West Point's Kobe Smith (24) reacts to a foul call during the first half of Friday's Class 5A, Area 14 Tournament title game against Russellville. The Warriors lost 68-61. 

WEST POINT — Randy Jones wasn’t interested in walking into the West Point locker room Friday night until he got a good look at the stat sheet.

The number the coach saw under Russellville for offensive rebounds was 16.

It’d been just five at halftime.

That’s all Jones needed to know after a 68-61 loss to the Golden Tigers for the Class 5A, Area 14 Tournament title that got away late.

“To me, that was the difference in the ballgame,” he said. “They whipped us on the boards. They’ve got a good team. When you give them that many extra possessions, you’re not going to beat a team like that.”

The fervent fans in attendance for both programs definitely got their money’s worth, strapping in for 11 lead changes and too many momentum swings to count.

A 15-4 run heading into halftime gave the Warriors a 33-31 lead and the first glimmer of hope the game would be theirs. But a 9-0 tear to close the third quarter pulled Russellville even at 49-49, setting the stage for a frantic fourth that ultimately went the visitor’s way.

Cameron Moore rattled in the fourth of his five 3-pointers to tie the game at 52-52 early in the final frame, only for the Golden Tigers’ Joshua Seal to put back a rebound for what turned out to be the go-ahead basket. West Point continued to threaten until inside the final minute, when Russellville converted a couple of easy layups to officially hand the Warriors their first area loss of the season.

The timing couldn’t have been much worse for the Maroon and White, who will now have to travel to 10th-ranked Columbia next Tuesday for a sub-regional bout. The Eagles’ résumé includes a win over top-ranked J.O. Johnson.

The alternative would’ve been one last home game against St. John Paul II in a sub-regional rematch from last season that the Falcons eked out in double overtime.

“This time of year, any opponent you play should be tough,” Jones said. “There’s no doubt, not only just because it’s Columbia, but playing away. We’ve got to step up. Things can happen. We’re going to give it our best shot.”

Seth Parker and Moore each scored 17 points for West Point. Tanner Rusk was hot on their heels with 15. Parker and Rusk rounded out double-doubles with matching 10-rebound displays. Brandon Farley and Andrew Shaw added four points apiece, and Alex Hernandez and Kobe Smith both had two.

Seal sported a game-high 22 points for Russellville, which also received double-digit outings from Adonnis Bailey (18 points and 11 rebounds) and Austin Stidham (11 points).

The Warriors finished 10 of 19 from the free throw line. The Golden Tigers weren’t much better at 5 of 11.