BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Pickens County High School boys basketball team can celebrate again.
Deion Curry scored 22 points to lead four players in double figures Thursday night in Pickens County”s 70-62 victory against Cedar Bluff in the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 1A state title game at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex.
Demarko Hall (15 points), Warren Betts (12), and LaJuan Doss (10) also scored in double figures, while Nick Stewart had nine points to help the Tornadoes (30-1) cap the best season in school history.
Pickens County needed three overtimes last season to beat Houston County last season to win the Class 2A state championship.
Seven players from that team returned this season. This season, depth proved a valuable asset in the march to a second consecutive crown.
On Thursday, the Tornadoes needed an extra session to earn their hardware. Pickens County was 20 of 33 from the free-throw line, but it hit timely ones in the OT to seal the deal.
After Curry, who was the MVP of the state tournament last season, missed two free throws, Betts hit four in a row to push Pickens County”s lead to 68-62. A steal by Betts and a basket by Hall sealed the deal.
Betts was 6 of 6 from the free-throw line in OT.
Curry and Hall each had five rebounds, but Cedar Bluff held a 39-28 advantage. Doss and Curry paced the team with three assists.
Hall and Doss joined Curry on the all-tournament team.
Tyric Scales led Cedar Bluff (29-4) with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Scales hit a 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining in regulation to help force the extra period. Doss missed a 3-pointer and Hall missed an offensive rebound follow before the buzzer.
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