FAIRHOPE, Ala.—The Fairhope Pirates matched every scoring run the Foley Lions could throw at them Friday night and walked away with a crucial 70-55 region win over their Class 6A Area 3 arch-rival.

In what was perhaps one of their most complete games of the season, the Pirates were able to answer run after run in the second half to earn the win.

“We knew they were talented and they were going to press and trap and all that good stuff against us so we knew they were going to make some runs.” Pirates head coach Robby Robertson said. “I thought we passed the ball really well tonight, we got some really good looks and got into the flow.”

One of the big factors to their offensive flow was the guard play they got from both Andrew Miller and Davis Watson. Watson and Miller combined for 21 points but more importantly they set up other players for easy layups and shots throughout the evening.

“They are very unselfish, they pass the ball.” Robertson said. “They are fun to coach. Because of that they make my job easier because they are so unselfish.”

Another reason the Pirates were so successful Friday night, was their production they received off their bench. The Pirates bench accumulated 31 points Friday night. After falling behind early 5-0 the Pirates started their first run of the game and took an 11-5 lead on the backs of some good shooting by the starting five.

Thanks in large part to untimely turnovers by the Lions, the Pirates were able to control the pace of play the entire first half and took a commanding 35-17 into halftime. The second half the Lions tested the Pirates by knocking down big shots from behind the arc and turning over the Pirates. Something the Pirates did not do in the first half.

The Lions shaved their deficit in the second half to as low as three midway through the fourth quarter. After each Lion run the Pirates answered with one of their own and never trailed after their early 5-0 deficit at the beginning of the game. After losing their first two regional games of the season the Pirates earned their first win Friday night.

“It kind of gets us back in the mix a little bit. There is a long way to go. They still have to play until late February.” Robertson said. “We want to be playing our best ball in late January and early February. That is what we are striving for.”

With the win the Pirates move above the .500 mark at 9-8 while the Foley Lions fall to 6-11 and 1-3 in the region.