By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Lady Mustangs used 21 points from Caronica Randle and 20 from senior Deosha Agnew to take a 67-52 win over Wynne.
It was the first victory over Wynne by a Lady Mustang team since the home-and-home series was put back on the schedule in 1998.
The Lady Mustangs lost to Wynne at the Northeast Arkansas Tournament at Jonesboro in 1996. The two teams did not play the next season (97-98).
Wynne won the next four meetings during the 1998-'99 season and the 1999-00 season.
A year ago, the ice storm forced the cancellation of the two-game set between the schools.
Racing to a 15-7 lead after the first period Friday, Forrest City (2-4) extended their advantage to 32-23 at the half and led 42-27 with 2:30 left in the third period after putting together a 10-to-4 run.
Randle punctuated the scoring spurt with a three pointer at the buzzer to lift the Lady Mustangs' lead to 51-33.
With mostly subs on the floor in the fourth period, the Lady Mustangs were outscored 19-to-16 in the fourth period, but Wynne never got closer than 12 points in the final four minutes.
Trina Wynne also finished in double figures for the Lady Mustangs with 13 points -- eight of that total coming in the third period.
Agnew and Randle each hit two, three-pointers and 11 of Randle's 21 points came in the second period. Katrina Floyd added eight points for Forrest City.
Tiffany Tucker led Wynne with 16 points while Princella Smith finished with 10 and Nicole Johnson added eight. Wynne hit 20-of-40 free throws for the game while Forrest City sank 19-of-32 from the foul line.
The two teams will play again Friday at Wynne.
The Lady Yellowjackets won the JV game 31-17, getting seven points from Quinita Harris.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
For Wynne basketball coach Bobby Gross, the first trip to Mustang Arena was both satisfying and successful.
Friday night, Gross' Yellowjackets defeated the Forrest City Mustangs 55-42.
Wynne used a strong third period to turn a 27-25 halftime lead into a 42-32 cushion by the time the fourth period started.
The Yellowjackets outscored the Mustangs 15-to-7 in the decisive third period to take charge of the game.
Wynne was playing in Mustang Arena for the first time. Scheduled for a game at the Arena a year ago, the December ice storm stopped those plans and the nonconference game was never rescheduled.
Gross' Yellowjackets put three players in double figures, led by Larry Boyd's 17 points. Scott Curtis added 12 and 6-6 senior center Wade Boechmann, playing most of the second half with a sore ankle, finished with 10 points. John Jones added nine points.
Senior guard Vince Millen led Forrest City with 14 points.Kerry Evans was held to just eight points while Torando Lay had six and Derek Brown added four.
Wynne trailed the entire opening period until Jones nailed back-to-back threes -- one at the first period buzzer to put the Yellowjackets in front 12-10 and another off the opening possession of the second to give the Jackets a five-point lead at 15-10.
Wynne led by as many as eight points in the second period but the Mustangs battled back to cut that lead to two 27-25 at the half.
Wynne pulled away in the third period to lead by ten, 42-32 to start the final period and pushed their advantage to as many as 13 points three times during the final minutes.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
PARAGOULD -- Palestine-Wheatley Coach Beverly Bass said it best last week when she noted that to win her Lady Patriots would have to score 40-points or more to have a shot at a victory in the McDonald's Shootout at Paragould.
In three games, the Lady Patriots failed to reach 40 points and the result was an 0-3 finish -- the first time P-W has not won a game at the Paragould tourney.
On Thursday, the Lady Patriots lost to Jonesboro 62-37. On Friday, they managed just 36 points in a loss to Greene County Tech and on Saturday, against the host team Paragould, the Lady Patriots lost 55-39.
P-W senior point guard Nikki Bass was named the player of the game in each of the Lady Patriots' losses. Bass scored 16, 21 and 17 respectively.
Poplar Bluff, Mo. defeated bentonville 59-38 to win the Shootout title Saturday night. Jonesboro edged Pocahontas 47-41 for third place and Obion County central, Tenn. slipped past Greene County tech 49-40 for fifth place.
On Friday, Bentonville squeaked past Jonesboro 46-45 and Poplar Bluff defeated Pocahontas 60-45. while Obion downed Paragould 61-46.
Greene County Tech's Allison Diggs and Kristina Wilson combined for 10 points in an early run and the Lady Eagles never came close to giving up an early 12-3 lead over the Lady Patriots.
Palestine-Wheatley's Nikki Bass took home player of the game honors for the second consecutive night with a game-high 21 points, but the Lady Eagles held off their opposition for the entire contest, never losing a lead that grew into the 17-point final spread.
Brittany Flenory followed Bass' lead with seven points while Nikita Love netted six and Jenny Loewer helped out with two for P-W.
On Saturday, Paragould avoided a winless ride through their own tournament by holding off P-W 55-39.
The Lady Rams broke a two-game skid by defeating defending Shootout champ Palestine-Wheatley with little trouble, claiming seventh place.
The Rams (6-2) jumped in 21-10 at the first-period break and led by as many as 30 points en route to sending the Lady Patriots home winless from the 2001 Shootout.
Led by game MVP Brandi Getson, Paragould led 30-13 at the half and 51-21 after three quarters.
Getson finished 14 points, the only Ram to reach double digits. Chastan Denning added nine, Libby Swindle scored eight and Kathryn Reeves added seven.
Bass scored 17 points to lead all scorers and LaRhonda Bender had 12.
The Lady Patriots are not scheduled to play again until Jan. 2, when they travel to Marvell for a 6AA conference matchup.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
DIERKS -- The Palestine-Wheatley Patriots won the Blue Division at the Outlaw Shootout Tournament played at Dierks over the weekend.
On Friday, DeVille Pickett led the Patriots past Dierks 63-38 by scoring 25 points. Brandon Roberts added 14 points and Quinton Mason chipped in 10 in the victory.
On Saturday, the Patriots got 22 points from Pickett and 20 from Oliver Smith in a 67-63 win over Nashville. Darran Johnson added 15 points, including four, three-pointers.
"We played well," said P-W Coach Terry Clardy. "Getting those two games helped us as we get ready for conference after the break."
The Patriots now will begin play at the 53rd Tournament of Champions at Arkansas Tech on Wednesday, Dec. 26, when they take on North Pulaski at 4:30 p.m.
P-W improves to 5-8 for the season with the two wins at Dierks.
The junior high basketball game between Forrest City White and Hughes, scheduled to be played tonight, has been cancelled due to semester testing.
Assistant Athletic Director John Burgess said the game "may be made up following the holiday break."
The FC junior high teams resume play on Jan. 3.
* PREP BASKETBALL
High School
Friday's Scores
Senior Boys
Wynne 55, Forrest City 42
Hughes 72, Dumas 63
Lonoke 78, England 32
PB Dollarway 86, DeWitt 28
Augusta 43, Carlisle 31
Jonesboro 83, Weiner 47
Senior Girls
Forrest City 67, Wynne 52
PB Dollarway 47, DeWitt 37
Junior High
Monday, December 17
Forrest City White at Hughes
Cancelled