DECATUR – The #3 Tigers dominated from the tip as the rolled to a 71-47 win over Decatur on Friday night.
Hartselle used a 13-0 run in the first quarter to jump out to a 17-6 lead. The run forced Decatur coach Sam Brown to call a timeout to settle his team down. They responded with an 8-0 run to close the quarter trailing by three, 17-14.
The second quarter was all Tigers as they outscored the Red Raiders 21-7. Brody Peebles scored 15 straight for Hartselle and finished with 17 in the quarter.
The Tigers led 38-21 at the halftime break.
Hartselle kept the pressure on in the third as they doubled up Decatur 28-14. The Tigers had assists on nine of their 10 field goals in the quarter.
Coach Faron Key emptied his bench in the fourth quarter with a 31 point lead.
Peebles finished the game with 34 points. In his last three games, he has scored 120 points. This is the best three-game total in his career.
Hartselle (20-4) assisted on 19 of their 25 field goals. Jackson Raley led the Tigers with seven while Tad Sivley and Trent Wright each had four.
Sivley added nine points, three rebounds, two steals, and a block for Hartselle. Wright and Raley each had eight points with Wright adding five steals, three rebounds, and a block.
Decatur was led by Smith Coon’s 10 points and Kobe Johnson’s nine.
COACH KEY’S THOUGHTS: I liked our effort tonight. Every player contributed during the game, whether it was a steal, a deflection or a basket. Our defensive effort was great, especially late in the second quarter as we pulled away.
UP NEXT: The Tigers will face 5A #2 Ramsay (15-6) at UAH on Monday at 6 pm in the Marvin Stone Classic. “I am excited for our team to play this game,” said Key. “It should have a regional tournament kind of feel to it.”
