By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser

The Billingsley Bears and the Maplesville Red Devils will each have a team continue their playoff run.

The Billingsley girls basketball team knocked off Maplesville 44-26, while the Red Devils varsity boys squad picked up a 58-39 win over Billingsley on Saturday during the Area 6-1A tournament at Autaugaville High School.

In girls action, an 11-0 first period put the Bears comfortably out in front of the Red Devils.

Baskets by Abby Tindol and Tashanna Parker extended Billingsley’s lead to 15 points.

Madison Motley and Josie Phillips extended the run to 19 before Sha’kea Mitchell finally put the first points of the game on the board for Maplesville.

Shamira Odom and Shanteria Stacy added five more points for Maplesville, but the Bears took a 25-7 lead to the half.

With Billingsley leading 28-11 early in the third period, the Red Devils went on a 6-0 run, but a basket by Parker brought the third period to a close with Billingsley leading 32-17.

The teams traded baskets through the closing minutes, but the Bears hung on for the victory.

Tindol led the Bears with nine points, four rebounds and two steals, while Tayuna Watson led the Red Devils with 10 points, five rebounds and four steals.

Despite a closely contested first half during the varsity boys game, Maplesville pulled away in the second half to pick up the win.

Terrance Dunlap sank the game’s opening bucket from behind the arc, but was shortly answered by a three-pointer from Larry Starks of Billingsley.

Jeremy Williams and Dunlap pushed the Red Devils’ lead to eight, but Isaac Green and Quendarius Tripp cut the deficit to four.

Jerry Nix hit a three-pointer and Alex Cobb drained a basket, as the Red Devils led 19-17 at the end of the first quarter.

Nathaniel Watson and Dunlap extended Maplesville’s lead to six at the start of the second quarter, but a basket by Green and another long-range bomb by Starks pulled the Bears to within one point.

After two free throws from Williams, a three-pointer from Matthew Snow knotted the game at 27-all with under a minute to play before halftime.

However, the tie did not last long, as four points from Dunlap sent Maplesville to the half with a 31-27 lead.

Watson and Green swapped baskets to begin the third period before a basket from Dunlap started a 6-0 run by Maplesville.

It was brought to an end by a basket from Starks, as the Bears trailed 40-31 with just over a minute left in the third period.

Dunlap answered with a basket of his own and gave Maplesville a 42-31 lead at the end of the third.

A free throw by Williams and a three-pointer by Daryl Odom extended the Red Devils’ lead to 15 while Williams later added three more to grow the margin once again.

Williams added three more for the Red Devils, and a late basket by Odom brought the game to its final score.

Dunlap led the Red Devils’ performance with 22 points, five rebounds and a steal, while Williams pitched in 17 points and three rebounds.

Green led Billingsley and finished off a busy night with 11 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.

The Billingsley varsity girls and Maplesville varsity boys basketball teams will each face host Autaugaville on Tuesday night for the right to host a Sub-Regional game.

The losers of the games will be faced with having to travel during the next round of the playoffs.

The girls’ area championship will be held at 5 p.m. and will be immediately followed by the boys’ area title game around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.