By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The home court advantage for Forrest City has not been much of an advantage for either the Mustangs or the Lady Mustangs so far this season.
In seven home games so far, which includes the three Rumble on the Ridge games, Dwight Lofton's Mustangs are 1-6 at Mustang Arena while Sue Jayroe's Lady Mustangs are 2-2.
Neither team has won a conference game at home this season. Both have won on the road.
Tonight could be the turning point.
Forrest City will host a Jacksonville Red Devil team that is mentally beaten up while the Lady Mustangs will host a Jacksonville team that has just been beaten up this season -- repeatedly.
The two-game set tips at 6 p.m. tonight at Mustang Arena when the senior girls take the floor.
There is no junior varsity game scheduled tonight.
Jacksonville's Red Devils opened the AAAAA-East conference season with three consecutive victories but have lost two of their last three games.
Forrest City opened East play with a win over Cabot before losing their next three. The Mustangs rebounded Friday at Mountain Home with a win over the Bombers.
Off again, on again senior guard Omar Davis ignited the Mustangs in the 61-49 win.
A 13-1 Forrest City run to end the first half proved to be the difference as the Mustangs continued to pull away, outscoring Mountain Home 18-9 in the third period to lead 43-27.
The Red Devils are 4-2 in the East and hanging onto second place while the Mustangs are 2-3 and locked in a tie for fourth place in the East.
A Mustang win tonight would drastically improve their chances at a postseason berth in the Class AAAAA state tournament.
The Lady Mustangs have lost three of their last four conference games, two of those losses coming on their home floor.
The Forrest City girls are coming off a road win at Blytheville Tuesday and a road loss at Mountain Home Friday.
The Lady Red Devils are winless in the East and are 1-15 overall coming into tonight's game. The team's only win this season came against Wynne in a nonconference matchup.
The Lady Mustangs had Mountain Home down 8-0 before the Lady Bombers turned back Forrest City 43-38.
Mountain Home used a 7-1 run to start the second quarter on their way to a 20-16 lead at the half. Forrest City tied the game at 23-23 in the third period and led twice at 26-25 and 28-27 before trailing 31-28 to start the fourth.
The 38 points was the fewest scored by the team this season.
Jacksonville has been putting up points, but just not enough to win their first East contest.
Forrest City is 2-3 in the league while the Lady Bombers are 3-3.
The Mustangs lost both games to the Red Devils last season as did the Lady Mustangs.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Hughes Blue Devils and Lady Blue Devils step out of conference play tonight to face a first-time opponent in Middle College High School of Memphis.
Middle College, a Class A school, is fielding a basketball program for the first-time ever this season.
The school is located smack in the middle of the Southwest Tennessee Community College campus, hence the name.
Middle College is playing an independent schedule of games this season and will move into a conference for the 2003-04 year.
For Hughes, tonight's two-game set (senior girls, senior boys) provides a break from the 3AA South conference wars.
The Blue Devils are 10-5 overall and 8-1 in the league which has Brad Brannen's team on top.
John Bateman's Lady Blue Devils are 6-5 overall and 6-3 in the league, tied for second place.
The Middle College senior girls are 5-11 overall for the year and have 10 roster players -- four of whom have never before played organized basketball.
The senior girls are led by sophomore guard Brittney Gill and senior guard Alicia Jacks.
The Middle College senior boys are 4-10 coming into tonight's game with 11 roster players -- eight of those playing organized basketball for the first time and only three with previous junior high experience.
The team is led by junior Greg Hill, sophomore Walter Kendricks and senior Brandon Powell.
Tonight's game will tip at 6 p.m. and will be played in the SW Tennessee Arena.
Hughes will return to conference action Friday when they play at Earle.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City Blue Mustangs let one slip right out the door Monday night at Mustang Arena.
Leading 39-35 with just over two minutes to play, the Blue Mustangs gave up six unanswered points as West Memphis Wonder stole a 41-39 conference win.
Stephon Weaver scored 18 of Forrest City's 39 points to lead the Blue Mustangs but got little help from his teammates as Michael Alston finished with just eight points (all in the first half) and Larry Bean managed just seven points.
Meanwhile, Wonder had three in double figures, led by David Wells' 14 points to go along with 11 points from Cory Weast and 10 points from Jamie Hamilton.
Wells nailed four, threes in the game.
The Blue Mustangs led 18-11 after one period but fell behind 24-23 at the half on a Wonder three at the buzzer.
The Blue Mustangs led 32-30 to start the final frame and trailed 40-39 with 26 seconds to play.
After Wonder inbounded the ball, the Blue Mustangs let 17 seconds tick away before fouling Wonder with 9.3 seconds to play.
Needing two more fouls to put Wonder in the bonus, the Blue Mustangs had to commit two more fouls leaving themselves with just three seconds to inbound for a final shot, which was intercepted near midcourt by Wonder.
Wonder won the junior girls game as well, holding off the Blue Lady Mustangs 53-34. Wonder led 292-12 at the half.
Fareeda Washington led Forrest City with 10 points while Matisha Dobbins had nine and Chari Agnew seven.
Raquel Bingham led Wonder with 17 points while Jasmine Mitchell added 14.
Forrest City was just 4-of-16 from the foul line.
The Palestine-Wheatley Patriot teams will play their third straight road game tonight when they travel to Gillett for a 6AA Conference game.
The teams are coming off a nonconference matchup Friday at DeValls Bluff in which the Patriots won 65-60 and the Lady Patriots lost 56-47.
The Lady Patriots have yet to lose in conference play this season and are 6-0 as they begin the second half of the season.
The Patriots are 3-3 in the conference and 13-5 overall.