SPANISH FORT, Alabama — Jaleel Cousins gave the hacienda-side 22 points and collected 11 rebounds against visiting 5A Area 2 rival Gulf Shores Friday night to lead the Toros in a 66-57 win.

Spanish Fort remained undefeated (4-0) in league play while the Gulf Shores Dolphins wrapped up the area schedule at 1-4 after opening the season's set with a 63-51 win at LeFlore. The Toros led 34-25 at the half and by as many as 13 points during the fourth quarter. But the Dolphins never let up and pressed hard the whole night.

“We know we’re not going to host the area tournament, but we hope we will be playing our best basketball by then when the tournament comes up,” Gulf Shores head coach Clint Wigley said. “I’m proud of our guys. They played hard against a very good team, just not well enough to win. Spanish Fort is a very good and we have played them close each time, but we have to do a better job of taking advantage of the few opportunities they give. I thought tonight they played at a very high level. Every shot they took was a good one and some of ours were not and that led to some runs that we couldn’t overcome. But I felt like we played them better than last time. We just have to keep working hard to be able to take the shots we want and not what we have to. Of course Cousins is a load and he’s going get his. I really thought we did okay on him but we gave some of their other guys some easy looks.”

Danny Rose added 14 points and Reagan Eubanks 13 for Spanish Fort.

Gulf Shores was led by Kendall Annan’s 16 points, Brandon Silvers’ 15 and Ryan Godwin’s 10.

Spanish Fort head coach Dru Powell was pleased overall. 

“I think it was a pretty good basketball game between two good teams. We knew they would fight and scrap and never quit and any time you play a team that’s capable of making threes like that, you never get too comfortable with any lead. Our kids continued to battle and knew thet had to against Gulf Shores so we feel fortunate to get another win over a good team. We did a good job of taking care of the basketball. That’s one thing we harp on and how important each possession is and how big turnovers can be and I think we took a step in the right direction tonight.”

The Toros, 18-5 overall, visit St. Paul’s at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and host Vigor at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. A win over the 8-6, 4-1 Wolves could lock up the best area record for Spanish Fort to host the area tournament next month.

Gulf Shores hosts UMS-Wright Friday at 7:30 p.m.