By Jeremy D. Smith

The Demopolis Times

 

MOBILE — The Selma Saints (19-12) overcame an early deficit to take a brief third quarter lead before Lorenzo McClain powered the Faith Academy Rams to a 69-54 win Wednesday.

After trailing by double digits for most of the second quarter, Selma got to within three by halftime then opened the third with a flurry in the Class 5A Boys South Region semi-final matchup in the Mitchell Center at the University of South Alabama.

Tavarius Murry got a putback to open the third stanza and cut the deficit to 36-35. With 6:33 to go in the third quarter, Darion Alexander drove into the teeth of the Ram defense and forced in a shot to give Selma a 37-36 lead.

That is when McClain had seen enough. The Faith Academy senior guard proceeded to launch a personal 11-2 run to put his team up 47-39. With less than two minutes to in the third, Dylan Brown scored to put Faith up 49-39, its first double-digit lead since midway through the second frame. That double-digit deficit never disappeared.

With Alexander relegated to the bench with foul trouble from the 4:33 mark onward in third, Selma’s offense never found its rhythm again, posting only six points in the quarter.

Selma got to within 13 twice in the third quarter before Keshawn Ford found his stroke late to cut the deficit to 65-54 with 1:12 to play.

McClain led all scorers with 28 points. Brown finished with 20 for the Rams while Kyle Cumlander had 14.

Alexander and Quenterrius Rogers each had 12 for the Saints while Murry finished with 11.