From The Tribune staff reports
ALEXANDRIA — Moody has been here before. Backed against the wall, facing a team favored to win.
And yet the Blue Devils go into the Thursday, February 10 game against Alexandria with a real shot at a 5A Area 11 title.
Coach Chad Bates’s team made it into the finals of the tournament as a No. 3 seed, dominating second-seeded Lincoln 84-53 to make the championship game. Alexandria, the No. 1 seed, whipped up on St. Clair County by 40 points, 66-26, to reach the finals.
Moody has come alive over the past few games, notching revenge victories over Leeds and Lincoln, but they will need star forward Mason Trimm to continue a high level of play, as well as continue to get important minutes from Carson Dillashaw and Davion Dozier in order to have a chance against Alexandria, which beat Moody twice in their regular-season pairings.
On December 7, Alexandria notched a 10-point win over the Blue Devils, 59-49, and then won again in the rematch on January 6, winning 77-47 at home in a game where nothing seemed to go right for Moody.
The Blue Devils have a chance to change that tonight.