Overtime proved to be the right time for the Andalusia

Bulldogs.Brian Weeden made eight free throws in the extra

period to help lift the Bulldogs to the Andalusia Christmas

Tournament championship on Saturday night at the Andalusia

Gym.Weeden finished with a game high 18 points while

6-foot-5 center Alvin Daniels also had 18 to deliver the

Bulldogs’ 55-45 victory over Greenville.The title win marks

the 19th time the Bulldogs have won their own invitational

tournament. At 34 years, the Andalusia Christmas Tournament

is the longest running tournament in South Alabama.&uot;The kids

did what I asked them to do. We ran our breakdown offense in

overtime and that meant our No. 3 player would have to

handle the ball. That was Weeden,&uot; said Andalusia Head Coach

Richard Robertson whose team improved to 8-3 on the

season.The Bulldogs had a chance to win in regulation but

the play fell apart in the final five seconds and that left

Daniels trying a desperate shot that failed to draw iron.&uot;We

mis-played the final nine seconds. We took ourselves out of

the play,&uot; Robertson said.The missed shot capped a wild

second half that saw 13 lead changes.The final lead change

occurred early in overtime when Daniels scored off the low

blocks to put Andalusia up 45-43. Greenville then made the

first of three critical turnovers.A bad pass gave the ball

back to the Bulldogs. Andalusia ran some clock before Weeden

was able to draw a foul with 2:38 left. He made both ends of

the one-and-one to make it 47-43.A miss by Greenville’s

Carlos Davison handed the ball back to the Bulldogs. Again

Weeden was fouled. He made one of two to boost the lead to

48-43.A second Greenville turnover helped send Daniels to

the line. He made one of two to put the lead at 49-43 with

2:06 left. A third turnover essentially sealed Greenville’s

fate.Weeden made one of two shots for a seven-point lead at

50-43 with 1:52 left. Greenville would score their only

basket of the overtime with 30 seconds to go but by then,

Andalusia’s lead had reached 11 at 54-43.’You know,

Greenville played right into our hands. We were able to run

some clock early in the second half because we were trying

to protect Andrae who was in foul trouble. They then allowed

us to hold it for the last shot in regulation,&uot; Robertson

added.Greenville Coach Raymond Gee was quite displeased at

the foul disparity.&uot;I feel they took this game from us. I

mean, they had three second half fouls. How many did we

have? Twelve,&uot; Gee answered. Greenville lost their top

player in Sam Williamson to fouls with 2:48 left in

regulation.Leslie was named the Tournament’s MVP despite

averaging just 10 points in the final two games. He had 13

in the finals.The Bulldogs made 17 field goals and were 21

of 33 from the free throw line.Andalusia took a 24-17 lead

late in the second quarter before settling for a 26-21

halftime lead. They then held the ball for much of the third

quarter while Leslie sat with three fouls.Greenville, now

7-2, was led by Williamson’s 16 points. Joshua Smith had

nine.Scoring for the night had Andalusia (55):

Weeden 18,

Daniels 18, Leslie 13, E. Johnson 2, Junior 2. Greenville

(45): Williamson 16, Smith 9, Blackmon 6, Powell 5, Davison

4, Toles 2.