FAIRHOPE,Alabama— A 10-0 run to start the final period by the visiting Robertsdale Bears took a 44-40 lead away from Fairhope’s Pirates who then trailed 49-44 with about three minutes left in regulation time. FHS then outscored the Bears 9-6, but missed a last second Hail Mary for the 53-51 win at the buzzer.

RHS had four players score in double digits as Rashad Hobby led the Bears with 14 points, Donnie Casey scored 13, Alphonso Stewart added 11 and Josh Laird 10 while Nick Raspa finished with nine.

Fairhope’s Nate Andrews led the floor with 24 points and teammates Ernest Andrews and Rushing Watson added eight points each. The Class 6A, Area 3 road win puts Robertsdale’s record at 10-13, 2-2 while the Pirates dropped to 9-12, 0-4. The Bears were 7-for-16 at the free-throw line. FHS was 12-of-17.

RHS led 14-11 to start the second period, but trailed 25-23 at the half. The Pirates then built a 10-point 34-24 lead before the Bears cut that nearly in half by the end of the third.

“It’s a big win for us,” said RHS head coach Marshal Davis III. “Anytime you get a win on the road at Fairhope is big. We knew it would be tough coming in to their place. They would try to get us out of our game and make us play their game—and they did there for minute in the third—but we were able to focus and play our game again and play hard and smart. We didn’t get too up or too down. We didn’t do a good job of that early in the year, but we have matured and I think that showed and I hope that wisdom sunk in some more tonight. Everything’s not going to go your way all the time on every play so you have to get back and play. Forget about what didn’t go your way and just play hard. I’m proud of the guys tonight. Never let up. Got down at the end of the third, but came back out strong with a lot of energy and were able to build. Did a lot better job on transition around that time. That helped us. We could have done a better job at the line I know, even put it away. But we will keep working on that for sure.”

Fairhope head coach Robbie Robertson said his team is improving, but still coming up just short of the important area wins. Wins which will mean most in the area tournament to start post-season play in February.

“I think if we keep getting better together, we will be able to put together a more complete game by the tournament—if not sooner,” he said. “We are almost there. Getting there. We had a lead, had momentum there after the third quarter, but then went cold and I know we were tired. We have to get better at sustaining and building a lead. But I think we were just out of gas. Nate and Rushing were playing almost every minute because I didn’t have many opportunities to sub for them, but I had to rest them some and that’s when they (RHS) made a move. Coach Davis does a good job of getting his teams ready and they took advantage.

“I need to find a better way of subbing. Earnest, Trent (Baggerly), Britton (Flowers) and Nate and Rushing all played a lot of minutes. Davis (Watson) is doing a good job, too. Maybe I’m not rotating these guys as well as I could be. But I feel like by February, we will be playing better.”

The Bears host Area 3 rival Daphne Friday night at 7:30 p.m. Fairhope will travel to Foley High School Friday to take on the Lions in another 6A Area 3 matchup at 7:30 p.m.