Like every other meeting on the basketball court between the Moody Blue Devils and the St. Clair county Saints, big plays down the stretch decided the outcome. The Saints take the first meeting, 55 – 50.

As any good rivalry game, the two teams got off to an intense start. Moody scored the first three points of the game and eventually led 9 – 7 with 3:20 left in the quarter. The Saints tied the game at 9 with .33 seconds left, but a steal and a layup at the first quarter buzzer put Moody up 11 – 9.

Brandin Carmenetti knocks down a three point basket to start the second quarter to put Moody up 14 – 9. The Saints Grayson Beatty scored seven straight points to pull St. Clair to within 17 – 16 with 2:02 left in the half. Beatty’s eighth point came from the free throw line to tie the game at 18 all. Moody’s Devin Prince connects on a three point basket as time ran out in the first half to put the Blue Devils up 22 – 18 at half time. Grayson Beatty had 10 points in the second quarter alone and had 12 points total at the half to lead the Saints. Devin Prince had two three pointers in the second quarter and had 8 first half points to lead the Blue Devils.

Moody jumped out to a 27 – 20 lead early in the third, but like the first half, the Saints battled back to trail by one point 29 – 28. Beatty’s lay up later in the quarter gave St. Clair their first lead of the game 30 – 29 with 3:00 left. Justin May extends the Saints lead to 32 – 29 with a corner jumper. Saint Clair nursed a one-point lead 34 – 33 after three quarters. .

The Saints went on a 5 – 0 run to start the forth quarter to push their lead up to 39 – 33. Moody later found themselves trailing by 10 points 43 – 33 with 4:00 left. Moody pulled to within seven points, but Grayson Beatty connected on a huge three point basket to put the Saints back up by 10 points, 46 – 36. Moody kept on fighting and pull to with 4 points with 46 – 42 with 2:43 left in the game. Moody got as close as two points, but Noah Bruce scores a basket to open the Saints lead back to 4 points Talen Files hits a very long three pointer to pull Moody to 48 – 47. Beatty came right back with a three pointer of his own to put the Saints up 51 – 47. That was the last run Moody had in them as the Saints held on to win 55 – 50.

Grayson Beatty led all scores with 26 points for the Saints. Devin Prince led the Blue Devils with 17 points. The two teams will get back together after the first of the year on January 13 at Moody.