BIRMINGHAM – Their loss to Greene County on Friday spelled the end of the season, but could be just the beginning for the Southside High School Panthers.

One week after telling his team to play for memories, Southside coach Velton Robinson and his Panthers saw their season end in a nightmarish 56-47 loss to the Tigers in the Class 4A state championship at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center.

It was the first state championship in Greene County High School’s five-year history.

The Panthers had their hands full with a humungous Greene County frontcourt that consisted of 6-foot-10 center Curtis Nickson, 6-9 forward Howard Crawford and 6-7 forward Woodie Cherry. The Tigers hit 20-of-33 shots in the paint and out-rebounded the Panthers 44-24, including a 13-7 advantage on the offensive boards.

Greene County especially did a number on Panthers’ junior forward Jeffery Anderson. After pouring in 31 points against Saks in Wednesday’s semifinal, Anderson was limited to just 10 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Anderson’s shots were held down by a pressing Greene County that took away the Panthers’ inside game.

“We wanted to get the ball inside,” Robinson said. “We had a lot of trouble with that.”

The Tigers’ defense keyed a 6-0 run to open the second period and stretch Greene County’s lead to 16-7. Nickson was especially strong on the boards, leaping over Anderson for an offensive rebound and put-back.

Willie Cooper tried to keep the Panthers close in the first half. His baseline pass found Anderson for a driving lay-up that brought the Panthers to within 20-17. The Panthers fortunately trailed by just six, 23-17, at halftime despite being out-rebounded 29-11 in the first half.

However, Nickson and his Greene County teammates took control in the third period. Nickson stripped the ball from Southside guard Fontano Watters and sent the outlet pass to Robert Jones for a running lay-up that stretched the Greene County lead to 33-21.

The Panthers had their share of chances to rally. Southside got to within four, 43-39, when Jermarcus Hardy’s missed three-pointer found Anderson down low for a lay-up. The margin was back to four, 47-43, after Travis Shine drained a three-pointer from the right wing with 2:42 to go.

Shine’s long-range shot was the last the Panthers would hit. Southside missed 11 of its final 12 shots as Greene County kept the ball from Anderson and Deonta Williams for much of the final two minutes.

:It wasn’t anything they did,” Robinson said. “It wasn’t anything we did. We just missed our shots and Greene County took advantage of it.”

When Anderson and Williams did get their hands on the ball, neither could find their touch. Anderson missed his final five shots while Williams was 0-for-4 in the final two minutes.

“They had a man in front of me all the time,” Anderson said. “We weren’t moving the ball the way we usually move the ball. We couldn’t get it inside and we missed our shots outside.”

Williams agreed.

“They used the same man-to-man defense we’ve seen all year,” he said. “It’s just kind of hard to get a shot when you’ve got 6-11 and 6-9 guys standing in front of you.”

Although the Panthers fell short in trying to win Southside’s first state title since 1985, Robinson said this may just be the start.

“This is a great bunch of kids,” he said. “Everyone’s coming back except Deonta. He’ll be a great loss, but there’s no reason why we can’t be back here next year.”

For Williams, however, there will be no second chance at a state title – something he regrets but hopes his teammates accomplish.

“Hopefully they’ll be back next year,” he said. “I just wish I could come back next year and play.”