Sand Mountain Reporter

SARDIS CITY — Class 5A Southside escaped with a 71-65 double-overtime victory against 3A Sardis on Monday at Sardis Gymnasium.

“We played awesome. We gave a great effort,” said Sardis head coach Tracy Cheek.

“(Southside coach Kevin) Troup and I go way back. We’ve been friends a long time. His team played with lots of class, and it was just a battle all night.”

The Panthers led 16-14, 32-30 and 49-44 at the rest stops, but the Lions (8-7) forced a 53-53 tie at the end of regulation.

“They held it the final 2:28 in the fourth quarter,” Cheek said. “It was 53-53, and they played all the way down for one shot and we held them.”

The teams were knotted 56-56 when the first extra period ended.

Sardis missed an open 3-pointer in the second overtime that would’ve tied it 68-all with 19 seconds to play.

Southside then hit three free throws to seal its victory.

Cody Gardner powered the Lions’ effort with 21 points and eight assists.

Brandon Walter collected 12 points and three assists. Jerryn Harris finished with 10 points and nine boards.

Aaron Champion closed with eight points, four steals and three rebounds. Jeremy East scored five for the Lions.

Paten Jones had four points, three steals and two assists. Sean Brehm chipped in three points and five boards, and Tylor White added two points.

Muggsy Howard, Max Grace and James Boland all scored 15 points for Southside.

Howard netted 12 points in overtime.

Aaron Huff tossed in 12 for the Panthers.

Sardis shot 17-of-21 from the free-throw line, with three of the misses coming in overtime.

Southside finished 25-of-36 from the foul line.

With the loss, the Lions will be the No. 3 seed in the Etowah County Tournament in January.

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Serving Albertville and the Sand Mountain region

Publisher: Ben Shurett

1603 Progress Drive
Albertville, Alabama 35950

Tel: 256-840-3000 | Email

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