By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
And on the fifth try, Forrest City Mustang coach Dwight Lofton finally removed that "Tiger Monkey."
Lofton's Mustangs, led by senior Lorenzo Spearmon, canned 30-of-45 free throws to help turn back the Little Rock Central Tigers 57-51 in a nonconference matchup at Mustang Arena.
Spearmon finished with 19 points -- 13 of that coming from the foul line. Spearmon hit 11-of-12 free throws in the second half.
By contrast, the Mustangs sent Central to the foul line just 10 times.
"That's the biggest key," said Lofton, who is now 1-4 against the Tigers in five meetings, "keeping the opponent off the free throw line. In the first two Rumble on the Ridge games, we put our opponents on the foul line far too many times. We have to keep from fouling and take advantage of our chances."
In the four previous games against Little Rock Central, which include one state tournament playoff matchup, the Mustangs have lost 97-76 (1997); 104-46 (1998); 59-57 (2000 state tournament) and 63-61 (2003) to the Tigers.
In the girls game Tuesday, the Little Rock Central Lady Tigers rallied in the second half to take a 61-48 win over the Forrest City Lady Mustangs.
Needless to say, Tuesday's win was a "name victory" for the Mustangs, 3-3 on the year.
It was the second meeting this season between the two teams. Central held off the Mustangs 63-61 in the season opening game at Little Rock. The Tigers, 1-4, have not won since.
The Tigers led 13-11 after the first quarter and 23-18 at the half.
The Mustangs forced two ties in the third quarter at 34-all and 36-all before the Tigers pulled ahead 39-36 to start the fourth quarter.
Led by Deangelo "Buck" Braddock, who hit a short jumper and a point blank layup helped get the Mustangs within one at 44-43. Taurus Moore's two free throws with three minutes to play, put the Mustangs in front 45-44. Central led once more, 46-45 before Forrest City's Roy Parker put the Mustangs ahead for good with a jumper for a 47-46 lead with 2:34 to play.
From that point, Moore hit one of two from the foul line and Spearmon dropped in four straight free throws to push the Mustang lead to 52-46 with less than a minute showing.
Parker dropped in two more free throws before Central's Bernard Irby drained a long three cutting Forrest city's lead to 54-51 with 26 seconds left.
Two more free throws by Parker and one from John Forman provided the final as Central turned the ball over twice in the final 20 seconds.
Parker was the only other Mustang player to reach double figures, finishing with 11. Braddock added nine while sophomore Cameron Henderson chipped in seven.
Irby led the Tigers with 20 points while Howard Butler added 10 for Central.
The Tigers hit seven, threes in the game while Forrest city hit just one from long range.
Forrest City will host Wynne Friday.
The Yellowjackets (1-1) played their first game of the year Tuesday, losing to Hughes.
The Lady Mustangs left their defense in the lockerroom at the half.
After a solid first half against the Little Rock Central Lady Tigers which led to a 29-27 Forrest City lead at the half, the Lady Mustangs gave up 34 second half points to the Lady Tigers, losing 61-48 at Mustang Arena.
The Lady Mustangs fall to 1-4 for the year.
Trina Wynne led Forrest City with 14 points before fouling out late in the game. Viveca Kimble added 10. Sequoria Grady was held to a season low six points.
Lady Tiger sophomore Sharnelle Allen led all scorers with 25 points -- 12 of that total coming in the fourth quarter.
Central outscored Forrest City 34-to-19 in the second half and 16-to-9 in the final quarter.
Powered by Wynne's six points, the Lady Mustangs led 14-13 after one period.
"We didn't play defense at all in the second half," Forrest City Coach Sue Jayroe said. "Especially against No. 32 (Allen). Whenever she drove the lane, we just backed off."
The Lady Tigers improve to 3-1 for the year.
The Lady Mustangs will host the Wynne Lady Yellowjackets Friday.
WYNNE -- Hughes rallied in the fourth quarter Tuesday night to beat Wynne 69-63 in senior boys' basketball.
The Yellowjackets led after each of the first three quarters, taking a 52-47 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Hughes outscored the hosts 22-11 in the final period.
David Dowden led Hughes with 21 points. Ricky Davis added 15 for the Blue Devils.
Prentiss McKnight scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Wynne (1-1).
Theo Gaines scored 15 points and passed for five assists; Adario Williams scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds; Lonnie Harris scored eight points; and Cord Baxter grabbed nine rebounds.
Wynne led 23-14 after the first quarter and 35-27 at the half.
The Yellowjackets will play at Forrest City Friday night.
*The Little Rock McClellan Lions withstood a furious second-half rally by the North Pulaski Falcons Tuesday to take a 68-60 victory.
The Lions led 10-0 to start the game, but the Falcons pulled within 24-20 behind nine points from Steven Moore.
Reserve sophomore guard Tony Brock scored 10 points in a run that pushed McClellan's lead to 40-24 at halftime.
North Pulaski got within 54-47 at the end the third quarter, led by Scotty Hardfield who scored a team-high 16 points.
Center Lamoriss Lennon finished with 10 rebounds and eight points.
The Lions put the game on ice in the final period with clutch free-throw shooting by Anthony Brock, who scored a game-high 18 points.
*Jerome Wilson recorded a triple-double as Class AAA Osceola upended Class AAAAA Little Rock Hall 61-57 Tuesday night.
Wilson scored 17 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and dished out 11 assists for the Seminoles (1-3). Dustin Lewis also had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds and Charles Chalk added 11.
Byron Nathaniel led the Warriors with 17 points.
*Three players combined for 50 of EPC's 64 points, offsetting a big night by Marked Tree's Brad Jones as the Warriors opened the 2003 season with a 64-55 win over the Indians Tuesday night.
Marcus Monk and Daniel Collins scored 20 points each for EPC while P.J. Lacy added 10. Jones scored a game-high 32 points for Marked Tree (2-1).
Harrisburg 80, Cross Co. 59
*Five players scored in double figures as Harrisburg defeated Cross County 80-59 in senior boys' basketball Tuesday night.
Kyle Wigginton led the Hornets (4-2) with 22 points. Brody Heeb added 15, Tyler Riddle 13, Matt Parker 11 and Zach Owens 10.
*Arkansas State signee Mike Smith scored 21 points and the visiting Jacksonville Red Devils rallied for a victory over the Senators.
Dante Adams led the Senators, who led 50-48 at the start of the fourth quarter, with 17 points. Michael Williams and Jamaal Tippins each added 12 and Larry Williams scored 11.
Adam Jackson led Cross County with 16 points followed by Aaron Bowles with 15 points and Derrick Little with 12.
Quinita Harris scored 12 of her 14 points in the third quarter Tuesday night as Wynne pulled away for a 54-35 victory over Hughes in senior girls' basketball.
Hughes stayed close throughout the first half, trailing just 25-21 at halftime, but Wynne (2-0) broke away to lead 44-23 going into the fourth quarter.
Nicole Johnson added 12 points for Wynne.
Deangela Smith led Hughes with 10 points.
*Little Rock McClellan pulled away late in the second quarter to beat the Lady Falcons 54-47.
Sophomore guard Miesha Williams led McClellan, scoring a a team-high 18 points to go along with eight assists as she continually fed teammates for easy fast-break points. Shamille Taylor added 16 points for the Lady Lions.
Gigi Greene kept North Pulaski close, making five three-point goals and scoring a game-high 22 points.
*Caroline Starr's 33 points helped the Benton Lady Panthers (1-2) shake off the Sylvan Hills Lady Bears (3-3) 70-59 in the first round of the CAC/OrthoArkansas Invitational Tuesday.
Leslie Larsen added 12 and JoJo Grant 11 for Benton, which outscored Sylvan Hills 23-14 in the fourth quarter.
Courtney Brown scored 17 to pace Sylvan Hills while Tory Weatherford and Shynetha Lewis each added 10.
*Rachel Jones led the way with 23 points as the Pulaski Robinson Lady Senators (1-2) pulled away from the Jacksonville Lady Red Devils 63-57 Tuesday.
Monica Adams added 14 for Robinson. Becky Townsend scored 22 and Jessica Beaver 20 for Jacksonville.
*Keona Brooks scored 11 points as the West Memphis Lady Blue Devils held off the Little Rock Parkview Lady Patriots 43-38.
Crystal Boyd's 20 points paced Parkview.