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The LaFayette Bulldogs are on to the next round of playoffs. The Bulldogs put on a masterclass on Tuesday night in Montgomery beating Calhoun 74-45. They return to action on Saturday against either Tuscaloosa or Central-Coosa at Alabama State University. 

Head Coach Chase Lewis said the game plan was to isolate star Tiger, Tyler Robertson.

He’s an All-State player…He’s very big and physical and can shoot, “ Lewis said. “So we did a good job of slowing him down.

Calhoun doesn’t shoot from behind the arc much, and Lewis said his team did well to keep them on the outside. 

It was an even first quarter, with both teams fighting hard for a chance to move on. LaFayette squeaked out a lead after the first quarter. 

The second frame is when things got fun. The Bulldogs did not let up smothering the Tigers on defense, forcing them to the outside. On the offensive side, LaFayette found routes inside consistently. A buzzer-beater three-pointer by Amilleon Huguley sent the Bulldogs into the locker room fired up. 

The fourth was more of the same. Calhoun seemed defeated, while LaFayette kept at it. A dunk by Jayden Thomas was the early nail in the coffin. The LaFayette visitors went wild as their team went into the final eight minutes up 55-34.

The final frame saw LaFayette run out the clock and give the reserves some postseason playing time. 

Kemare Harrington and Jordan Johnson lit up the court with 17 points each. Two other starters broke double digits, Quintavious Lloyd and Thomas had 12 and 10 points, respectively. Nine Bulldogs got on the score sheet.

It was a decisive win at the right time for the Bulldogs. They return to the court in Montgomery as one of the eight teams left on the bracket. 

“It’s a quick turnaround and we are a studying type team…We celebrate for maybe 10 minutes and we get right back to studying and right back to practice,” Lewis said.