TROY&045;To make a championship run, teams need to be strong on the free throw line and on the glass.

Southside lost both battles Thursday afternoon against Bullock County and it cost them the chance to advance to Regional Finals play on Saturday.

The Panthers put on one heck of a show before falling, 73-67 and Velton Robinson’s young team showed serious promise for the future.

But Thursday, they learned some fundamental basketball lessons the hard way.

The Stinging Hornets attacked the pain and outrebounded Southside, 42-23.

Combined with Southside’s 4-of-13 shooting from the charity stripe, it was just too much to overcome.

The Panthers didn’t lack for effort Thursday.

They came out on fire from outside the free throw arc and got caught up in a shootout.

While Southside dominated outside, Bullock County owned the paint.

Southside fell behind in the second half as they cooled down behind the arc. Anderson and senior Darryl Watts led the Panthers back into the lead

with under three minutes in the game, but they couldn’t hold on.

Robinson said some of those mistakes come with a letting a young team gain experience.

Both teams had five players finish in double figures.

The good news for Southside fans is that everyone except for Watts will be back next year.

Anderson led the way with 22 points for the Panthers, who started in a four-guard offense.

Jamarcus Hardy added 11 points.

Deontae Williams, Fontano Watters and Watts had 10 points each.

Robert Tyus added four points for the Panthers.

Watts also led with six rebounds and five assists.

For Bullock, Michael Kimber led with 20 points and 14 rebounds.

Darryl Rodgers added 15 , DeMarcus Allen had 14, Randy Dubose scored 12 and Decarles Hooks finished with 11.

The game started off as a track meet.

After a Hooks’ layup, Williams drilled the first of five first-quarter 3-pointers for Southside.

BC went up 6-3 when Watters hit his first trey to tied the game.

After another BC layup, Tyus knocked down a triple and Southside had their first lead.

Watts grabbed a steal and fed Hardy for two, then after a BC bucket, Watts hit a 3-pointer for Southside.

A pair of Anderson layups and a Hardy helped Southside keep pace the first quarter ended with the teams tied at 23.

Bullock dominated in the paint, scoring 20 of their 23 points from in close.

Southside shot 5-of-6 from behind the arc but got outrebounded, 9-3.

Tyus and Hardy opened the the second quarter with a pair of 3-pointers in the first minute of play.

Southside pushed out to a 36-26 lead, but cooled off from outside.

Bullock rallied and a Rodgers 3-pointer capped a 16-4 run that gave the Hornets a two-point halftime lead.

It was the Hornets’ turn to run ahead in the third quarter as they jumped on Southside and took a 50-42 advantage. They held a six-point lead at the final break.

The Panthers refused to go quietly and rallied with Watts leading the way.

Anderson scored inside, then Allen scored on a putback. Down by five Watts scored on a layup, then stole the ball and drilled a three to tie.

Anderson laid one up and in plus the foul.

The free throw put Southside up 66-63.

But the youthful Panthers, with several freshmen and sophomores on the floor couldn’t close the deal.

BC battled back and held the Panthers to a single point over the final three minutes of the game.

With the win, BC advanced to play Central-Coosa for the right to go to Birmingham.