By By Chandler Myers
Escambia County Blue Devils junior forward Kingston Craft shot the lights out for his team, but it was not enough to earn ECHS an area win as they fell 77-71 to the Spanish Fort Toros on Tuesday night.
Craft paced ECHS with 31 points and hit three-of-four free throws.
The Blue Devils (8-10, 0-3) started the game weak on offense and defense only scoring 10 points and allowing the Toros to chip in 21.
ECHS would not be denied in the second period and made the quarter look like a polar opposite of the first.
In the second quarter, the Blue Devils rallied to score 25 points and only gave up 15 to Spanish Fort. The comeback allowed ECHS to pull within one point heading into the halftime break down 36-35.
Blue Devils head coach Anthony Hayes said the first quarter was difficult for his team because of the adjustments they had to make on defense.
After halftime, the game was much tighter and neither team gave up much ground.
In the third period, the Toros outscored ECHS 18-14 and took a 54-49 lead into the final quarter.
The final quarter proved to be like the rest of the game with the Blue Devils trailing and trying to pull themselves back into the game, but not gaining ground.
Spanish Fort scored 23 points in the fourth period and only allowed visiting Blue Devils to chip in 21 of their own.
After the final buzzer sounded, ECHS traveled back to Atmore with another area loss.
Hayes said the loss came to a tough opponent in a rough road environment.
Blue Devils senior forward Dontae Johnson chipped in 10 points in the loss and hit his only two free throw attempts.
Senior forward Johnathan Gholsby added seven points and shot 50 percent from the charity stripe. Junior forward Eric Davis scored six points, while senior guard James Webster notched five points. Davis and Webster shot a combined two-of-five from the free throw line.
Senior forward Lawrence Arnold senior gurads Myles Everett and Charles Crook all scored four points. Everett shot 100 perecent for the Blue Devils at the free throw line, while Crook shot two-of-four in the loss.
Free throws proved to be the difference in the game.
The Blue Devils shot 12-of-21 from the charity stripe, but fouled their way into the loss as the Toros knocked down 24-of-35 shots from the line.
Hayes said it was just another game plagued by fouls and free throws.
The Blue Devils next game is Tuesday at home against Spanish Fort. Tip off is at 7:30 p.m.