ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — The Lady Tigers of Baldwin County High School locked up the Class 6A Area 3 championship on Tuesday night when they defeated the Robertsdale Lady Golden Bears 41-36.

“It says (about our team) a lot about how hard these girls work every day. If we can ever figure out how to make free throws we will be alright,” Tigers head coach Robert Wills said. “They played hard, and Robertsdale played hard, it was a good game. We won the area that’s what you try to do. I am proud of them.”

Even in the win, Wills saw things his team needs to work on for the rest of the season. There was no shortage of workable material Tuesday night to get ready for the post season.

“Obviously we need to work on our free throws and when we have a lead and there is a minute left you have to know what to do and we have to prepare for that,” Willis said. “We get to play Davidson, Atmore, and Spanish Fort to end the season. We have to continue to work and to work on our mental focus.”

The visiting Lady Tigers finished with two players finishing in double figures including Latia Phillips who finished with a game high 15 points teammate Dede Maye finished with 11.

The Bears finished with only four players putting up points, including junior Austin Richardson, who finished with 14. Richardson came into the game tied in points per game with 12. She is tied with fellow junior Madeline Petite.

Both the Tigers and the Bears came out of the locker room a bit cold and struggled to put points on the board through-out the early stages of the first half.

The Bears, who seemed to lack energy early, let up some fast break points to the Tigers who set up their transitional offense off missed shots and turnovers.

The intensity picked up throughout the rest of the first half trading baskets until both teams entered the locker room with the Tigers leading 20-18.

The second half remained tight with the Tigers leading by no more than six points until the end.

The teams battled until the final minute with the Tigers leading by four points. Petite brought the deficit down to just two points on lay up with :46 left.

The Tigers answered that bucket with twofree throws to seal the game after the bears continued to struggle with turnovers.

The Tigers will be in action again on Saturday when they visit rival Escambia County in Atmore at 6 p.m. Robertsdale will remain at home when they host the Fairhope Pirates at 6 p.m. Friday.