Basketball season ends for Russellville boys

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The Russellville Golden Tigers went to East Limestone Feb. 11 for AHSAA Class 5A sub-regional boys’ basketball, and the Indians took the win by a 57-46 score.

After finishing second in the area tournament to advance in post-season play, RHS needed a win versus East Limestone to keep their season alive – but the Indians lived up to their impressive record and ended the Golden Tigers’ quest for a trip to Hanceville and the Northwest Regional.

With the loss, the RHS record fell to 11-16 for the 2019-20 season.

Senior Levi Gist scored seven of Russellville’s 11 first-quarter points. After the opening period of action, the Golden Tigers trailed by two, as ELHS held a 13-11 advantage.

However, the Indians grew the lead in the second quarter by outdoing Russellville by a 15-10 total, and the score at the half was 28-21 in favor of East Limestone.

Xavier Griffith of East had nine of his 24 points in the third quarter, and the Indians outscored RHS 12-9 in the period to take a 40-30 advantage into the game’s final quarter.

Russellville increased scoring in the fourth by adding up 16 points, but the Indians had 17, and they advanced.

“First of all, you credit East Limestone. They are an exceptional basketball team,” Russellville head coach Patrick Odom said after the game. “When you pop in the film, immediately, you see the size and the athleticism.”

Odom said he was proud of his team members and their resiliency. “It was probably the best all year that we’ve done of implementing the game plan,” he added. “We hung around, we played so hard and we played so tough.

“We needed a few more shots to fall in the second half to have that chance, and then you look up, and we’re still right there in the game.”

Gist led Russellville in scoring with 16 points, while Chandler Dyas also finished the contest in double figures with 14. Boots McCulloch and Brooks Scott scored six apiece for RHS, and Jamaal Hubbard and Nathan Brockway had two points each.