VALLEY — It was a similar sight for the Rams of Valley High School on Monday night.

The team was up by more than 20 for most of the game after minutes of forcing turnovers, and a team effort scoring the ball in a 70-49 win over the Beulah Bobcats.

“We played good defense,” Valley boys head basketball coach Marshon Harper said. “I think at the end we got a little sloppy because we were up. For the most part, I thought we played hard. We played good defense, played good team ball.”

The two teams traded baskets at the beginning of the game before one electric moment surged a run by Valley to pull away. Early in the contest, Valley forward Jacquez Trammell threw down a two-handed jam that got the home crowd, and his teammates, on their feet.

“They know to try to get it to him to slam,” Harper said. “He’s looking for it. I told [Jacquez] don’t just be that type of player. He can take it to the hole, he can shoot outside, but he can jump out of the gym. He’s been doing a great job.”

Trammell finished the night with 9 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals and one block.

Another moment that got the crowd excited in the first half was when Beulah guard Lonzie Portis and Valley guard Kintavious Dozier traded some three point baskets back-to-back. 

Dozier led all Valley scorers with 15 points in the winning effort. Portis knocked down three shots from beyond the arc in the first half.

“He’s a great player,” Harper said of Portis. “We tried to take the ball out of his hands a little bit, tried to double team him, but he was still making shots. Hats off to him. He’s a great player.”

Beulah forward Caden Dowdell got a few easy buckets on the right block for the Bobcats, but once again, it was Valley’s blurring speed playing full court man-to-man defense that prevailed in the end. 

Valley freshman point guard K.D. Hutchinson set the tone defensively with 5 steals on Monday night. Senior forward T.J. Winston had 2 steals and a block as well.

“We were in it sometimes, and when you have young players, you’re going to be let down, but the thing about it is that we played a team like Valley, we can get better, we can go down the stretch, and be a contender,” Beulah boys head basketball coach Curtis Noble said. “Everything’s going to gel after a while. I continue to encourage them, continue to work hard, and they’ll learn what to do, and things will come together.”

Beulah returns to action tonight at Tallassee, while Valley plays Handley at home.