Bucs, Hall Slam Pearl River

TUSCALOOSA - The Shelton State Community College men's basketball team used a 14-0 run early in the second half en route to a 75-61 win over Pearl River Community College Monday night. 

With the game tied at 34-34 the Bucs reeled off 14 straight points with a series of high-light reel plays to dismantle the Wildcats.

Sophomores DJ Hamlett (Tuscaloosa) and Shah Hall (Tuscaloosa) both scored baskets to give Bucs a 38-34 lead, then the fun began.

In a span of 70 seconds the Bucs stretched that lead to 48-34 with several highlight-reel plays. 

Hall rebounded a missed shot with a one-handed slam dunk that brought the crowd to its feet. 

Freshmen Fredrick Derrick (Huntsville) and King Larkin (Tuscaloosa) drilled back-to-back three-pointers to make it 46-34. 

Larkin added another slam dunk to cap the run at 48-34.

The Bucs (10-2) took their biggest lead of the game at 63-41 on a Marchello Perkins (Tuscaloosa) three-pointer with 8:44 left. 

Perkins led the Bucs with a season-high 14 points and six rebounds. He also added a season-high tying three 3-pointers. 

Hall added a season-high 13 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots. 

Derrick tallied 11 points, six assists and four steals. Hamlett scored 10 points and made 5-of-6 free throws.

Freshman Rodwick Jackson (Headland) had 11 points and a season-best nine rebounds. 

Pearl River (6-5) cut the lead to 67-57 on a layup by Lazarus Mason layup with four minutes left. 

The game was tied 32-32 after a back-and-forth first half. 

The Wildcats jumped out to an 8-3 lead only to see the Bucs grab their first lead on a Perkins three-pointer with 11:58 left.

Pearl River grabbed a 30-27 lead on a Kelan Rich three-pointer with 1:37 left.

The Bucs scored the next five points to grab a 32-30 lead on a three-pointer by Wesley Roberson (Alabaster) and lay-up by Derrick. 

Rich scored on a put back to tie the game at 32-32. Rich had 18 points at halftime. 

Rich (22), Christian Gilliand (17) and Daijon Leatherman (14) combined for 53 of the Wildcats 61 points.

The Bucs return to action on Dec. 18-19 with a two-day tournament at Columbia (Tenn.) State.