It was already a tall task for the Long County Blue Tide, going up against Calvary’s 6-foot-10 Kuol Deng and 6-foot-8 Chol Kiir.

Then tack on a 16-point deficit in the second quarter for the Tide, who were playing the Cavaliers at Johnson’s Myers Gym for the Region 3-AAA No. 3 seed.

The Tide overcame the Cavs’ size and their lead, and held on for a 59-57 win Saturday.  With the win, the Blue Tide earned the region’s No. 3 seed and took Mary Persons in Wednesday’s semifinal. Results were not available at press time.

The Tide trailed 34-22 at intermission and opened the third quarter on a game-tilting run. They scored 10 of the first 12 points of the period, leading to a Cavaliers’ timeout, and kept the pressure. Long County took the lead on Zi’on Thomas’ putback, going ahead 41-40.

The lead changed hands six times in the next 2 minutes, 45 seconds. Shaud Singleton scored to put the Cavs ahead 53-52, but Roderick Randall answered with a 3-pointer.

Chris Hatfield extended the lead to 57-53 on Keshawn Smith’s assist, and Smith set up Randall for another bucket to keep the lead at four with less than a minute to play.

C.J. Gaines led the Cavs with 14 points, hitting four 3-pointers. Singleton added 12 and Demetrius Brown scored 10 points in the second half.

Randall and Kaleel Anderson each had 12 points to lead the Blue Tide. Thomas chipped in 11 and Smith and Zyi Holt each accounted for eight points.

The Blue Tide fell into the consolation game after Savannah Country Day – which upset No. 1 seed Johnson in the region championship game – pulled out a 56-53 win in the region semifinals.

The Long County girls season ended in a 37-30 loss to Liberty County in the region tournament first round.