By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Forrest City Coach Dwight Lofton knows better than to think the Hughes Blue Devils will show his young 0-4 Mustang team any mercy tonight when the two county schools meet at Hughes.
"You can bet the house and whatever else you want to bet that Hughes is going to press hard and play hard from the opening tip," Lofton said Monday. "They (Hughes) play at a different level when they are on their home floor. I just hope my guys aren't too intimidated by the crowd."
The two teams are headed in opposite directions.
The Mustangs haven't played in nine days -- since a loss to Osceola on the final day of the Rumble on the Ridge.
Hughes has won three games since the Rumble and will be looking to make it four in a row tonight.
The Blue Devils are beginning to find their rhythm, helped in the past three games by senior guard Robert Davis, who is, according to Brannen "playing his heart out" in the absence of senior Lonnie Smith, sidelined until early February with a broken leg.
Davis had 29 points in Saturday's win over White Hall in the finals of the DeWitt Invitational Tournament, including the game-winning shot at the buzzer.
Besides Robert Davis, Brannen has veterans Jermaine Davis, Johnnie Washington, Chris Crawford, Jay Doolittle, Malcolm Curne and newcomer Antonio Cotton.
The young and inexperienced Mustangs are relying on Derrick Smith, Omar Davis, Vince Millen, Torando Lay, Deangelo Braddock, Nate Britt and John Foreman.
Before the boys take the floor, the senior girls will go head-to-head.
The Lady Mustangs are coming off three consecutive losses at the Panther Invitational Tournament at Cabot.
Forrest City is led by senior Deosha Agnew, Caronica Randle, Erika Haggans, Trina Wynne, Katrina Floyd, Chrystal Summage and Kim Ursery.
The Hughes Lady Blue Devils will put four sophomores in the starting five.
Coach Steve Maynard is banking on Victoria Doolittle, Valreneeka Brown, Shamiko Porter, Deangela Smith and Latisha James.
The three-game set begins at 5 p.m., when the JV boys' teams will tip.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City Blue Junior Mustangs let one slip away Monday at Mustang Arena.
After leading for three and half periods, Forrest City gave up a 6-0 run to West Memphis Wonder with less than two minutes left in the game and fell short 35-32.
The Blue Junior Mustangs slip to 1-3 for the year while Wonder improves to 5-1.
In the girls' game, Wonder kept the Blue Junior Lady Mustangs winless with a 22-10 victory.
The Blue Junior Mustangs led by a much as 11 points in the first half but led just 22-18 at the half.
Forrest City netted just six points in the third period while Wonder scored eight to trail by two 28-26 to start the final period.
With 4:57 to play, Wonder took its first lead of the game at 29-28 on a jumper by Melvin Clark. A three by Forrest City's Stephon Weaver got the Junior Mustangs back in front 31-29 before Wonder used a 6-0 run to take the lead for good.
Marc Mangum's layup tied the game at 31 and Decoris Robinson's two steals and back-to-back layups put Wonder in front 35-31 with 1:20 to play.
Mangum led all scorers with 14 points while Clark added eight and Anthony Overstreet helped out with seven.
Weaver led Forrest City with 10 points -- including three, three-pointers. LaCody Braddock and Terrance Ware each added eight points.
WMemphis Wonder 22, Forrest City Blue 10
The Wonder Junior girls got seven points from Camille Loving to take a 22-10 win over the Junior Lady Mustangs.
Wonder led 8-4 after one period and 10-4 at the half after Forrest City failed to score in the second period.
Fareeda Washington led Forrest City with four points.
Forrest City White 34, Blytheville 29
Viveca Kimble scored 17 points to help lead the White Junior Lady Mustangs past Blytheville 34-29 Monday night at Blytheville.
Forrest City improves to 5-2 for the year.
In the varsity boys' game, Blytheville took a win over the White Junior Mustangs.
* PREP BASKETBALL
Monday's Scores
Senior Boys
Marmaduke 64, CRA 50
Piggott 66, Corning 64, OT
Pocahontas 65, Highland 56
St. Benedict 71, MCCA 55
Senior Girls
Marmaduke 66, Bay 42
Rector 42, Campbell, Mo., 35
Riverside 67, East Poinsett Co. 53
Walnut Ridge 38, Buffalo Island 25
Junior Boys
MacArthur 62, Annie Camp 19
Marmaduke 44, CRA 31
Piggott 41, Corning 37
WMemphis Wonder 35, Forrest City Blue 32
Junior Girls
Forrest City White 34, Blytheville 29
Annie Camp 34, MacArthur 31
Bay 39, Marmaduke 14
Rector 46, Campbell, Mo., 17
Riverside 32, East Poinsett Co. 26
Walnut Ridge 29, Bay 18
WMemphis Wonder 22, Forrest City Blue 10
TOURNAMENTS
Pre-Holiday at Trumann
Senior Boys
Valley View 68, Harrisburg 59, OT
Trumann 52, Westside 44
Junior Boys
Valley View 36, Brookland 22
Westside 48, Weiner 21
Tri-County Tournament at Paragould
Senior Boys
Marked Tree 59, Riverside 56, 2OT
Paragould 51, Armorel 48
Banks of Osceola Classic
Senior Boys
Earle 69, Marion 62
Helena-West Helena Central 66, Parkin 51
Osceola 93, Crawfordsville 36
Senior Girls
Helena-West Helena Central 49, Earle 37
Marion 55, Osceola B-Team 24
Osceola 55, Parkin 44
Rivercrest 63, Crawfordsville 28
North Pulaski Invitational
Senior Boys
El Dorado 85, LRCentral 78
Tuesday, December 4
North Pulaski vs Greene County Tech
Pine Bluff vs North Little Rock
Senior Girls
LR McClellan 66, El Dorado 41
Tuesday, December 4
North Pulaski vs Oak Grove
Little Rock Fair vs Little Rock Central