By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Even though the Palestine-Wheatley Patriots were missing close to a dozen players, including three potential starters, it didn't seem to have an effect on the team's season-opener Tuesday night against Arkansas Baptist.
DeVille Pickett carried the bulk of the scoring load for the Patriots, finishing with 26 points. He had solid help from Vince Jones (12 points) and Alvin Smith (11 points) as well as six points each from Tony Huntley, Curtis Allen, Osas Oyara and Chris Huckaba in a 66-54 win over the Eagles.
Junior guard Kyle Holmes and Zack McCrotty led Arkansas Baptist with 15 points each. Like the Patriots, the Eagles dressed out only nine players and used only eight due to having at least two starters and several players still involved in football.
Both school's football teams qualified for the state playoffs and will play a first-round game on Friday.
The Patriots had just 11 on the bench for coach Terry Clardy.
The Eagles led 18-17 after the first period, in which both teams exchanged leads on almost every possession.
The Patriots rallied in the second period to take a 37-35 lead at the half and then methodically began to pull away in the third period.
Pickett's behind-the-back pass near midcourt to Huntley who converted the layup for a 44-35 P-W lead started a solid Patriot run which included a steal and layup by Huntley, a turn-around jumper by Jones and an NBA three from Pickett.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Patriots shut down Holmes in the third period, holding the shooting guard scoreless.
The Patriots led 55-43 to start the final period.
Jones fouled out with 6:22 to play and the Eagles began to chip away at the Patriot lead, cutting it to 57-48 with three minutes to play and 58-51 on a Holmes jumper with 2:18 showing.
Huckaba's layup, courtesy of a feed from Huntley, pushed the P-W lead back to 60-51. The two combined again for another baseline layup and a 62-51 lead with under two minutes to play.
Pickett sealed the win by forcing a turnover near midcourt and converting the layup.
LaRhonda Bender scored 21 of Palestine-Wheatley's 31 points in Tuesday's 49-31 loss to Arkansas Baptist.
The Lady Eagles, 1-0 for the year, got 14 points from forward Tamara Pilgrim and 13 points from point guard Brandi McAtee as well as nine points from Holly Estes.
Nikita Love added five for the Lady Patriots while Andrea Coopper had two and Britany Flenory added three.
Arkansas Baptist led 27-14 at the half and outscored the Lady Patriots 9-to-7 in the third to lead 36-21.
Palestine-Wheatley cut nto the lead in the fourth, trimming it to 38-25 but the Lady Eagles answered with several ìsecond-chanceî baskets to push their lead back to 47-31 with 1:20 to play.
"Too many turnovers in the third period and some bad shots taken," said first-year Lady Patriot Coach Lanny Allen.
The Palestine-Wheatley Junior Patriots and Junior Lady Patriots will open the season Thursday night in the annual Wheatley Invitational Tournament.
The two P-W junior high teams will play McCrory at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m. at Wheatley Gym.
Cross County, Humphrey and Brinkley will also be participating in the tournament.
The tournament finals will be played Saturday beginning at 5 p.m. with the consolation games.
The Forrest City Blue Mustang teams will host Wynne Thursday at Mustang Arena to officially begin their season.
Wynne is coming off a sweep of the White Mustang teams on Monday.
Tip off will be at 5 p.m.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
MARIANNA -- Forrest City Coach Sue Jayroe thought her Lady Mustangs would be in for quite a preseason jamboree game against the Marianna Lady Trojans.
After all, the Marianna girls reached the quarterfinals of the Class AAAA state tournament last season and the year before lost to Harrison in the state championship game.
What the Lady Mustangs got Tuesday was less than a shell of those two state tournament teams.
Senior Caronica Randle scored 15 points Tuesday and sophomore Viveca Kimble added 13 points as the Lady Mustangs rolled to a 63-15 win.
Chrystal Summage and Katrina Floyd added eight points each while Sequoria Grady added six points. Plagued by foul trouble, which Jayroe admitted was "the coaches fault", Trina Wynne finished with just three points while Teela Lee and Aneisha Barden had four each.
Jayroe started Randle, Wynne, Summage, Kim Ursery and Floyd.
The Lady Mustangs led 18-2 after one period and 37-3 at the half.
By the end of the third it was 54-11.
"It probably wasn't as easy as it looked," Jayroe said. "I was hoping for better competition from Marianna."
In the boys' game, senior guard Kerry Evans led the Mustangs with 18 points while Deangelo "Buck" Braddock added 13 in a 67-61 loss to the Trojans.
Lonnie Spearman, playing less than 100 percent, finished with nine points.
"Marianna got us from the free throw line," Mustang Coach Dwight Lofton said. "We made a run in the fourth and got within five points and from then on, they held the ball and we had to put them on the line."
Forrest City led 18-13 after one period but fell behind 42-35 at the half after finishing the second period with an 8-0 run.
The Trojans led 58-44 to start the fourth period as the Mustangs put together a 12-to-3 run to get within 61-56.
"For a jamboree, it was a good preseason scrimmage," Lofton said. "I saw what I wanted and needed to see."
Lofton said sophomore Taurus Moore came in and played the point the majority of the game and committed just two turnovers.
"We mixed things up and tried different player combinations," Lofton added. "The defense needs a little work and we need to cut down on our turnovers, but unlike in years past, we have some options this time around."
The Mustangs and Lady Mustangs will travel to Sylvan Hills Thursday night to officially open the season against the Bears.
The Lady Mustangs tip at 6 p.m. and the boys will follow.
The lady Mustangs will open play Monday at the Mount St. Mary's Heavenly Hoops Tournament, when they take on Watson Chapel at 5:30 p.m.
* PREP BASKETBALL
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS
Tuesday's Scores
BIC 76, Bay 68
Biggers-Reyno 77, Ridgefield Christian 57
Brookland 47, CRA 44
Evening Shade 69, Lynn 51
Izard County 65, Black Rock 52
Manila 59, Parkin 52
Marmaduke 63, Riverside 60
Maynard 74, Armorel 52
Melbourne 76, Sloan-Hendrix 49
Palestine-Wheatley 66, Arkansas Baptist 54
Rector 60, Corning 48
Turrell 74, Cotton Plant 45
Weiner 66, Mountain View 59
Westside 70, Cross Co. 48
SENIOR GIRLS
Lynn 44, Evening Shade 43
Manila 64, Parkin 30
Mountain View 68, Weiner 35
Arkansas Baptist 49, Palestine-Wheatley 31
Salem 41, Hoxie 25
Sloan-Hendrix 70, Melbourne 36
Turrell 56, Cotton Plant 12
Westside 46, Cross County 18
JUNIOR BOYS
Armorel 46, Maynard 33
BIC 58, Bay 44
Biggers-Reyno 44, Ridgefield Christian 33
Black Rock 44, Izard County 35
Corning 39, Rector 20
CRA 52, Brookland 47
Parkin 49, Manila 44
Riverside 42, Marmaduke 29
Sloan-Hendrix 61, Melbourne 31
Westside 55, Cross Co. 29
JUNIOR GIRLS
Evening Shade 45, Lynn 17
Salem 47, Hoxie 45