The Straughn Tigers lost in an overtime thriller 52-48 to the Elba Tigers Monday in the final round of the Red Level Christmas tournament.

 

Straughn took an early 11-6 in the first. Rollin Kinsaul, Johnathan Driver and Marshall Farley each chipped in 3 points for Straughn. Grant Akridge had 4 points for Elba.

 

In the second period, Straughn pushed their lead up to 23-17. Brice Scott put up 5 points for Straughn. Raheem Newson had 4 points in the second for Elba.

 

Straughn appeared to be pulling away in the third as they went up 34-27. Tucker Lawless had 5 points for Straughn. Akridge had 3 points for Elba in the third.

 

Elba battled back late in the fourth, and with 11 seconds left on the clock they were down by three points. Brosnan Cooks caught a pass just behind the line, and immediately fired up a 3-point attempt to try and tie the game. The shot missed the mark, but Cooks was fouled on the attempt, and went to the free throw line for three shots. Cooks sank all three free throws to tie the game up at 46-46 with 8.4 seconds left. Kinsaul took the inbound pass and drove down the court with a chance to end the game in regulation. Kinsaul drove the right side of the lane for a layup attempt drawing a lot of contact, but there was no call and the shot rolled off the front of the rim sending the game into overtime.

 

In overtime, Straughn just couldn’t find a groove, and only scored two points. Elba got the first basket of overtime, and Scott tied it up with two free throws with two minutes remaining. Scott’s free throws was Straughn’s only points in overtime. Elba got another basket from Akridge, and Denzell Thomas capped off the scoring with a pair of free throws with six seconds remaining to give Elba a 52-28 victory.

 

Thomas led Elba with 21 points, and Cooks finished with 12 points.

 

Straughn’s leading scorer was Scott with 13 points, and Driver tallied 12 points,