Tigers beat Bulldogs 69-43 Friday night

Elba bat Andalusia for the third time this season in a 69-43 rout over the Bulldogs on Friday night at Red Level’s 16th annual boys Christmas tournament.

The Tigers’ offense won out against the Bulldogs’ depleted size on the hard wood throughout the contest.

“Our defense didn’t show up,” AHS coach Richard Robertson said. “We got behind and tried to do things we don’t normally do. He’s (EHS coach and former player Karl Bledsoe) got a better basketball team, and we don’t. Our hats are off to him.

“(Bledsoe) is one of mine, and I’m proud that he’s got a good bunch,” he said.

Andalusia fell behind 5-0 early in the first period after a Denzel Thomas jumper.

Jayden Ellison, who likes to step on the gas pedal when needed, drove the lane after a steal and got an old-fashioned 3-point play to cut it to 5-3.

The Tigers then went on to led 9-3 a little later on, andwent into the second period with a 21-13 advantage, despite Ellison getting two foul shots in and a bucket at the end of the first.

AHS cut the game to four at 23-19 early in the second, thanks to senior Montel Lee’s fight to make a turnaround jumper and hard layup with more than six minutes to go.

Elba would answer with a foul shot from Quinton Smith and a nice pass from Reheem Newson to Nick Green to go ahead 26-19.

Kendarious Townsend got a runner to cut it to 26-21 to keep the game interesting with 4:40 to go in the first half.

The Tigers went ahead 36-23 a few minutes later after Green slammed home a dunk on a pass and a Thomas drive to the basket.

EHS led 36-24 at halftime, and went on to outscore the Bulldogs 19-8 in the third period, where AHS found itself in a bunch of foul trouble, the coach said.

“With our size, we’ve got to play all over the floor,” Robertson said.

Andalusia’s Devante Jackson provided a spark in the fourth period with a 3-pointer that put the game at 63-40, and then a 3-point play for a short 6-0 run.

Ellison and Jackson led AHS with 11 points each. Phillip James, who came to form late in the game, scored eight points.

Cobe Goosby led EHS with 12 points. Darren Burks had 11 points and Thomas chipped in 11.

Andalusia plays Straughn at 4:30 p.m. today for a shot at third place.

“We’re not going to quit,” Robertson said. “We’ve got to find out who is going to play for us. We’re going to keep working.”

Elba advances to play Luverne in the RLS championship tonight at 7:30 for a rematch from last week’s AHS invitational title game, where it lost 64-48.a