DEMOPOLIS &8212; What is the difference in the Demopolis High School varsity team&8217;s performance this weekend, as they beat Livingston and Choctaw County in the Demopolis Classic, and their performance during a six-game slide staring in early December leading up to the event?

According to the team&8217;s coach, Jesse Bell, it was the group&8217;s strong second-half performances in the two weekend games.

More precisely, the group scored 61 to Livingston&8217;s 43 in their first game and 64 to Choctaw County&8217;s 51 in the second. And most important to Bell, the scoring was almost exactly the same in the first and second half of both games.

Bell said some of the stability shown this weekend in scoring by period is a result of his team finally realizing that contact is going to come during a game and not shying away from it. He said that mentality allows the group to get points in the paint by attacking the rim &8212; in turn opening up the long-range shots his team has been relying on but not making consistently up until now.

An increased free-throw percentage didn&8217;t hurt either.

Like night and day, the group&8217;s ability to make the adjustments Bell has identified all season has made a difference. The coach just hopes the group continues to build on the success.

But along with the good, Bell knows there is always something his team can do to improve as they build toward the postseason.