One night after notching a huge region win over an Alexander team that had been red hot, the Troup Tigers were unable to keep the momentum going against Sandy Creek on Saturday.

On the surface, it looked like a game the Tigers could possibly win convincingly, considering the Patriots had won just one region game all season.

Sandy Creek led by as many as eight points in the fourth period, though, and it held off a late Troup charge to win 50-48.

Troup fell to 4-5 in the region heading into Tuesday’s home game against Carrollton.

Demetrius Trammell led Troup with 15 points, and Lakeithin Buckner scored 13.

The Tigers were up 15-11 after the first period, and they led 20-11 early in the second quarter, but the Patriots rallied to tie the game 23-23 at the half.

Sandy Creek took charge of things in the third quarter, scoring the first seven points before Buckner made a 3-pointer to get the Tigers within four.

That shot didn’t slow down the Patriots, who grabbed a 41-32 through three quarters.

The Tigers mounted a fourth-quarter comeback, and they got within two with 5:30 remaining after scoring the first seven points of the period.

The Patriots extended the lead to eight with a 6-0 run, but the Tigers once again had an answer, and they climbed back within two with 1:48 left on a Daryl Dunlap basket.

After the Patriots went ahead by five with 21 seconds left, Buckner drained a 3-pointer with 14 seconds remaining to once again get Troup within two.

After a Sandy Creek player missed a free throw, Troup had a chance to tie it or win it, but a 3-pointer at the buzzer went awry, and the Patriots walked away with the win.

In Saturday’s girls’ game, Troup fell 52-25, with Libby Wheeler and Tamayah Potts leading the way for the home team with eight points apiece.