Sumter wins title at Marion
By By Jimmy Boone / special to the Star
Feb. 15, 2004
MARION, Ala. Time ran off the clock, but no one believe it is really over.
Sumter County claimed the Class 3-A Area 6 championship with a 53-49 win over Francis Marion.
The meeting marked the third time the teams have met this year, with Sumter County claiming a 76-42 win in York and the Rams winning 58-54 in an earlier meeting in Marion.
Both teams will now advance to the next round of the state playoffs with Sumter County hosting a game on Tuesday.
As the teams left the court, fans were quick to say they expect the two to meet again at Sub-state in Mobile.
Sumter County (26-2) will host Clarke County in a Class 3-A sub state match while Francis Marion (20-8) will travel to T.R. Miller.
The winners of the sub state games will advance to the Regionals in Mobile where the two teams could meet again in the championship game.
Sumter County was leading 52-49 when a three-point shot bounced off the basket into the hands of Marko Mitchell.
Mitchell was fouled and went to the free throw line with 2.2 seconds remaining.
Knowing that the Rams were a threat from the three-point line, Mitchell knew he needed to hit at least one of his free throws.
Mitchell finished the game with 13 points while Reaynando Sturdivant added 14 points. Francis Marion was led by Julius Allgood with 16 and Jeremy Arrington with 15 points.
The game started out as a slugfest as there were 13 lead changes in the first quarter.
Tommy Graham gave the Wildcats a 13-12 lead when his put back fell at the buzzer.
The second quarter continued at the same tempo, until Chris Law hit a basket to put the Wildcats up 20-18.
Mitchell and Graham added baskets to put Sumter County up 24-18,but a late basket by the Rams cut the halftime lead to 24-20.
In the third quarter the Wildcats came out and used a zone defense to slow down the Rams. Reaynando Sturdivant hit two quick baskets and Sumter County went up 30-22.
Things began to chance quickly, however as Sumter County began being whistled for eight fouls in the third quarter.
