HANCEVILLE – C.J. Yarbrough scored 34 points to lead Tanner to a 73-56 win over Mars Hill in the Class 2A Northwest Regional tournament championship game on Monday night.

It was the fourth time the two Class 2A, Area 16 rivals met this season. Mars Hill won the first two games, but Tanner won the two that mattered the most – the area tournament championship game and the Northwest Regional championship game.

Tanner trailed just once at 2-0, but Yarbrough scored 19 points in the first half to lead the Rattlers, as Tanner built a 36-23 halftime lead.

Mars Hill closed to within 42-39 midway through the third quarter, but Tanner expanded the lead back out to 48-41 at the end of the quarter.

The Rattlers (21-11) then dominated the final period, outscoring Mars Hill 25-15 to run away and hide.

In addition to Yarbrough’s 34 points, the Rattlers got 16 points from Malik Atkins while Nathan Montgomery scored nine.

Mars Hill (20-10) was led by Cade Parrish with 19 points and Avery Trasher with 15.

With the win, Tanner advances to the Class 2A State tournament at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center in Birmingham. The Rattlers will play St. Luke’s at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, in the tournament semifinals.