As far as the coaches know, Dallas County and R.C. Hatch had never met for a basketball game before Tuesday night’s championship game of the Dallas County Christmas Tournament. Based on the first matchup, it probably shouldn’t be the last time they play.

R.C. Hatch rallied past Dallas County in the third quarter Tuesday and then held on late for a hard fought 47-45 victory to claim the title. The Bobcats trailed 22-7 after the first quarter, but limited the Hornets to just 11 points total in the second and third period.

“They hit us with their best punch, and they didn’t knock us out,” R.C. Hatch coach Homer Davis said. “They staggered us, but they didn’t knock us out. We knew then that we had a chance to win.”

The win was R.C. Hatch’s second over a top-10 team in a week.

Last Tuesday, the Bobcats went to Orrville and defeated No. 4 Keith on the road, but this one was arguably even more impressive against the defending class 4A state champions.

“We made a lot of shots early in the game, and we sort of fell in love with the jump shot,” Dallas County head coach Willie Moore said. “We got stagnated and stopped attacking the basket.”

The loss marked the second consecutive year Dallas County lost in the Christmas tournament by one shot in the championship game.

Last year, Wilcox Central stunned the Hornets with a late rally. This time around, Dallas County was the team trying to make a last second push.

The Bobcats clung to a 38-31 lead with seven minutes left in the game, but Dallas County started to chip away. Raheem Phillips hit back-to-back shots to pull the Hornets within 40-38 at the 3:53 mark, but Jalen Rhone made two free throws to extend the Bobcats’ advantage.

The Hornets again pulled within two on a steal and layup by Henry Baker, but after free throws at both ends still trailed 43-42.

A three-point play by La’Darius Morrisette with 20.5 seconds left extended R.C. Hatch’s lead to 46-42, but Phillips answered with a three-pointer with 11.7 seconds left. After a Dallas County timeout, the Hornets fouled. Darion Lewis went to the line for foul shots, although Moore did not believe he was the Bobcat player fouled on the play.

“They did a switcharoo on us where the guy who got fouled was not the foul shooter,” Moore said. “They put a guy in there to shoot it, but that’s our fault. We have a veteran team, and we have to recognize that. I don’t blame the officials for that.”

Lewis knocked down one of two free throws to make it 47-45, giving Dallas County a chance to tie or take the lead. Phillips rushed the ball back down the floor, before passing to Javaris McGuire for a last second attempt. Unfortunately for the Hornets, the shot was off the mark from the beginning.

“In the second half we couldn’t buy a shot, until the final ten seconds when we hit a three,” Moore said. “Credit to them. Both teams were really exhausted and tired. A bounce here or a bounce there and we win the game.”

The Hornets couldn’t miss in the opening minutes. While storms outside flooded the Selma area with showers, Dallas County was making it rain inside the WCCS gym.

Jerrod Moorer picked up where he left off Monday night, knocking in an early three and McGuire added two of his own. At that point, Dallas County (9-2) looked poised to run away with the title, but the Hornets suddenly went ice cold from the field.

Moorer, who had scored 28 points in Monday’s game, did not hit a three-pointer the rest of the game in a 13-point performance. The Bobcats methodically started to cut into Dallas County’s big lead, with three-pointers by Rhone and Lewis leading the comeback.

By the time the second quarter ended, the Hornets lead was down to 29-22.

R.C. Hatch tied the game quickly in the third period as the Bobcats scored seven of the game’s first nine second half points. Dallas County scored only four points in the third quarter and R.C. Hatch finished the quarter with back-to-back layups by F. Ward and O. Shaw to take a 35-31 lead.

“Normally we come out in the third quarter and that is our quarter defensively,” Moore said. “We always say this is the time to make a defensive statement, and we didn’t make a defensive statement tonight.”

It was R.C. Hatch (6-6) making the statement instead.  The Bobcats have won four straight games going into Christmas break.

Dallas County will try to bounce back in Hoover’s Big Orange Tournament Friday.Phillips led the Hornets with 15 points. Lewis led R.C. Hatch with 12.

 

Keith 52, 

Southside 36 (Boys)

John Pettway led Keith to a 52-36 victory over Southside Tuesday in the third place game of the Dallas County Christmas Tournament at Wallace Community College Selma.

Pettway scored a game-high 16 points as the Bears defeated the rivals Panthers for the second time this season.

Jaequan Simmons scored 14 points for the Bears.

Kentavius Page led Southside with 12 points in the game.

Keith led 25-17 at halftime and 41-27 after three quarters.

Southside will play at Carver in a tournament Dec. 26-27. Keith will play in the Stillman College Tournament Dec. 26-29.