Andalusia suffered its eighth loss this season Friday night, falling 64-47 to Elba in its invitational tournament semifinals.

The Bulldogs started off well in the first period, but the Tigers took over after they cut the game to one at 7-6. EHS went on to led 15-11 after the opening period and wouldn’t relinquish the lead as it led 36-27 at halftime.

AHS kept it reasonable in the third period, despite trailing, and got a late surge in the fourth to cut the game back to nine at 56-47, but couldn’t get back in it.

“We just self destructed,” AHS coach Richard Robertson said.

With the loss, the Bulldogs fall down to play in tonight’s consolation game at 6 against a physical Dale County. Both teams will be vying for third place.

Andalusia’s Phillip James got a jumper to give the Bulldogs an early 3-0 lead. The host team led 5-1 after Montel Lee found James again in the paint.

Elba’s Denzel Thomas then got a steal and converted on a fast break to cut the game to 5-3.

The Bulldogs gave up the ball twice, but Lee countered with a drive to the lane, increasing Andalusia’s lead to 7-3.

Elba’s Raheem Newson broke up the part by draining a 3-pointer, which effectively pulled the rug out from under AHS.

Martavious Gray then took advantage with an alley-oop to Nick Green for a dunk to give EHS a one-point lead lift. The Tigers wouldn’t give up the lead for the rest of the game.

Jayden Ellison got a few drives to the paint to keep the Bulldogs honest later in the first half, but a 10-0 run thanks to a Gray putback and two 3-pointers by Thomas gave the Tigers a 26-14 lead with 4:40 left in the first half.

Out of the timeout, Devante Jackson got a quick putback for AHS, and both teams went 8-8 until Elba’s Cobe Goosby got a nice turn-around jumper to go.

Ellison finished the first half by converting a steal into points to cut the lead to 36-27.

Elba kept its lead to between eight and 10 points during the majority of the third period.

Lee started Andalusia’s quick come back with 1:13 left in the game on a drive to the basket to cut the game to 56-43. Trevor Parker then was fouled after a steal off of an EHS inbounds play.

Parker made one foul shot, missed the second and Lee managed to get the rebound and drove the baseline, where he was fouled while the ball went in for a 3-point play with 1:05 left.

Lee and Ellison had 11 points each. Jackson chipped in six points.

Green led EHS with 23 points, most of which came off of putbacks and getting the ball in after rebounds. Thomas had 18 points.