Cougars return to 4A finals

By By Jeff Byrd / sports editor
Feb. 27, 2003
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. For the second straight year, the Livingston High Cougars have advanced to the Alabama Class 4A Boys State Championship game.
The Cougars blitzed the Deshler Tigers 72-54 on Wednesday morning here at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center in a Final Four 4A Boys semifinal game.
Livingston, now 26-6, will meet Beauregard for the 4A title on Friday night at 8 p.m. at the BJCC.
Beauregard, 25-7, advanced by beating Boaz 63-49 on Wednesday afternoon at the BJCC.
Livingston broke out early to a 22-14 lead. They then scored 17 in the second quarter to take a 39-26 lead at the half.
The Cougars essentially put the game away with a 10-1 run to open the third quarter building a 49-27 advantage just three minutes into the third quarter.
Mack Bealina, Derek Crumpton and David McIntosh all scored field goals in that span.
Four times the Cougars' lead reached 23 in the fourth quarter before Deshler made a late push to get back under 20.
Crumpton, the senior wing, had a big game for the Cougars. He scored 24 points off 11-of-27 shooting. He also grabbed 12 rebounds.
Bealina scored 14 points and had 10 rebounds for the Cougars who won the Class 4A Southwest Regional in Mobile last Friday.
Corey Speight chipped in 15 points while McIntosh had 13.
Livingston was 29-of-64 from the field for 45.3 percent. They made 13-of-24 free throws.
Deshler, who ends at 26-7, was led by Norris Ricks' 15 points. Quinn Beckwith added 14. The Tigers were hurt by 21 turnovers forced by the Cougar pressing attack.