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Jalyn Daniels cutting down the nets last year after the area tourney title. The Tigers will play either Pike Road on Beauregard on Friday for the championship. Photo by Kyle Thornton.

Tigers to play for area title again

By Michael Butler

The Tallassee boys basketball team has reached the area tournament championship game for the fourth time in four years. The Tigers will play the winner of Tuesday's Beauregard vs. Pike Road game on Friday.

THS was scheduled to play Brewbaker Tech on Tuesday, but the Rams forfeited due to a positive COVID test on the team. That gave Tallassee an automatic bid to the title game and a guarantee to reach the sub-regional - win or lose Friday.

The Tigers beat Brew Tech twice in consecutive days last week, 65-53 on Monday in Montgomery and 64-49 in Tallassee on Tuesday. Tallassee then wrapped up the regular season on Friday with a 71-59 win over Stanhope Elmore at Stumberg Gym.

"Jake Manning and Tim Washington gave us a spark," THS head coach Keiven Mixson said of the win over the Mustangs. "Jake hit three threes and Tim hit two to start the game. (We) had a lot of balanced scoring."

Senior guard Jamicah Humphery has been hot. He scored 25 in the win over Stanhope. Humphery and fellow senior Tae Collins scored in double digits in each of last week's wins.

Tallassee has won six straight.

Head coach Keiven Mixson's Tigers have cut down the nets twice in his first three area tournaments. Top-seed Pike Road is 2-0 against the Tigers this season. Tallassee swept Beauregard in its two meetings.

"I really didn’t realize that," Mixson said of his team's success in area tourneys, "but that’s pretty special. It says a lot about the kids in our program. They have been remarkable. I don’t always tell them but they are.

"We are still seeking the ultimate prize of a state championship. We have created an environment where anything less than winning is disappointing and that’s good and bad. Sometimes you can overlook great success and achievements. It can come with a lot of disappointment as well when you set such high standards, but we have to celebrate these young men and their accomplishments. I am just so proud of them. We have a lot of faithful and positive fans that support us win or lose and we are going to continue to compete and make a run at this state and try to make the city of Tallassee proud."

The THS varsity girls team will play the No. 1 seed Pike Road at their gym on Tuesday at 5 p.m. in a must-win game to advance to the post-season.

THS Boys Area Tournament Results (2018-'20):

2018 (at Dadeville)
Semifinal Round: Tallassee 61, Alabama Christian 53
Championship: Tallassee 53, Dadeville 46

2019 (at Brebaker Tech)
Semifinal Round: Tallassee 48, Valley 44
Championship: Brewbaker Tech 65, Tallassee 54

2020 (at Tallassee)
Semifinal Round: Tallassee 57, Beauregard 46
Championship: Tallassee 44, Brebaker Tech 41

2020-21 Schedule/Results