With their 53-38 victory over the Livingston High School Lady Cougars Friday night, the 21-4 Demopolis High School Lady Tigers clinched another Class 4A Area 8 Championship.

The Lady Tigers led throughout, dominating every aspect of the game from shooting, to rebounding, to defense.

The Lady Tigers shot 13-of-17 (77 percent) from the line and 17-of-40 (43 percent) from the field, while gathering 28-total rebounds on the night.

“We talked all season about playing all four periods of a basketball game, and I can honestly say that Friday night’s performance was the closest we have come to that this season.” DHS head coach Tony Pittman said.

The Lady Cougars attempted to make a last second push in the fourth period, taking advantage of repetitious DHS turnovers. But coach Pittman soon pulled his team together and reminded them of what happened the last time they played in Livingston.

“We went after them with a kind of no mercy philosophy Friday night,” Pittman said. “And that little slip in the fourth period was the only time where we kind of lost our focus all night. But I was glad to see Gabrielle step it back up for us and take over.”

Leading the way for the Lady Tigers was junior Gabrielle Essex with 19 points and seven rebounds with Shawnese Armstead collecting 10 points, six rebounds and five steals.

Essex dominated the fourth period alone collecting 13-total points, while causing turnover after turnover with her impressive defensive play.

As the Class 4A Area Tournament champs, the Lady Tigers will have the honor of hosting Montevallo High Thursday night in the sub-regional round of the playoffs in a one game do-or-die match-up to decipher who moves on to Mobile.