Bama Central

Labaron Philon, Collin Sexton Headline Crimson Tide Athletes of the Week

Recognizing the Crimson Tide athletes who dominated this week from Tuscaloosa to the pros.
Theodore Fernandez|
Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr celebrates in the first half of the game against Auburn on Mar. 7, 2026.
Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr celebrates in the first half of the game against Auburn on Mar. 7, 2026. | Sarah Munzenmaier/Alabama Crimson Tide on SI

Alabama basketball wrapped up its regular season in style, handling Auburn to sweep the Tigers. Meanwhile, the diamond sports each produced sweeps as confidence in both teams continues to grow. The most under-the-radar moment from the week came in the NBA, where a former Alabama star is quietly turning heads with his recent performances. Here are the Crimson Tide Athletes of the Week for the week of March 3 - March 9, 2026:

Freshman of the Week: Myles Upchurch

Upchurch had the best start of his young career on Sunday, striking out 11 batters over six innings as Alabama secured a series sweep of North Florida. The freshman has impressed early as the Crimson Tide's Sunday starter, sitting at 3-1 with a 1.93 ERA, and a nationally-elite strikeout rate with 31 over 18.2 innings pitched. Upchurch's poise and maturity will be tested in the coming weeks as baseball begins SEC play, but, through four weekends, he is an early favorite for SEC Freshman of the Year.

Athlete of the Week: Labaron Philon Jr.

Philon was named First Team All-SEC on Monday after he capped off an elite season with two strong performances. The sophomore scored 26 points in the loss to Georgia last Tuesday and then 21 against the Tigers on Saturday, shooting 50% from the field in both games. For as good as he has been all season, it sure looks like he's been performing at an even higher level over the past two weeks, playing the most deliberate offense of his career at the point in the season where Alabama needs him most.

Pro Athlete of the Week: Collin Sexton

Sexton was traded by the Hornets to the Bulls for Coby White at the trade deadline. After struggling to adjust to his new team for the first three weeks, he has found a rhythm and emerged as one of the most productive pieces in a crowded backcourt. Sexton scored 20 last Tuesday in a close loss to the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder, and followed that up with a season-high 30 points in a win over the Suns.

He was set to break that mark in the following game, sitting at 28 at the end of the third quarter. Sexton did not play the final period, exiting the game with a lower leg contusion, but it was an eyebrow-raising performance from 'Young Bull.' Sexton was shooting 7-for-9 from beyond the arc in the game and is second on the team in points since arriving in early February.

Clutch Athlete of the Week: Vic Moten

When Moten entered the game against Ole Miss on Sunday, Alabama softball was on the verge of blowing a 2-0 lead for its first loss of the season. The Rebels had scored a run in the bottom of the ninth, and had placed two runners, forcing Jocelyn Briski out of the game just one out away from the win. The freshman was tested with her highest-leverage moment of the season thus far, and passed with flying colors, striking out her only batter of the game to strand the tying run and second base and keep the team's undefeated record intact.

Moten continues to perform like one of the best freshmen in the nation. She started game two of the series, striking out six over 3.2 innings.

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Theodore Fernandez
THEODORE FERNANDEZ

Theodore Fernandez is BamaCentral’s baseball beat reporter and a co-host of The Joe Gaither Show. He also works as a weekend sports anchor at WVUA 23 News in Tuscaloosa and serves as one of the station’s lead high school sports reporters. Fernandez is a news media student at The University of Alabama and is pursuing a master’s degree in sports management.

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