By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
HUGHES -- Lonoke made it two in a row over the Class AAA defending state champions, Hughes Tuesday night at Blue Devil Gym.
Chris Jones rebounded a missed last-second shot by Skippy Norman and got the stickback at the buzzer to lift the Jackrabbits to a 54-53 win over Hughes in 6AAA Conference play.
Not only did Jones' basket make Lonoke a winner over Hughes for the second time this season, it also ended Hughes' hopes for winning the outright conference title.
Not even the return of senior guard Lonnie Smith helped turn the tide in Hughes' favor in the end.
The Blue Devils had to defeat Lonoke and Pine Bluff Dollarway in the season ending game on Friday, to claim the league title.
Now, the Blue Devils have to down Dollarway to have a shot at second place outright.
Hughes slips to 18-7 overall and 8-3 in the conference. Dollarway stands at 10-1 in the conference.
The win was bittersweet for Lonoke Coach Wes Swift, who guided Hughes to the state title less than a year ago.
"I don't know how to feel right now," Swift said after the game. "It was a great win for our kids, but I know that Hughes played their hearts out and I know they are getting ready to make a run at another state title. Never did I once think we would sweep Hughes this year. Never."
Hughes Coach Brad Brannen said his kids played hard but were too inconsistent, especially in the second half.
"We made some bad shot selections, especially after we got down by 10 and then made a run to go back in front by one," Brannen said. "Right now, this loss really hurts. It's hard to lose one like this. We have to go to Dollarway Friday and play for second and then try to win district."
Antonio Cotton led Hughes with 15 points, most of that coming in the second half on offensive rebounds and putbacks during key trips down the floor. Robert Davis added 14 points while Chris Crawford finished with seven.
Game-high scoring honors went to Lonoke's Jeremy McClain, who blistered the nets for 20 points. Norman finished with 12 and Jones added 11, including the game-winning two points.
In what appeared to be headed in the same direction as the first meeting between the two teams in Lonoke (a 69-67 Jackrabbit win in overtime) Hughes led 36-35 after three periods.
The Blue Devils had fallen behind by 10 points, 33-23 with 3:30 to play in the third but roared back to outscore Lonoke 13-to-2 to take the lead to start the fourth period.
Lonoke grabbed the lead after tying the game at 38-all and pushed their lead to 48-42 on a three-pointer with 2:30 left in the game.
Hughes got back within one point at 50-49 with 53 seconds to play after Jermaine Davis drove the lane for an underhand scoop shot and then hit the free throw after being fouled.
Randall Shepherd hit two free throws to put Lonoke up 52-49 before Crawford's baseline layup cut the Lonoke lead back to one at 52-51 with 29 seconds to play.
Lonoke inbounded underneath Hughes' goal but Ty Coleman missed the front end of a one-and-one after being fouled by Crawford.
Robert Davis missed on the transition but Cotton was there for the rebound and putback bucket with 11 seconds to play giving Hughes a one point lead at 53-52.
Again, Lonoke inbounded and went the length of the floor with Norman missing off the back iron as the ball carromed into Jones' hands for the game-winning putback.
"If you would have told me going in that we would only be down by one point to start the fourth period, I would have said, 'we'll take it,'" Swift said. "And if you would have told me that we would have the ball with 11 seconds left in the game and a chance for the game-winning shot, I would have said, 'we'll take it.'"
The Blue Devils led 6-2 and 8-4 in the first period and settled for an 11-9 lead to start the second period after Jamal Tiggs hit a bank shot three at the buzzer.
Smith, who has missed the entire season after breaking his leg in the final football game of the season, entered the game with 6:42 to play in the second period to the roar of approval and a standing ovation by the Hughes' fans.
He missed his first two shots from the floor but did manage to hit one of two free throws during his five minute stretch.
But it was Lonoke that carried a 23-20 lead into the half.
Hughes knotted the game at 23-all in the third before Lonoke used a 10-to-3 run to take a 33-23 lead.
Cotton's traditional three-point play cut the Lonoke lead to 35-30 and Courtley London's rebound basket left Lonoke holding onto a 35-32 lead with 1:30 left in the third.
Cotton's rebound of a London miss and stickback got Hughes within one at 35-34 with 30 seconds to play in the period and Jermaine Davis' pass to Cotton for the easy layup put the Blue Devils in front to start the fourth.
The Lonoke Lady Jackrabbits outscored the Hughes Lady Blue Devils 28-19 in the second half Tuesday to take a 51-39 win in 6AAA Conference play.
Lonoke led 23-20 at the half and 36-27 to start the fourth period.
Valraneeka Brown led Hughes with 15 points while Victoria Doolittle added 11 and Latisha James chipped in five points.
Jenna Estes led Lonoke with 14 points while Tommie Reddick added 13 and LaRoya Doss added 11.
Hughes slips to 4-13 for the year and 4-7 in the league.
Weather has cancelled today's round of the 6AAA Junior High District Tournament, being played at Lonoke.
Although no official decisions have been made, the tournament will probably be pushed back a day, moving today's games to Thursday, Thursday's games to Saturday and Saturday's finals to Monday, Feb. 11.
If that is the case, the Hughes Junior Lady Blue Devils will play Pine Bluff Dollarway, Thursday at 5 p.m.
The 6AAA high school district is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at Lonoke.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
While most of the AAAAA-East schedule was cancelled, including the Forrest City-Little Rock Mills matchup, the West Memphis Blue Devils did manage to host Cabot which resulted in a sweep for the home teams.
It was Aaron Price powering the Blue Devils (15-6, 9-1) past the Panthers 78-36 by scoring 18 points.
D.J. Loving added 13, Desma McCoy 12 and Larry Bray Jr., had 10 for West Memphis, which led 32-14 at the half.
Josh Watkins led Cabot with 17 points.
*Batesville defeated Newport 70-48 as the Pioneers improved to 12-8 overall and 7-2 in the AAAA-East.
*Brian Holloman scored 30 points to lead Carlisle past Hazen 65-54 in 2AA-South action.
*Marcus Gilmore scored 13 points but it wasn't enough as the Clarendon Lions fell to Marvell 46-42 in 6AA Conference action Tuesday.
*Terrance Marshall scored 18 points to lead Osceola past Marion 92-40 in a AAAA-East game Tuesday night.
Osceola improves to 23-3 overall and 9-0 in the conference.
*Larry Boyd scored 14 points for the Wynne Yellowjackets (12-5, 6-3) in a 46-42 AAAA-East victory over the Nettleton Raiders (14-8, 6-3) in Wynne.
Wade Boeckmann and Curtis Scott each added 11 for Wynne.
Candice Robinson and Tamala Turner each scored 16 points to lead West Memphis (20-2, 9-1) past Cabot 65-35 in a AAAAA-East game.
Kim Turner added 10 for West Memphis. Brittany Goings scored 11 and Allie Gammill 10 for Cabot.
*Meagan Tumilson scored 14 points as the Clarendon Lady Lions posted a 6AA victory over Marvell, winning 34-30.
*The Lady Seminoles (16-4, 9-0) remained perfect in AAAA-East play with a 52-30 victory over the Marion Lady Patriots.
*Wynne held Nettleton to just five points in the second half, to take a 39-18 win.
* PREP BASKETBALL
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Senior Boys
AAAAA-Central
LR Parkview 60, LR Hall 42
AAAAA-East
Jonesboro 68, Sylvan Hills 67
West Memphis 78, Cabot 36
6AAA
Lonoke 54, Hughes 53
Senior Girls
AAAAA-Central
LR Parkview 58, LR Hall 43
AAAAA-East
West Memphis 65, Cabot 35
Jonesboro 54, Sylvan Hills 48
AAAA-East
Paragould 39, Greene Co. Tech 37
6AAA
Lonoke 51, Hughes 39
Boys' AAAAA-East
Conf. O/all
West Memphis 9-1 15-6
Little Rock Mills 7-1 18-3
Blytheville 5-3 11-6
Sylvan Hills 4-4 10-7
Jonesboro 4-4 8-12
Jacksonville 3-5 6-12
Cabot 2-8 5-16
Forrest City 0-8 2-16
Girls' AAAAA-East
Conf. O/all
West Memphis 9-1 20-2
Jacksonville 7-1 16-3
Jonesboro 6-2 17-4
Cabot 5-5 12-11
Forrest City 3-5 7-11
Sylvan Hills 2-6 9-7
Blytheville 2-6 10-10
Little Rock Mills 0-8 0-0
6AAA Junior District Tournament at Lonoke
Junior Boys
Monday's Results
Hughes defeated Brinkley
PB Dollarway defeated England
Wednesday, February 6
Dumas vs DeWitt, Cancelled
Monday's Results
Junior Girls
England defeated Brinkley
Wednesday, February 6
Hughes vs PB Dollarway, Cancelled
Dumas vs DeWitt, Cancelled