Rivalry games are unpredictable. Just ask the Greenville Tigers varsity basketball team.

On Saturday afternoon they were upset by the 3A Calhoun.

"Calhoun, as always, was very, very athletic," said Randy Fullington, coach of the Greenville Tigers.

"They are quick as cats and they can jump out of the gym. I thought our intensity wasn't where it was supposed to be. I thought maybe we were a little tired from our game Friday night, but they played Southside Selma Friday night as well. We've got to come to play when we play them. I thought they got after it a little bit harder than we did and that made the difference."

Calhoun posted a 53-48 win over the 5A school.

The Tigers were led offensively by Dominick Taylor with 12 points and Darnell Smith with 10.

Greenville jumped out to a 16-13 lead at the end of the first quarter, but went into the locker room trailing, 34-28 at the half.

"It was a great game," said Fullington.

"It was tied 40-40 going into the fourth quarter and I think we lost the game in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter. We made some poor decisions, had some poor shot selection and they converted and we got down six in the first two minutes and it was even from that point, but we were battling to catch up and that's where we didn't want to be."

Greenville and Calhoun traded baskets down the stretch of the fourth quarter with the home-standing Tigers playing catch up. But, by the time the final horn sounded, the home team had lost, 53-48.

Devoski McMeans was the leading scorer for Greenville. He finished the night with 13 points, 10 of which came from the free throw line.

Gavin Warren tacked on 11 points and then Curtis Fields finished the night with 10.

The Greenville Lady Tigers and the B team, however, had different results.

The Lady Tigers were able to knock off the Calhoun Lady Tigers, 55-51.

But, it took overtime for them to be able to do it.

The game was tied 45-45 at the end of regulation.

Greenville's Lady Tigers were led by Katoria McDonald with 19 points and seven rebounds. Jessica Powell and Kendra Mitchell tacked on 18 and 15 points respectively in the win.

All three squads were in action the day before against Wetumpka.

Greenville managed to pull away with a 54-53 win.

"It was not a real pretty game by any means," said Fullington.

"Wetumpka played hard, they've got some pretty good young players coming up. But I was proud of the way my guys overcame adversities throughout the game and held on to win it as a team at the end of the game."

"They had good team defense and really shared the ball well in the last few minutes of the game to hold on for the win. I think any coach knows that any team can be beaten by any team just depends on who shows up to play."

"Never take any team for granted. They are a 5A school with talent. But, I think both teams came out and played really hard. Just some things went our way at the end and we hit some key free throws."

The Tigers were led by McMeans with 14 points, Isiah Mack with 12 points and then Fields with 11 points as well.

"A big problem that both teams had was the condition of our floor," said Fullington.

"It's going to be redone during the Christmas break. Both teams were slipping and sliding because of that and both teams were having a hard time getting into their offenses and scoring points. It was 25-25 at half."

The Tigers jumped out to an early 10-2 lead over the tribe from Wetumpka, but allowed them to tie things up at the half.

The Tigers pulled away and claimed victory in the second half. As a team Greenville finished 17-of-29 from the freethrow line.

The varsity posted a victory, but the Lady Tigers and the B team had an opportunity to see how the other half live.

The Lady Tigers lost 42-35.

"We've still got some conditioning to do," said Bogan.

"But we still seem to be getting slower. I think these two back-to-back games have helped us. We sucked it up in the fourth quarter. We played fairly well."

"Just giving up too many

second shot opportunities. Friday night against Wetumpka we gave them too many second and third shot opportunities and then we missed a ton of lay-ups. Morgan Crenshaw probably had her worst game of the season. But it came down to the end, she sucked it up and got in the ballgame,"

McDonald finished the night with 16 points. Mitchell tacked on 10 and then Powell finished the night with seven points. Mikki Harris had nine rebounds.

All three squads will be in action this weekend.

On Friday, the Tigers take a trip up I-65 and face the Volunteers of Jefferson Davis High School. Then, they return back to the friendly confines of Greenville High School for a rematch with Calhoun.

"I hope our guys are a little more intense, I am going to do everything I can to fire them up," said Fullington.

Tip for the Calhoun game is set for 4 p.m. on Saturday.