For the fourth straight game, the results were the same for Alcovy despite a change in the players.

The Tigers once again succumbed to turnovers as Rockdale exploited the issue that has plagued Alcovy all season in a 73-64 at RCHS Friday.

"We just don't take care of the basketball; we turn the ball over too much, we're careless and have poor court awareness," Alcovy coach Eugene Brown said. "Turnovers have been our problem all year, but for whatever reason, we just turn the ball over.
"You can't turn the ball over 30 times and beat a church-league team."

Alcovy (5-10, 1-4 Region 2-AAAAAA) turned it over 24 times and trailed by as many as 14 against Rockdale, winners of three straight and five out of its last six.

"The thing I take away from this is we can't turn the ball over," Brown said. "Every time we lost, we had 25 turnovers. When you turn the ball over 30 times, that's 30 shots we don't' get, at least 60 points we don't have a chance at.

"It's just ridiculous; it's not anything complicated; it's just basic stuff."

The Tigers opened the game with an 8-2 run and took a 14-9 advantage early in the second quarter on a basket by Michael Tucker.

Tucker returned to the Tigers for the first time this season, attending Quality Education Academy in Winston Salem, and being listed on their roster by Maxpreps.com for the 2012 season.

Tucker was an All-Region selection for the Tigers last year, scoring 12.2 points per game with 6.2 rebounds per game while leading Alcovy to a 27-4 record and an appearance in the elite eight.

"He came back from a boarding school," Brown said. "He's a welcome addition. He's definitely an offensive weapon. He already signed with Bradley so he's taken care of; we just have to get him acclimated to doing what we do."

Against Rockdale, Tucker finished with 25 points and was 10-of-20 shooting.

"He's definitely an offensive weapon," Brown said. "He rebounds well, defends around the paint area and can handle the basketball and see over the press."

Tucker was the Tigers' only player in double figures as Rockdale applied enough pressure to limit their possessions.

The Bulldogs (9-7, 3-1) trailed 26-20 after a Tucker basket, but scored 11 straight to end the first half as part of an 18-6 run. Rockdale sophomore Connor Ferrell scored eight during the run, including seven to spark the 11-straight.

Rockdale entered halftime leading 31-26 and continued to keep Alcovy off balance into the second half. After starting off the third quarter going back and forth, Rockdale finished it on a 14-6 run with four points each by C.J. Wilson and LaRonte Parks to go up 51-39.

Ferrell led Rockdale with 19 points, followed by 17 from Wilson and 13 from Myles Cardenas.

"We're getting better day by day, that's our goal," Rockdale coach Allan Williams said. "We're trying to get better day by day."

The Tigers managed 38 points in the second half and were 12 for 27 from the field while going to the foul line seven times. Rockdale made 15 trips to the free-throw line, making nine charity shots in the second half, including 5 of 6 from Wilson.

Alcovy played at Westlake Saturday and returns to region play against 2-AAAAAA's only unbeaten team in league play, Luella, Tuesday.

After playing non-region and in-county foe Salem Saturday, Rockdale finishes up the regular season with region play beginning Tuesday at Morrow.