BNI Newswire

It was close for a half.

The Red Level Tigers did not play inspired basketball during the first half of its Class 2A, Area 2 High School Basketball Tournament Game against the visiting Georgiana Panthers last night. The second half was a completely different story.

Red Level held a 7-point lead after one period of play by a score of 17-10.

Georgiana hung with the Tigers in the second quarter as both squads scored 18 points.

Red Level remained on top at the half by a score of 35-28. The 7-point lead was less than the expected result for many Tiger fans knowing Red Level defeated Georgiana by 32 and 25 points earlier this season.

The Tigers came out with their claws sharpened in the second half and outscored the Panthers 17-9 in the first five minutes of the second half.

Red Level's defensive intensity combined with a lot of missed lay-ups by the Panthers added up to a big Tiger advantage. At the end of three quarters, Red Level had more than doubled its lead on top by a score of 58-39.

The fourth quarter also belonged to the Tigers with a 19-11 scoring

advantage for a 77-50 win. The 27-point win was one point less the Tigers' average margin of victory in the two previous contests.

Dominic Williams was the leading scorer for Red Level with 16 points.

Russell Rigdon and Chris Hendrix scored 14 points each.

Also scoring for Red Level were Tim Ryce, Malcolm Lawson, Joseph Harper, Eric Longmire, Justin Griggs, Troy Staley, Princeton Ryce and Ray Knight.

Kenny Peterson was the leading scorer for the Panthers and led all scorers with 25 in a losing effort. Cornelius McMeans, Jamie Williams, Jerrod Lee, Taurus Halsey, Steven Campbell and Terrance Matthews also scored for Georgiana.

Red Level advances to the Class 2A, Area 2 Tournament Championship Game scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday. The Tigers will face the Flomaton Hurricanes. The game will be played at Red Level.