BOUND FOR THE FINALS

SARDIS CITY — Top-seeded Hokes Bluff needed a big fourth quarter to stay alive in the Etowah County boys basketball tournament Wednesday night.

The Eagles (10-9) delivered with a 56-49 win and will play the Glencoe-Southside winner at 8:15 p.m. Friday at Sardis High School. Glencoe and Southside play Thursday at 7:45 p.m.

Sardis (7-11) led at the end of the first three quarters, including a 40-35 advantage heading into the fourth.

Hokes Bluff chipped away at its deficit as Matthew Johnson hit a 3-pointer to trim the Lions’ lead to one point. Then Braydon Hill dished it out to Johnson again, who sunk the shot again from beyond the arc to put the Eagles up 44-42 with 4:10 left in the game. Hokes Bluff outscored Sardis 21-9 in the final period.

“I was wide open and Braydon found me,” Johnson, who scored all seven of his points in the fourth quarter, said. “I hit the first one and we all just kept playing hard. Then when they turned the ball over, (Hill) found me again. He did a good job of not being selfish with the ball.”

The Lions never were able to regain the lead but kept it close the rest of the way.

Jay Owens hit a three with under a minute remaining to make it a two-point game, but Hokes Bluff made its free throws down the stretch.

The Eagles were 2-of-8 from the charity stripe in the first three quarters combined before making 10-of-16 in the fourth.

“Finally,” Hokes Bluff coach Jeff Noah said of the made free throws. “We’ve been missing (free throws) and missed a lot early (before the fourth quarter).”

Sardis led 14-12 through one quarter and 26-23 at halftime.

Donovan Greaves paced Hokes Bluff with 13 points. Dylan Teague added 12 points. Hayden Lipscomb tallied nine points.

Jacob Hopper had a game-high 16 points for Sardis. Owens and Trey Hubbard both scored nine points.

Sardis travels to Hokes Bluff in a regular season matchup Monday.

GIRLS

Southside 39, Hokes Bluff 19

Alexis Thompson helped the No. 2-seeded Panthers ride a big first quarter on their way to the finals of the Etowah County girls tournament.

Class 5A, No. 6 Southside, who will play Sardis or 3A, No. 8 Glencoe at 6:15 p.m. Friday, was able to push the pace in the first eight minutes against the Eagles (11-11) and jumped out to a 14-5 lead. The Panthers (15-3) grabbed defensive rebounds and ran down the court quick to get good looks.

“We wanted to come out and try to set the tone for how we wanted to play, mainly defensively,” Southside coach Kim Nails said. “We set the tone early. Anytime you get a lead early, that just helps you a little bit.”

The pace took a hit in the second quarter as Southside was held to one point. The problem for Hokes Bluff was it only managed four of its own, which ended up being an issue all night.

“We aren’t a great offensive team, but we are better than that,” Hokes Bluff coach Jason Shields said. “ … We just never got in a rhythm offensively.”

Southside led 26-13 through three quarters and added to its lead in the fourth.

Thompson was key to the win, as she totaled 10 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

“She played a very smart game tonight,” Nails said. “On the basketball side of things, she’s a quarterback. She was able to get the ball where it needed to be. She reads the floor well.”

Savannah Nunn scored a game-high 12 points for the Panthers. Kaylee Brown added nine points. Macie Williams, who was in foul trouble the majority of the game, finished with six points and six rebounds. Kenzi Duncan grabbed seven rebounds.

Kristen Shields paced Hokes Bluff with 10 points.

The Eagles host Sardis on Monday.