A tough shooting night against the No. 1 ranked Pace Academy Knights proved too much to overcome for the No. 4 ranked Tucker Tigers in a 76-40 Class 4A boys’ semifinal playoff game at Ft. Valley State University on Saturday afternoon.

Tucker (25-7) hit just one of eleven shots in the first quarter as the height of the Knights (27-4) hindered the Tiger offense on the way to a 15-6 lead.

Pace jumped out to a 9-0 advantage to start the game, and the Tigers pulled within five on an offensive put back by Dylan Rivers and four free throws with 39.3 seconds left in the quarter.

Pace got a free throw from Chandler Bing and his second missed and Bing came up with the ball to dish to Eric Chatfield for a three-pointer to make it a 15-6 advantage in favor of the Knights heading into the second quarter.

Tucker did not score until the 4:08 mark of the second quarter as Pace reeled off 10 consecutive points (five by Chatfield and five by Bing) to extend the lead to 25-6 before Azion Spencer got an offensive put back for the Tigers.

Jakobe Williams cut the lead to 28-15 with a three and a layup to go with a steal and basket by Jordan Burton.

Another three by Chatfield started another 9-0 run for the Knights before Braedyn Gillespie’s basket with three seconds left in the half to make it a 37-17 game in favor of Pace heading into halftime.

Tucker finished the half just five of 27 from the floor.

Pace put the game away with a 13-3 run to open the second half with only a three-point play for Williams and the Tigers as they fell behind 50-20.

Jakobe Williams led the Tigers with 13 points as they fell short of the state championship game next week in Macon.

Chandler Bing hit for 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Pace with Chatfield adding 20 points and Hayden Clay 11 points.