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MONTGOMERY — The Selma Saints set their goals on making it to the Final 56 in Birmingham.

However, the Saints came up just short of that goal.

Sylacauga’s Ayden Crowe made a layup with 10 seconds to go to give the Aggies a 51-50 win over Selma in the Class 5A Boys Central Regional at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome on the campus of Alabama State University.

Selma had their chance to win it at the buzzer after head coach Ron Rembert called timeout. They had two good looks at the win, but both rimmed out.

“(Sylacauga) stayed in it, fought the way back in it. And you know, we didn’t take care of the ball well enough down the stretch. We didn’t knock down enough free throws. And in the game is a game of this magnitude, those things really are magnified,” Rembert said.

The Saints also had to play the final minute without team leader and leading scorer Tristin Blocton, who fouled out with 59.4 seconds to play. Blocton scored 29 points and had three assists before he fouled out.

“It certainly didn’t help that our senior and our best player was disqualified due to fouls,” Rembert said. “We definitely missed his presence out there on the floor, especially down the stretch. But I’m very proud of the guys. A lot of teams would’ve liked to have been here to even compete in the spot that we were in. It’s just unfortunate we came up a little short today.”

Selma started the game strong jumping out to a 9-2 lead and led 14-7 at the end of the first quarter. The Saints extended the lead to 24-15 at halftime.

The Saints led by as many as 10 before Blocton, who had already scored 18 in the game, picked up his fourth foul.

Sylacauga immediately went on a run to cut the lead to 36-34 at the end of the third quarter. Selma built the lead back to six points with Blocton back in the game, but the Aggies’ Jordan Roberson gave Sylacauga its first lead of the game at 44-43 with 5:48 left in the fourth quarter.

Blocton answered with a 15-footer from the left wing. Jaquarius Bradley got a steal that led to another Blocton runner from the elbow to retake the lead at 47-44, forcing a Sylacauga timeout with 3:45 to play.

Blocton went coast-to-coast with 2:45 to play to give Selma a five-point advantage.

Back-to-back turnovers led to a pair of Sylacauga baskets to make it a one-point game with 1:22 left in regulation.

Blocton fouled out with 59.4 seconds remaining in the game, and all the Saints’ leading scorer could do was watch. Roberson made one of two free throws to tie the game.

Samarion Woods made a free throw to go back up 50-49.

Roberson drove the ball into the lane and then found a wide-open Crowe who made the game-winner.

“This was definitely not the end goal,” Rembert said. “The end goal was to be playing for a championship in Birmingham, but credit to these guys, they did an outstanding job for us all season. We’re very proud of the season that we had. Again, it’s just a little unfortunate that we came up a little short in this one.”

Woods finished the game with 10 points followed by DeShawn Flannigan with six points, Jaquarious Bradley with three and LaDarian Brown with two.

Roberson led Sylacauga with 18 points while C.J. Franklin had 11.

Rembert said he told his team especially his seniors, to keep their heads up. Without their leadership, Rembert said they wouldn’t have been in this position.

“It was because of their leadership that we were 24-4,” Rembert said. “We definitely want to finish the academic school year strong. We’re looking to help them get placed at the next level if they so desire, and just remain positive. Even though it’s a tough loss, they’re hurting right now. So it may take a, a day or two for them to get it out of the system. But the next step or journey in their life is right ahead of them.”