Facing a bigger, stronger Decatur High basketball team, the Athens Golden Eagles knew in the end some of the rebounds would have to go their way.

So in the final four minutes, the Golden Eagles matched the Red Raiders’ boardwork and confused them with changing defenses to pull out a 60-48 win on Senior Night at Athens gym.

“They were some monsters down there, but like coach said, if you turn around and put your butt on them, you can hold them back,” said Justin Pitts, who led the Golden Eagles with six rebounds including four in the final four minutes of the game.

“Some of the rebounds we couldn’t get, but some of the we did.”

Athens (15-11) was outrebounded 36-27 by the Red Raiders, but after being out rebounded 19-8 in the opening half, the Golden Eagles held a 20-17 advantage in the second half.

“In the last four minutes, we did a good job on the board,” said Athens High head coach Venard Hendrix after picking up his 100th career coaching win. “That’s been our problem all year. We’ve given up to many offensive rebounds.

“I think they might have had 10 the first half, and we said at halftime if we could keep them off the boards, we’d have a chance. Our guys came through.”

The Golden Eagles made four 3-point baskets, including two from Ferrell Williams and two from Larquis Cruther in the second quarter to build a 31-28 and stretched their lead to eight, 36-28, after Crutcher’s basket with 6:31 left in the third quarter.

But Decatur got six-straight points after three-straight Athens turnovers and got within two, 36-34, on Jarodiaus Willingham’s field goal with 4:30 left.

The Red Raiders were within three, 41-38, after Rolando McLain’s basket with 2:34 left, then the bottom fell out.

Decatur went the next nine minutes with just two baskets, while Athens got nine points from Tom Woodroof in a 15-5 run, which pushed its lead to 56-43, after Woodroof’s two free throws with 1:17 left in the game.

“We were trying to throw them off balance by changing defenses,” Hendrix said. “We were going from a man to a zone to a halfcourt trap. We forced some turnovers. They couldn’t get dialed in because we kept changing.”

Crutcher led Athens with 19 points, including a pair of 3s. Woodroof added 15 points, and Pitts scored 11, including three 3-point baskets.

“My and coach (Bryant) Whitlock have been working on my jump shot,” Pitts said. “He knew I had been working pretty hard in the post, but with my height I need to be shooting jumpers.

“So I’ve just been shooting jumpers, about 200 a day. Once I hit the outside, he wants me to just catch it and shoot.”

McClain had 14 points and eight rebounds to lead Decatur. Rico Pickett added 12 points.