GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Daphne Trojans fell short of winning the second annual Coca-Cola Christmas Tournament at Gulf Shores High School with a 68-61 loss to Dallas County in the tourney’s title game Thursday.

The Trojans defeated Pensacola High School and Gardendale on Tuesday and Wednesday to reach the final, and Daphne coach Cedric Yelding said he thought the wear and tear of playing three games in three days had an effect on his team in the finals.

“I would have loved to have gotten the win,” Yelding said. “When you play in these big tournaments it is about mentality, especially on that third day in the second half. It can go either way. Both teams are at a point where you just kind of run out of gas a little bit. You have to get more kids off the bench and giving good minutes that can help you in this situation. I just think we kind of ran out gas.”

The teams played to a 17-all tie in the first period, and Daphne took a 33-30 lead into the half. Dallas County pulled away in the third period and held off Daphne runs in the fourth.

Daphne never had an answer for Dallas County’s DeAndre McIntyre, who scored 31 points in the finals and was named the tournament MVP. McIntyre hit 9-of-12 free throws in the fourth period to ice the game.

“From the three-minute mark on, when I knew I had to foul a little bit I was saying do not foul No. 1,” Yelding said. “But it seemed liked every time he was coming up with it. That’s a sign of a good player. He knows he can shoot free throws and he’s coming to get the ball.”

Dallas County defeated Central-Baton Rouge and Hoover to reach the finals.

Preston Solomon led Daphne with 16 points, and Joe Menefee had 11 including three three-pointers in the first half.