By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
JONESBORO -- It seems as though the Hughes Blue Devils have returned to the top of their game. After a tough 2-3 beginning to the year, the Blue Devils have now won 11 of their last 12 games and are definitely on a roll.
Last Saturday, the Blue Devils won the AAA boys' title at the Northeast Arkansas Invitational Tournament for the second straight year.
Hughes was the top-seed going into the tournament, which was played at Jonesboro's ASU Convocation Center.
While never completely running away from Manila, the Blue Devils did utilize their quickness to take a 58-46 victory in the championship game.
Hughes played four games in four days, defeating Harrisburg, Gosnell and Pocahontas to reach the finals.
Manila, the seventh-seeded team into the bracket, ousted Piggott, No. 2 seeded East Poinsett County and sixth seeded Cave City to get to Saturday's final.
A year ago, Hughes defeated Rivercrest in the AAA boys' final.
Manila kept the heat on the Blue Devils, however, most of the game, but struggled at the free-throw line and on the boards, which proved to be decisive difference.
Manila cut Hughes' lead to seven twice in the fourth period. But each time, Hughes answered.
Hughes coach Brad Brannen praised his team's defensive effort, which limited Manila to only one three-pointer in the game.
Senior guard Robert Davis led Hughes with 16 points, including three 3-pointers. Curne also added 12 points off the bench for the Blue Devils, who also outrebounded Manila 37-26 in the game.
Morris led Manila with 13, while Walker added 12.
Davis had 11 points in the second quarter to help Hughes pull away for a 30-19 halftime lead.
In Friday's 59-51 semifinal win over Pocahontas, Robert Davis had 19 points and Jermaine Davis added nine.
In other title games played Saturday, Osceola outscored Blytheville 20-7 over the final 6:14 of the third quarter, to win its second consecutive AAAA-AAAAA boys' NEA title with a 67-52 win over the Chickasaws at the Convocation Center in a repeat of last year's title game.
Four Osceola players scored in double figures led by Dan Newson with 17 points.
In the A-AA boys final played Saturday, top-seeded Turrell downed River Valley 68-60 to win the division championship.
The Nettleton Lady Raiders downed Greene County Tech 43-34 Saturday to win their first AAAA-AAAAA girls' title at the NEA tournament.
Charla Kelly led the Lady Raiders with 15 points.
In the A-AA girls final, it was Marmaduke taking a 52-35 win over Sloan-Hendrix in the championship game. Marmaduke won the title a year ago.
And Piggott eased past Highland 61-53 to win the AAA girls' championship.
The Forrest City Junior High basketball teams will return to action, Thursday, Jan. 3, when the Blue teams host Blytheville and the White teams play on the road at West Memphis Wonder.
The senior high Mustangs and Lady Mustangs will host Sylvan Hills Friday night at Mustang Arena to open the AAAAA-East Conference portion of their season schedule.
The Mustangs have not played since Jan. 21, in a loss to Wynne.
The Lady Mustangs took part in the Mount St. Mary's holiday tournament last week played in Little Rock, where they finished fourth.
* PREP BASKETBALL
High School Basketball Tournaments
Tournament of Champions
At Russellville (Arkansas Tech)
Senior Boys Championship
North Pulaski 69, Dardanelle 34
Senior Girls Championship
Dover 37, Huntsville 31
Coke Classic At Fort Smith
Senior Boys
Seventh Place
McGehee 60, Clarksville 53
Fifth Place
LR Parkview 46, LR Hall 44
Third Place
FS Northside 52, Van Buren 44
Championship Game
Subiaco Academy 57, FS Southside 52
Heavenly Hoopfest
Senior Girls
Fifth Place
Morrilton JV 65, North Pulaski 59
Third Place
Star City 41, Forrest City 35
Championship Game
Morrilton 52, Mount St. Mary 50
Red Devil Classic At Jacksonville
Senior Boys
Seventh Place
Arkadelphia 72, Robinson 64
Fifth Place
Oak Grove 73, NLR 61
Third Place
Searcy 49, Jacksonville 47, OT
Championship Game
LR Mills 49, Conway 48
Senior Girls
Seventh Place
Searcy 55, Arkadelphia 50
Fifth Place
Conway 50, Wynne 30
Third Place
LR McClellan 45, NLR 31
Championship Game
Jacksonville 52, Batesville 45
Wednesday, January 2
Palestine-Wheatley at Marvell, 5 p.m.
(Jr. Boys, Sr. Girls, Sr. Boys)
Thursday, January 3
FCity White at WMemphis Wonder
Blytheville at FCity Blue
* FOOTBALL - COLLEGE
Bowl Glance
Motor City Bowl
Toledo 23, Cincinnati 16
Alamo Bowl
Iowa 19, Texas Tech 16
Insight.com Bowl
Syracuse 26, Kansas State 3
Humanitarian Bowl
Clemson 49, Louisiana Tech 24
Sun Bowl
Washington State 33, Purdue 27
Silicon Valley Classic
Michigan State 44, Fresno State 35
Liberty Bowl
Louisville 28, Brigham Young 10
Peach Bowl
North Carolina 16, Auburn 10
Outback Bowl
South Carolina 31, Ohio State 28
Cotton Bowl
Oklahoma 10, Arkansas 3
Gator Bowl
Florida State 30, Virginia Tech 17
Citrus Bowl
Tennessee 45, Michigan 17
Fiesta Bowl
Oregon 38, Colorado 16
Sugar Bowl
Louisiana State 47, Illinois 34
Wednesday, January 2
Orange Bowl At Miami
Maryland (10-1) vs. Florida (9-2), 8 p.m. (ABC)
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Thursday, January 3
Rose Bowl At Pasadena, Calif.
Miami (11-0) vs. Nebraska (11-1), 8 p.m. (ABC)