A team full of former Blue Devil talent toppled the current Escambia County High School Blue Devils’ basketball team, 55-47, in an exhibition Thursday afternoon.

The game featuring ECHS alumni and the current Blue Devils’ team on Thursday was a tune-up before the current team opened its season Monday at Blount.

“I think we’re ready for the season at this point,” coach Earlando Courtney said. “We’re at a good place.”

Courtney said it’ll be good to “have something to continue to work on” throughout the early part of the season leading up to January and February.

He said his team pushed the ball up the court well during the game.

Layton Knight and Fred Knight opened the game with three pointers for the alumni team to take a 6-0 lead.

Tristen Knott cut the alumni lead to 6-3 with 13:01 left in the first half, but Fred Knight drained another three for the alumni to increase the lead back to six.

Desmond Williams was fouled on the Devils’ next possession. He sank both free throws to cut the lead to 9-5. Layton Knight and Fred Knight answered for the alumni, adding a total of five points for a 14-5 lead.

Desmond Williams missed a shot for the Devils with 11 minutes left, but the alumni were unable to capitalize on the other end and 28 seconds later, Dexter Williams was able to lay it in for a score. The current Devils cut the lead to 14-7 with 10:32 remaining.

Desmond Williams made a shot at the 9:50 mark to cut the lead to 15-7 and Jerome Webster hit one of two free throws to bring the score within 15-10.

Kendrick Henderson answered with a three for the alumni team and increased the lead to 18-10. Desmond Williams made two foul shots on the other end of the floor to cut the lead to 18-12.

Desmond Johnson answered with a field goal to give the alumni a 20-12 lead, before Jarvis Knight drained a three for the Devils to make it a 20-15 score. A three-point play for Webster, cut the lead to 22-18.

Albert Dortch drained a shot to give the alumni a 24-18 lead, but Desmond Williams brought the score within six on a field goal, with 3:16 left in the half.

DyQwan Lee hit one of two foul shots to bring the Devils to within five at 26-21. Jarvis Knight sank a three-pointer for Devils’ to cut the lead to two with 2:08 left in the first. The Blue Devils took the lead on a rebound and put back by Dexter Williams to give the current team the lead at 27-26 to end the half.

After the alumni team took over the lead to start the second half, Tristen Knott took a feed from Desmond Williams and scored to regain the advantage at 29-28. Desmond Williams was credited with a steal during the possession.

Layton Knight hit a three to give the alumni a 31-29 lead with 13:46 left in the game. Fred Knight followed that with a lay up to increase the alumni lead to 33-29. Melik McMillan sank a field goal to cut the lead to 33-31 and Anthony Fountain sank a shot to tie it up with 11:05 left.

After the alumni team picked up one point from foul shots, Layton Knight increased it to a three-point lead at 36-33.

Desmond Williams missed two foul shots and Fred Knight dunked at the other end to give the alumni a five-point lead at 38-33 with 8:05 left in the game.

Desmond Williams made one of two foul shots on the following trip down the floor to cut the lead to 38-34. Desmond Williams then dunked to bring the Blue Devils within two at 38-36 with 7:08 remaining.

The alumni team’s Tyrell Ford sank a three-pointer, but Jarvis Knight matched him to keep the two-point deficit.

Ford gave the alumni a seven-point lead at 46-39 before Ja’Corian Shavers sank a three for the current Blue Devils.

The current team brought it to within two points after a goaltending call went against Ford and credited the shot to McMillan. The current Blue Devils took the lead on another three-pointer by Jarvis Knight.

The current Blue Devils fell behind 49-47 on the next possession and did not score again. Quartez James and Layton Knight both sank shots to increase the alumni lead in the win.