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MONTGOMERY – Escambia Academy countered a late attack and beat Trinity 49-45 in the AISA Class 1A Final Four at the Cramton Bowl Multiplex.

The Cougars dominated the first half, leading 30-17 at halftime. However, the Eagles fought back with a stellar defense and made some buckets to cut it to 36-29 going into the fourth period. Trinity finished the third on a 6-0 run.

EA battled back in the fourth, finding some room on the inside, and made some crucial free throws within the last minute to pull out the victory.

With the victory, EA will face Abbeville in the state championship game Friday at 2 p.m.

“That was a very good team,” EA basketball coach Jerome Webster said about Trinity. “They made us rush the ball. They made us turn the ball over. We missed free throws, and we had a lot of turnovers. But, at the end of the day, we got the win.”

Webster added that the team has to work on some things to fix to get ready for Abbeville.

In the second half, the Eagles put together a defensive game plan that stymied the Cougars’ attack in the paint.

Webster said the boys started being a little careless, stopped listening and didn’t have much discipline.

“We just stuck it out,” the coach said. “We should’ve had a 20-point lead, but like I said, when you’re not disciplined, they had a good game plan.”

Escambia Academy’s Ronta Watson led the Cougars with 22 points. Bryce Stevens scored nine points in the first half; and Christian Burks added five points.

Watson scored nine points in the first period, and eight points in the fourth during the contest.

The Cougars led 7-2 with 4 minutes left in the first period. Stevens hit a rebound and put back to make it 9-4 a short time later. Watson then split the defense on a drive up the paint to make it 11-4 at the end of the first period.

Watson then found Stevens early in the second for a three-point play; and Stevens dominated down low the rest of the way.

EA’s Traegan James hit a layup to make it 25-9 in the second.

Burks hit a jumper a short time later, and then a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Cougars a 13-point advantage at halftime.

Then, the Eagles came soaring back into the game.

Burks hit a 3-pointer early in the third, but Trinity’s Nate Riddle answered with a trey of his own.

Mac Ellis hit a pair of free throws for Trinity, and Harrisson Weeks made a free throw to cut the lead. At this point, Stevens had four fouls.

Watson added a three-point play with 2:13 left in the third to flush up the cushion.

Weeks added a three-point play, and Riddle countered with a steal and layup to make it an eight point game.

Reid House added a free throw with 51.5 seconds left and ended a 6-0 run for the Eagles going into the fourth.

Riddle started the fourth with two free throws, and EA took a timeout to regroup a short time later.

Watson then found Hayden Sheets for an easy layup and a seven-point lead.

Riddle hit a free throw, and House made a layup to cut it to 40-34 with more than 3 minutes to go.

Watson then added a three-point play with 2:10 to go; Ellis hit two free throws to cut it to seven.

Within a minute, the Eagles cut the game to within five points. Ellis hit a turnaround jumper; and Riddle got a long jump shot to go.

Watson then hit two free throws, and House hit a bank shot 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds left.

Trinity took a timeout to talk things over.

Burks was fouled and made a free throw, and the Cougars held on late.