MOBILE — The Demopolis Lady Tigers (24-8) shot only 21.4 percent from the floor Saturday evening en route to a 56-36 loss to top-ranked Faith Academy.

From the outset of the Class 5A Girls South Region final matchup, Demopolis had a hard time finding the scoreboard, missing three shots on its opening possession, a trend that continued throughout the evening.

“We preached the last couple days being patient,” Demopolis head coach Tony Pittman said. “We just really rushed a lot of shots tonight.”

Despite their offensive struggles, the Lady Tigers held Faith to 11 points in the first quarter and exited the period down only 11-4.

A three-pointer early in the second quarter off the finger tips of Megan Smith gave her all of the Lady Tigers’ first seven points and put DHS within six, the last time they would be that close over the duration of the evening.

The offensive woes for Demopolis were made worse by the early foul trouble of Jonniece Collins, who was forced off the floor in the second quarter with her third transgression.

“Coming out, we knew we had to attack them,” Pittman said. “Jonniece was very important to what we wanted to do.”

By halftime, Demopolis was down 27-14 and then 41-16 by the three minute mark in the third stanza.

“Against a good team like Faith, you can’t get down,” Pittman said. “I wish them the best moving forward.”

Senior Breanna Jones led Demopolis with 10 points and eight rebounds in the contest. Smith finished with nine. Collins and Tee Perkins made the all-tournament team for the Lady Tigers.

“I appreciate them,” PIttman said of a senior class that consists of five players, including Jones, Perkins, Smith, Damekeia Marshall and injured forward Shadijiah Moore. “I’ve seen them grow up from ninth graders to seniors.”

Jasmine Rhodes hung 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Faith, earning a spot on the all-tournament team while Madeleine Philpot finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and most valuable player honors.

The loss puts Pittman’s career record at 309-142 over 16 years at the helm of the Demopolis Lady Tiger basketball program.