It was a game that lived up to the expectations placed upon it as brothers Brent and Kent Zessin squared off against each other in the final game of the Mizell Memorial Hospital Christmas Tournament Monday night, as coaches of Florala High School and Laurel Hill High School, respectively.

In a hotly contested first period, the Hoboes and the Wildcats essentially swapped baskets, with Kent's Hoboes edging out Brent's Wildcats 19-17.

In the second period, the Wildcats took the lead by a minute 30-29 score. In the first half, A.J. Thompson lead the charge for the Cats with 12 points, followed by nine points from Tristan Matthews. For the Hoboes, Wayne Moore led with eighth, followed by six from Brad Reese and six from Tyler Stokes.

In the third, Hoboes took a commanding lead scoring 17 points to the Wildcats five, taking a 46-35 lead.

In the final period of play, the Hoboes never looked back scoring 18 points to the Wildcats 17, giving them a 64-52 victory.

For the Wildcats, Thompson had 14 points, with Matthews scoring 18. For the Hoboes, Wayne Moore had 20 points.

In the early consolation game, the Pleasant Home Eagles battled the Ariton Purple Cats to a 73-43 victory.

At the end of the first period of play, PHS held an 8-2 lead, which they increased to 33-15 after two periods of play.

In the third, the Eagles kept the pressure up as they outpaced the Purple Cats 60-26, before taking the victory.

For the Eagles, Nathaniel Blount had 13 points, with Devin Spivey netting 11, as did Miles Nichols. The high point of the game was Daniel Clark, whose hot hands found the basket for a total of 24 points.

For the Purple Cats, Brandon Adams had 10, with Bobby Terry leading the team with 22.