HEADLAND — Follow the game plan.

That’s exactly what Andalusia coach Richard Robertson preached to his players to prompt a 64-59 Class 4A, Area 3 championship over Headland in Charles W. Smith Gymnasium on Monday night.

“They executed our plan,” Robertson said about his team. “I raised hell come Sunday afternoon and (Monday).

“They made mistake, after mistake, after mistake,” he said. “I chewed them out and brought them back in again today and had a meeting before the pre-game meal. I got on them again, and after we got here they told me, ‘Coach, we’re going to go and get it done.’ They went out and did it.”

With this victory, the Bulldogs (18-13) will host the Class 4A sub regional tournament on Friday night. Andalusia will face Alabama Christian for the sub regional. Headland travels to Montgomery to play Brewbaker Tech.

During the regular season, the Bulldogs split with Headland at 1-1 in the area.

Andalusia dominated the first period of play over the Rams, using its speed and size to draw fouls and easy lay ups.

Jacard Townsend, who led the Bulldogs with 24 points and 10 rebounds, drained a jumper to put AHS up 11-2 with 4:37 left in the first period. Townsend found Sam Byrd later on to give the Bulldogs a 13-4 lead on the other end.

Andalusia led 15-8 late in the first period and allowed the Rams to come back by a little to take a 15-11 lead going to the second period.

The Rams bounced back, taking their first lead of the game on a Dishon McKay jumper with 5:48 to go in the first half.

What kept AHS in the game and was a big part of the game plan, was the Bulldogs’ inside presence.

“We had to take it inside and make them get in foul trouble and get them to foul out,” Townsend said.

Lakelyus “Fathead” Adams found Townsend on transition, who then spotted Byrd under the net to give the Bulldogs a 19-16 lead later in the second period.

Throughout the first half, Andalusia kept the foul numbers on the low-side.

The Rams out-fouled the Bulldogs 15-10 in the game.

Headland got the game back to 25-all when Yorey Collins drained two free throws and followed that with a 3-point play on the other end with 1:11 left in the first half.

The lead changed again a short time later when Niguel Jones found Byrd on the inside to give the Bulldogs a 29-25 lead.

HHS went on a 5-0 run to lead 30-29 at half time.

Andalusia and Headland went back and forth throughout the third period, trading shots on the offensive end in addition to a few turn overs.

Headland led 41-37 when Dexter Marsh got a put back late in the period.

Joe Flowers got a drive down the lane and cut it to 41-39 with 1:01 left in the same period.

Townsend got his third foul in the period.

After a missed pair of free shots by Headland, Jones drained a jumper to put the game at 41-41 at the end of the third period.

“We had to we had to try to get to the fourth quarter without Jacard picking up another foul,” Robertson said. “Then, when we got to the five-minute mark, we put more intensity on defense.”

At the 5:00 mark of the fourth period, the Bulldogs led 48-44 and ran away to victory, collecting rebounds on the defensive end and finding players down low for easy shots.

Townsend said this victory was to get back home.

“We had to get back to the home crowd,” he siad. “We didn’t want to travel anymore.”

Andalusia didn’t play but five players — all starters — during the game on Monday night.

Byrd had 16 points; Adams had 10 points; Flowers had seven points; and Jones had seven points and eight rebounds.

For Headland, Marsh led the Rams with 16 points; Demar Mitchell had 12 points; and Collins had 10 points.

“The good thing about this is that I’m proud of this (win),” Robertson said. “We owe our fans another home game.

“(Monday night), I don’t know whether this is the best game we’ve played all season, but it’s one of the best,” he said.