The DeKalb County School Saints went to the land of giants this past Saturday and were ushered from the state playoffs in the first round by Knox Webb, 51-29.

Knox Halls, a head taller at every position than the Saints, put it on the Saints early, holding DeKalb to just a Jacob Hendrix basket in the first period of the James C. Haile State Tournament held at Middle Tennessee Christian School in Murfreesboro. The Spartans from K-Town countered by putting up nine points in the first as their press gave DeKalb fits. Owen Snipes and Connor Close accounted for the only field goals of the second for the Saints while Halls started heating up, scoring 12 in the second.

The three ball sealed the deal for DeKalb in the third period as the Spartans canned three long balls from beyond the arc, netting 19 in the third. Still having problems getting the ball down court due to the Halls press, DeKalb put up just six. The issue was made worse by the height advantage enjoyed by the Spartans as they ruled the glass all afternoon.

The fourth proved to be by far the best quarter for DeKalb as Close and Hendrix took over, slashing through the lane. Close had eight by himself, half of those coming from the free throw line. Hendrix had five in the fourth before being sidelined after being addled by a hard spill when he was hacked going to the rack. The Saints would end up outscoring the Spartans 17-11 in the last period but it wasn’t enough to cut into Halls’ gigantic lead.

The loss comes one year after last year’s 19-1 Saint team was ushered from the post season in the first round.