The 3-3 Demopolis High Tigers may not have had a chance to win the area Friday night when they hosted the 6-0 Livingston High Cougars, but that’s no reason to throw the game away in the fourth period.

But that’s exactly what they did.

After leading throughout three periods of play, the Tigers threw in the towel in the fourth period and watched as the Cougars marched back and outscored them 20-10 to get the 46-42 victory.

Cougars’ senior guard Cory Speight led the way for the Cougars with 16 points on the night, but did his most impressive work in the fourth period when he lit it up for 7 points.

For the 10-8 Tigers, Friday night’s loss was just another chapter in dramatic saga that is later to be named, “Turnovers Can’t Hurt You.”

A scenario that has been played out too many times already this season.

It’s the same old story. The Tigers take to an early 16-3 lead in the first period and play outstanding defense. In the second period they continue to dominate with great defense and keep the Cougars at bay with a 24-14 lead. By the half the Tigers have a comfortable 10-point lead with only 5 turnovers. Victory is at hand.

But in the third period, things start to shift. Turnovers begin to multiply and the countless missed free throws from the first half begin to take hold. And what was once a game that the Tigers had full control of, has transformed into a game that has control over them.

In the third period the Tigers managed 10 turnovers and 8 points, while the Cougars collected an easy 12 points. And to add insult to injury, instead of bouncing back in the fourth period, the Tigers continue to ride out the storm on the same deflating raft and turn the ball over another 10 times while gaining only 10 points.

The Cougars on the other hand, have no trouble finding the basket and manage 20 points in the final period alone to get the easy come-from-behind win.

The Tigers finished the night with 25 turnovers, hitting 15-of-26 (58 percent) from the floor and 12-of-31 (39 percent) from the line.

With their win the Cougars clinch the area and will have the honor of hosting the Class 4A Area 8 Tournament February 12th and 14th with a No. 1 seeding.

As for the Tigers, who finish area play with a (3-3) mark and the No. 2 seeding, it’s one more long week of regular season basketball before making the trip to Livingston to face the Greene County Tigers in the Area Tournament.