By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Class AA playoff road gets a little tougher for the Hughes Blue Devils this week for a couple of reasons.
First, the Blue Devils have to make another road trip -- a lengthy one all the way to the Louisiana border to play Junction City.
And second, Junction City, the No. 1 seeded team from the 7AA East, has been impressive this year posting six shutouts -- four straight to end their regular season on the way to a 9-1 overall mark and a 7-0 conference record.
And third, the Blue Devils are back in their "underdog" role once again.
The Dragons are 39-3 in conference games over the past four seasons.
Junction City lost to Shiloh Christian in the semifinals a year ago.
Hughes, in the midst of their best season since 1994, are 10-2 and the No. 2 seeded team from the 3AA.
The Blue Devils ended the regular season as the state's highest-scoring team, averaging 40 points per game.
The Blue Devils knocked off Des Arc in the first round of the playoffs and then used a big second half to dispose of Jessieville last Friday on the road.
Junction City defeated Hermatige 76-13 in their opening-round game and then held off Hector 14-6 last Friday.
Both teams lost their season opener and then rebounded to put together impressive winning streaks.
In other AA playoff action this week, unbeaten Charleston visits unbeaten Harding Academy, Mount Ida goes to Rison and Danville plays at Mineral Springs.
Friday's Hughes-Junction City winner gets the Charleston-Harding Academy winner in the semifinals.
Cabot, the No. 2 seed from the AAAAA-East, is the only school left from the East to challenge the West's domination of the 2002 playoffs.
The Panthers face Fort Smith Southside, the No. 2 seed from the West, in one semifinal this Friday, while Springdale and Russellville meet for the second time this season in the other semifinal.
Only Fort Smith Northside, which lost in double overtime to Conway in the first round, is gone from the West.
Cabot has rolled in playoff victories over Texarkana and Conway, outscoring them by a combined 50-9. The Panthers lost leading rusher Chris Robertson in the regular-season finale, but their depth has shone through with dominating ground performances.
Cabot (10-2) turned the tables on the Wampus Cats this time around, scoring three times on four Conway turnovers.
Fullback Brandon Wade ran for 134 yards on 24 carries.
Southside (10-2) jumped on Pine Bluff early and ended the Zebras' season with their first loss, 49-13. The Rebels led 35-0 at halftime.
Southside's quick-strike ability should ensure an all-West final.
This one may be at Cabot, but Southside gets the nod, 37-20.
*Russellville's up-and-down season dropped to 4-4 with a 24-14 loss to Northside on Oct. 25.
Then quarterback Landon Leach stepped up to the plate and led the Cyclones (8-4) to four straight high-scoring victories, including a 42-35 victory over West Memphis last week and a 39-38 double-overtime win against El Dorado to open the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Springdale (11-1) has found little resistance in its playoff march with a shutout against Lake Hamilton and a 31-10 win over Jonesboro.
The Bulldogs have been waiting for Russellville ever since a 48-33 loss in the regular season.
The Bulldogs get this one 34-28.
*The Southeast conference has two teams in the AAAA semifinals with undefeated Stuttgart (12-0) facing Pulaski Robinson and Sylvan Hills (9-3) traveling to Alma.
Stuttgart continues its pursuit of the state title that eluded the team a year ago in a one-point loss to Wynne at War Memorial Stadium with a 34-21 win and Alma ends Sylvan Hills dream season 31-17.
AAA -- Star City 27, Rivercrest 14; Newport 31, Nashville 27; Warren 42, Gosnell 31; Ozark 23, Prescott 16.
AA -- Harding Academy 30, Charleston 21; Junction City 27, Hughes 17; Rison 23, Mount Ida 17; Mineral Springs 37, Danville 20.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
FAYETTEVILLE --Tonight is a big night for former Forrest City Mustang player, Kendrick Moore, Oral Roberts University 6-8 starting senior center.
Moore, a 1998 graduate of Forrest City High School, undoubtedly will be fired up against his home state's university tonight as the Arkansas Razorbacks will challenge ORU in Tulsa. The start time is 7:05 p.m. but there will be no television. The game will be carried by the Arkansas Radio Sports Network.
Moore is making quite an impact for Oral Roberts -- especially since he was inserted into the starting line up early into last year's basketball campaign.
Moore became a regular starter for ORU in the seventh game of the season last year as the team was struggling to a 1-5 start.
ORU won the next game, lost twice and then started a winning streak that helped carry ORU to a finishing 17-14 season.
Moore played a big part in the turn-around as ORU won 15 of their last 22 games.
Along the way Moore set the single season ORU school record for blocked shots with 103 -- good enough for a the nation's No. 9 ranking among Division 1 schools.
Moore not only broke the record, he shattered the record of 81 blocked shots set during the 1976-77 season by former ORU star Alvin Scott who went on to play with the Phoenix Suns.
Moore also tied the school's single-game record for blocked shots with nine in the semifinals of the Mid-Continental Conference.
That record, as well, is held by Scott.
Overall, Moore averaged 4.2 points per game a year ago, 5.1 rebounds and 3.3 blocked shots. In the first game this season against Memphis Wesleyan, Moore had five points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots in 13 minutes.
The book on Moore states that his defense and rebounding has been a part of his game all along. Offensively, Moore has struggled, but is working hard to improve that part of his game to make a complete package.
He is called a "difference-maker" on the floor.
Almost each time former Palestine-Wheatley standout Erica Smith touched the ball Monday night in Louisiana Tech's nonconference matchup against Arkansas State University at Jonesboro, her efforts were greeted by a rather large cheering section.
Smith, a sophomore guard for the Lady Techsters, scored 16 points to help La Tech to a 72-54 win over the Lady Indians.
Smith was playing in her home state for the first time since her senior year at P-W, when she helped lead the Lady Patriots to the Class AA state championship and being named the Arkansas-Democrat Gazette's Miss Basketball for 2001.
Looking leaner and healthier after dropping some weight in the off-season, Smith was vintage Erica as she drove the baseline to get the layup, a move most familiar with P-W basketball fans.
Smith also showed she is still the show-stopper on the floor as well, hitting a 27-foot jumper just before the first half ended to help the Lady Techsters pull away from what had been a close first half.
After the game, Smith was greeted by several members of her family as well as longtime friends and the Forrest City Lady Mustang basketball team.
Smith is one of three Arkansas players on the La Tech roster with Kingsland's Tasha Crain and Fort Smith's Tamika Kursh.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
JONESBORO -- Following its loss at Western Kentucky, Louisiana Tech coach Kurt Budke challenged his basketball team prior to Monday night's contest at Arkansas State. His players responded.
The Lady Techsters (2-1) played with more emotion and intensity as they downed the Lady Indians 72-54 at the Convocation Center.
"The first thing was how we competed," Budke said. "Offensively we are still struggling. We won this game on the defensive end and with our rebounding. This is never an easy place to play, and I was proud of our effort."
Arkansas State jumped out to a 13-8 lead but the Lady Techsters responded with a 10-0 run, grabbing an 18-13 advantage. Tech struggled from the field early on but freshman guard Tasha Crain (Kingsland) who was making her first career start, came up big with two steals and easy layups igniting the Tech offense.
Crain is one of three Arkansas products on the Lady Techster roster along with Palestine-Wheatley's Erica Smith and Tamika Kursh of Fort Smith. Smith, a sophomore this season, started alongside Crain.
"Crain came into the halftime locker room with no turnovers," said Budke, of the Arkansas native. "She responded with the start. If she continues to play like that, it will be hard to get her out of the starting lineup."
The biggest shot of the night came at the end of the first half when Smith, playing in front of several family members and the entire Forrest City Lady Mustang basketball team, drained a 27-footer to give the Lady Techsters a 32-23 halftime lead and the momentum. Tech outscored ASU 17-6 to open the second half.
Tech senior center Cheryl Ford, the daughter of NBA star Karl Malone, led Tech with 19 points and 15 rebounds in 30 minutes.
Smith finished the night with 16 points, while Crain added 10 points, five assists and two steals in 28 minutes. Tech outrebounded Arkansas State 49-28 while shooting 46 percent from the field.
The Lady Techsters return to action Dec. 4 when they host Tennessee.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Palestine-Wheatley Lady Patriots picked up their first win of the season Monday night by knocking off Gillett 51-34 in a 6AA Conference game at Patriot Gym.
The Lady Patriots are 1-1 overall for the year and 1-0 in the conference.
P-W led 9-5 after one quarter after both teams started slowly but began to pull away to take a 29-12 halftime lead after outscoring Gillett 20-to-7, sparked by Nikita Love's 11 points.
Love went on to lead all scorers with 24 points while Brittney Flenory finished with 11 and LaRhonda Bender added six points. Bernice Sparkman finished with four.
In junior girls play, Tonisha Wynne poured in 13 points to lead the Junior Lady Patriots to a 32-8 conference win overt the Gillett junior girls.
Keisha Stovall chipped in 10 points while Fallon parker added four points and Cara Landsford added three.
"We played good defense," P-W Coach Lanny Allen said. "Holding them to four points in each half."
The Junior Lady Patriots improve to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the league.
In junior high action at Forrest City, West Memphis West swept the Forrest City White Mustang teams in a three-game set at Mustang Arena.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Playing their final tune-up game before the 2002 Rumble on the Ridge tournament Thursday, the Forrest City Mustangs fell to Osceola 68-56 on Saturday at the Chickasaw Classic in Blytheville.
Nick Grady and Buck Braddock shared high-scoring honors with 12 points each while Kerry Evans added 10 and LaCody Braddock finished with nine.
Osceola, the defending Class AAAA state champs, led 12-8 after one period and opened up a 34-20 lead at the half.
The Seminoles led 55-35 to start the fourth period and pushed their advantage to 60-40 before the Mustangs (0-2) put together a 16-to-1 scoring run to cut Osceola's lead to 61-56, fueled by Grady's 10 points.
David Machen added four free throws during the stretch to help the Forrest City cause.
Terrance Marshall led Osceola with 23 points while Antonio Cotton, who played for Hughes last season before transferring to Osceola, finished with 14 points.
"Cotton is a difference maker," Forrest City Coach Dwight Lofton said. "He gives them just another dimension that could mean more rings for them."
The Mustangs are scheduled to open play at the sixth annual Rumble on the Ridge on Thanksgiving Day at 6:30 p.m., when they take on Ouachita, La.
EPC 58, Hughes 46
Marcus Monk scored 23 points to lead East Poinsett County by Hughes 58-46 Monday in senior boys' basketball at Lepanto.
Zach Patterson added 14 points and Spencer Harston 10 for EPC (2-0), which led 16-8 after a quarter, 30-24 at halftime and 43-35 entering the final period.
The Blue Devils are playing short-handed with several potential players still involved with the Hughes football team who are still in the playoffs.
Also Monday night, the Palestine-Wheatley Patriots defeated Gillett in the opening conference game played at Patriot Gym.
Jonesboro's offensive game was clicking both inside and out. Nettleton's was just out of sync.
Sara Lehman scored 16 points and nailed back-to-back 3-pointers to open the second half as the Jonesboro Lady Hurricane built a lead and never allowed a cool-shooting Nettleton team to whittle away at it in a 53-43 senior girls' victory Monday night at Raider Gym.
Nettleton (2-1) shot just 29 percent, hitting only 16-of-55 from the field.
Jonesboro (2-2) led 26-18 at the half but Sara Lehman, who hit four '3's on the night, nailed a pair of treys on two straight possessions to put the Lady Hurricane ahead 32-20.
Allison Taylor scored 12 for Jonesboro while Tara Lehman added 10, Aquasha Anderson eight and Jackie Gilbert seven.
* PREP BASKETBALL
MONDAY'S SCORES
Senior Boys
BIC 87, Earle 62
CRA 73, Biggers-Reyno 39
E. Poinsett County 58, Hughes 46
GCT 75, Brookland 63
Hoxie 54, Walnut Ridge 45
Izard County 46, Pocahontas 37
Mammoth Spring 76, Williford 42
Marked Tree 56, Manila 54
Marmaduke 86, Weiner 63
Piggott 39, Rector 36
Palestine-Wheatley defeated Gillett
River Valley 73, Swifton 61
Trumann 62, Westside 48
Viola 52, Salem 44
Senior Girls
Bay 74, Maynard 55
CRA 52, Riverside 36
Earle 64, BIC 23
Greene Co. Tech 64, Sloan- Hendrix 46
Highland 50, Westside 40
Jonesboro 53, Nettleton 43
Mammoth Spring 56, Williford 45
Marked Tree 35, Armorel 34
Marmaduke 48, Paragould 40
Pocahontas 70, Izard County 41
Palestine-Wheatley 51, Gillett 34
Rivercrest 81, EPC 45
River Valley 41, Swifton 38
Valley View 51, Gosnell 37
Viola 46, Salem 35
Walnut Ridge 29, Black Rock 26
Weiner 46, Trumann 41
Junior Boys
Biggers-Reyno 26, CRA 15
Corning 52, Rector 29
E. Poinsett County 46, Hughes 44
GCT 66, Brookland 26
MacArthur 43, Wynne 33
Manila 41, Marked Tree 34
Pocahontas 44, Izard County 19
Swifton 54, River Valley 45
Walnut Ridge 30, Hoxie 21
Junior Girls
Annie Camp 32, Wynne 14
Bay 34, Maynard 28
CRA 34, Riverside 28
Highland 37, Westside 28
MacArthur 47, Nettleton 14
Mammoth Spring 57, Williford 10
Paragould 37, Marmaduke 20
Palestine-Wheatley 32, Gillett 8
Rivercrest 39, EPC 35
Salem 31, Viola 25
Trumann 37, Weiner 29
Valley View 44, Gosnell 14