By Brian Hamilton, Sports Correspondent
Aliceville narrowly escaped the semifinal round of the Pickens County tournament with a victory after the Yellow Jackets squandered a seven-point fourth quarter lead when Pickens County’s Aaron Billups made a three-point basket sending the game to overtime at 45-45. Aliceville would prevail in the end, winning 51-48 to advance and face Gordo in the championship game.
The Yellow Jackets went up 6-0 in the first quarter when Kentrell Eddins made a three-pointer. The Tornadoes finally got on the board when Javion McCrary made a layup to cut the deficit to 6-2. Eddins drained another three pointer to make the score 9-2 with 2:44 left in the first quarter and Aliceville would take a 14-5 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Dee Doss was fouled on a three-point shot and converted two-of-three free throws to pull Pickens County to 14-10 with 4:41 remaining in the first half. The Tornadoes had cut the lead to three when Edward Colvin made a three-pointer to push the Yellow Jacket lead to 19-13.
Pickens County immediately responded with a three-point basket, cutting the Tornadoes’ deficit to 19-16. Aliceville led 22-19 when Doss went to the foul line and converted two free throws to make the score 22-21 at halftime.
J.D. Johnson made a basket just over a minute into the third quarter to give Pickens County its first lead of the game at 23-22. Aliceville would answer on the ensuing possession when Matthew Clark hit a layup for a 24-23 Yellow Jacket lead. Caminion Hughes then hit a three from the top of the key to increase the Aliceville lead to 27-23.
The Yellow Jackets went ahead 32-25 when Hughes made a steal and took it to the other end for a layup. Billups would cut the deficit to 32-27 with just over a minute left and the Tornadoes would go into the fourth quarter trailing 32-28.
See complete story in the Pickens County Herald.
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