PLANTERSVILLE — Dallas County built a double-digit lead with transition baskets and a big second half from Jerrod Moorer and held on for a 57-46 victory Thursday over Demopolis.

The Hornets (16-5) win moved them to 4-1 in area play, setting up what amounts to an area championship game Tuesday night with Sumter Central in Plantersville. For a while, Dallas County had its hands full with the rival Tigers (8-14), who looked far from a team still winless in class 5A, area 6.

“It was kind of a trap game for us because our kids are focused on Selma,” said Dallas County coach Willie Moore. “We are trying to teach them to take one step at a time and we didn’t do a very good job tonight.”

The fourth-ranked Hornets take on county rival Selma Saturday at Wallace Community College Selma, which may have explained Thursday’s slow start. Moorer helped get the Dallas County offense going.

He scored 14 of his 30 points in the third quarter and as usual, put the ball in the basket in a variety of ways. Moorer made five three-pointers, including two in the third, threw down a hard dunk off of a steal and even made a deep jumper while falling to the ground.

“We just played lackluster in the second quarter,” Moore said. “I don’t know that we played any better [in the third]. We got some rebounds in the third quarter that led to some run outs for easy baskets. Any time you get easy baskets it’s going to help.”

Dallas County closed the first, second and third quarter on big runs to help pad its lead. The Hornets closed the opening quarter on a 9-0 run, finished the second on a 9-2 scoring stretch, and scored the final nine points of the third. Demopolis head coach Rodney Jackson said that was one of the keys to the game.

“It was like at the end of each quarter they extended the lead,” Jackson said. “Then, we had to exert more energy to try to get back in the game, which we did, but we couldn’t crawl all the way back.”

Although the game was close most of the way, Dallas County never trailed. Sparked by back-to-back three-pointers by Moorer to open the game, the Hornets jumped out to a 10-4 lead. Two layups by Kendell Motley gave Dallas County a 16-6 lead after the first quarter. Motley scored 11 points in the game.

“Kendell is very important to this basketball team,” Moore said. “He’s a glue guy and he’s been that way for two years. Without him, we wouldn’t be as good. He’s always drawing the other team’s best offensive player. He’s been really good for us this year.”

Demopolis scored the first ten points of the second quarter to tie the game 16-6. The Hornets answered with a big final minute. Motley and Moorer knocked down threes in the final minute to put the Hornets up 25-18 at the half.

Datrion Fultz made a three-pointer on the first possession of the second half to pull the Tigers within four, but that was as close as they’d get the rest of the way. Moorer took over offensively in the third, but it may have been Raheem Phillips that supplied the dagger.

Phillips missed a three-pointer with under five seconds remaining in the third, but tracked down the rebound and flipped up a last second heave at the buzzer that somehow went in.

Dallas County led 47-27 after Phillips’ shot and Demopolis could not get closer than eleven in the fourth. Joshua Moore led Demopolis in scoring with 12 points and Fultz added 11.

“All we are really focused on is trying to get better for the area tournament,” Jackson said. “I do see some growth in my team. It’s just a tough area, but during that area tournament everybody has a chance. We know we could be one of those teams that could qualify for sub-state.”

The Tigers get a final chance for an area win Friday against Sumter Central. Dallas County takes on Selma Saturday at WCCS and then will host Sumter Central Tuesday in Plantersville in a game that will help decide the area 6 title, regardless of how Sumter fares against Demopolis.

 

Demopolis 42, 

Dallas County 6

Demopolis raced by Dallas County for a 42-6 victory Thursday in a key game in class 5A, area 6 play.

Seven different Tigers scored in the game. Sha’Deitra White led the way for Demopolis with 10 points in the game and Asia Bufford scored four points for Dallas County.

“At this point in the year, we are just focusing on us,” Dallas County head coach Charles Thompson said.

“It’s not about winning or losing, it’s about us making some progress. To be 1-15, or whatever we are, nobody has quit. That says a lot, and I’m proud of them.”

Demopolis led 21-4 at halftime and 40-6 after the third quarter.