After keeping it close in the first half, Atmore Christian School lost 62-48 to S.L. Jones.

The Rams trailed 24-20 at the half to a team coach Tim Battles said has given them trouble in the past.

Battles was without starter Myles Maher, the team’s leading rebounder with 12 boards a game. Maher also averages around 13 points a game, Battles said.

“I told them if we wanted to beat S.L. Jones we’d have to do two things: Limit the turnovers that allow them to get easy lay ups and rebound to limit their second chance points,” he said.

Battles said the team didn’t rebound well and that contributed to the loss.

S.L. Jones increased their four-point lead to five points by the end of the third quarter. The Warriors then went on an 8-0 run in the fourth, until the Rams hit a free throw with 6:10 remaining in the game.

With the Warriors’ lead up to 53-35, ACS’ Wesley Hostetler got a steal and dished it to Joseph Ferrell, who missed a contested lay up. The rebound and put back by Kyle Kersey was also off the mark.

Jones increased its lead on ACS after an Ethan Heller miss resulted in a score on the other end of the court with 4:16 left in the game.

The Warriors’ defense produced a steal on the ensuing possession and was able to score. S.L. Jones led 58-35 with 3:46 left.

Jones increased the lead to 25 points after another steal and subsequent score before Ferrell hit a field goal and a foul shot to cut the lead to 60-38. The play killed the Warriors’ 17-1 run.

Ferrell got another 3-point play after hitting a floater a few possessions later. Jones lead dropped to 62-43.

Heller hit a fade away jumper that resulted in another 3-point play and Trenton Durant got a steal at the other end, which resulted in a Ferrell lay up.

Ferrell led the team in scoring with 18 points and Ethan Heller added 16.