PLANTERSVILLE — It had to feel like déjà vu Tuesday for the Dallas County Hornets, who for the second straight year found themselves locked into a tight sub-regional game against Beauregard.

The Hornets clung to a one-point third quarter lead before closing the game on a 23-10 run for a 62-49 win that sends Dallas County to the 5A central regional at Alabama State University next Monday.

Jerrod Moorer, who was quiet most of the night while dealing with what Moore said is a major injury, scored 8 in the fourth. Raheem Phillips also scored 8 of his 10 points in the fourth.

“Getting the win to extend our season, I’m extremely happy [about that], but as a coach I cannot be happy with the way we played,” Dallas County head coach Willie Moore said. “I wasn’t happy with our effort or our intensity and this time of year if you don’t play hard and you don’t play well, your season will come to an end.”

Last year Dallas County and Beauregard were tied after three quarters in Plantersville in a sub-regional game the home team went on to win.

Tuesday’s game felt eerily similiar and although Dallas County never trailed, Beauregard refused to go away quietly.

The visiting Hornets made five three-pointers to stay close and pulled within 39-38 with just a few seconds left in the third. Kendell Motley answered with a drive for a layup, giving Dallas County some breathing room going into the final period. The final quarter started with Lowell Furlow, who dominated the game early, making a layup and Javaris McGuire nailing a three to put Dallas County up 46-38.

Beauregard cut the lead to five, but couldn’t stop Dallas County’s isolation sets for Moorer and Phillips. Both had been quiet most of the night, but with the game on the line, they found offense by getting to the free throw line.

“As a coach, it’s very comforting being able to put the ball in Phillips and Jerrod’s hands, knowing they are going to take care of the basketball and make the right decisions,” Moore said. “They are going to always put the team first. That’s a luxury that most schools and most teams don’t have and a luxury we do have.”

Moorer’s health may play a role down the stretch for Dallas County, but the Hornets will get almost a week of rest.

Dallas County will not play again until Monday at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome at 10:30 a.m. against Talladega, who defeated Helena 95-62 Monday.

For most of the night, Dallas County didn’t need a lot of offense out of its top two scorers. Furlow had one of his best quarters of the season, scoring four buckets in the first quarter.

“I thought he played well early in the first but he was a non-factor in the second half,” Moore said. “You win and lose ballgames in the second half.”

McGuire and Moorer provided 10 of the Hornets’ 13 second quarter points and Dallas County had a 26-19 advantage at the half. Behind 9 third quarter points from Ty Arnold, Beauregard closed the gap.

Dallas County closed the door in the fourth by holding their opponents without a made three-pointer and smart, methodical offense.

The win was the final game in Plantersville for six Hornets’ seniors, who Moore said lost only one home game in four seasons.  He said he told them early on that they needed to put a successful product on the floor so that people would come watch.

“People have to plan to come to Dallas County High School because [it] is not in town. People don’t just drive by,” Moore said. “We needed to put a product on the floor that people would enjoy watching and that they would like to come see play.”

The fans had to be pleased Tuesday, as the Hornets kept their hopes of repeating as state champions alive. Moore wasn’t as happy and knows his team must play much better if it hopes to continue advancing.

“If we play like we did tonight [next week], we will lose by 50,” Moore said.