win in the opening round, defeating Spanish Fort 48-39 to clinch a playoff spot. The Dolphins later fell in the championship game to McGill-Toolen, 50-18.

Bayside Academy's boys hosted their area tournament following a 16-7 regular season and came away with the Class 3A Area 1 championship. The Admirals defeated Cottage Hill Christian 58-51 in the title game.

On the girls' side, Bayside clinched a Class 3A playoff berth with an opening-round win over Cottage Hill but fell short in the championship game against Mobile Christian, losing 49-36.

EARLY ELIMINATIONS

Both Elberta programs were eliminated in the opening rounds of the Class 5A Area 1 tournament by UMS-Wright. Neither Warriors team will advance into the Class 5A playoff brackets.

Additionally, the Baldwin County girls basketball team was eliminated from the 6A Area 2 bracket and the rest of the postseason alongside both Spanish Fort programs after the Toros dropped their opening-round matchups to the Dolphins.

UP NEXT

As of the publication date of this story, several area championship games across the county have yet to be played. Additional recaps will follow in the coming days.

For now, the Baldwin County teams already advancing will turn their attention to the Sub-Regional rounds of the Class 1A-7A playoffs, scheduled for Feb. 13 and 14.