By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Friday night, at Mustang Arena, the Cabot Panthers took a page form the reality series "Survivor" by out-playing, out-witting and out-lasting the Forrest City Mustangs 66-52 in the AAAAA-Est conference opening game for each team.
Cabot also out-hustled, out-rebounded and out-smarted the Mustangs, who lost to Cabot at home for the first time since Dwight Lofton took over the Forrest City basketball program and for only the third time in the last 15 meetings. Cabot's previous two wins over a Lofton-coached Mustang team, came on the Panthers' home floor.
"They (Cabot) had a greater sense of determination in wanting to win the game," Lofton said afterward. ""They wanted it more than we did and they deserved the win. They out-played us in almost every phase of the game. They finished the deal. But this is just one game. We have to put this behind us and get ready for West Memphis Tuesday."
Cabot improves to 4-9 overall for the year and 1-0 in the East while the Mustangs slip to 8-5 and 0-1. The loss ended a Mustang three-game win streak.
Cabot's Brad Payne led all scorers with 21 points while Trae Rigdon and Eric Von Wald added 13 points each. Chad Glover finished with eight and Josh watkins helped out with seven for the Panthers.
The Mustangs got 16 points from senior forward Lorenzo Spearmon and nine points from Sherman Allen.
The Mustangs, who fell behind early in the first quarter, rallied in the second half, outscoring the Panthers 24-to-12 in the third period to trail 44-41 to start the final quarter.
Cabot didn't wilt nor did they panic, scoring 22 fourth-quarter points, including sinking 9-of-10 free throws in the final minute to secure the victory.
"The difference was they played smart when they had too," Lofton said.
Indeed.
Cabot used a patient offense which looked for the opening cut to the hoop in key possessions of the third and fourth quarters.
Cabot led 10-5 after a low-scoring first quarter and pushed that lead to 32-17 at the half. The Panthers dropped in 11-of-13 free throws in the first half and finished the game by sinking 26-of-32 attempts. Payne had 11 of his 21 points in the first half.
Roy Parker and Allen hit consecutive baskets to start the third period as the Mustangs pulled to within eight points 38-30 with 2;29 left in the period. Allen and Spearmon hit back-to-back threes to make it a 43-36 Cabot lead with 1:11 and Spearmon's three at the buzzer got the Mustangs within three points.
Forrest City trailed by just two, 49-47 with 4:35 to play in the game on an inbound layup by Chris Williams, but Cabot got two free throws from Watkins and a basket from Glover to lead 53-47.
Forrest City never got closer than four points for the rest of the game and did not score for the final 2:16 of the game.
The Mustangs will travel to West Memphis Tuesday to face the No. 2 ranked Blue Devils -- 66-43 winners over Searcy Friday night.
"It's a long road," Lofton added. "We have 13 more games and we just have to lace up our shoes and play them one at a time."
In other boys' games Friday night, Jacksonville defeated Jonsboro 71-51 and Blytheville downed Mountain Home 60-49.
Jacksonville's win over Jonesboro leaves the Red devils alone at the top of the conference standings at 2-0. The Red Devils opened conference play last Tuesday, by defeating Searcy.
*At Parkin, the Hughes Blue Devils picked up a 3AA-South victory, putting down the Tigers 83-75 on Friday.
In senior girls play Friday night, the Lady Mustangs gave a solid accounting of themselves and never got up in a 66-41 loss to Cabot's Lady Panthers.
"The girls played hard and I am proud of them for their effort," said Forrest City Coach Sue Jayroe. "We just have to get our shots to fall. We are still trying to find the bottom of the basket."
Cabot started fast and led 19-7 after one quarter. The Lady Panthers pushed that lead toi 31-14 at the half, led by 15 first-half points from Brittany Goings, who eventually finished with 25 to lead all scorers.
Cabot improves to 11-1 for the year and 1-0 in the conference while Forrest City slips to 4-10 and 0-1.
Trina Wynne scored 13 points to lead Forrest City while Viveca Kimble helped out with 11 points. Shari Rogers added nine and Sequoria Grady had seven.
Ashley Anderson finished with 12 points for Cabot giving first-year Lady Panthers coach Carla Crowder her first AAAAA-East Conference win.
Jayroe cited the play of Rogers in the game.
"If there was an MVP for this game, it would have to be Shari," Jayroe said. "She played about as hard as a player can on the floor. As team, we are playing well, we just have to start scoring."
In other East girls' games played Friday, Jonesboro defeated Jacksonville 66-54, Mountain Home downed Blytheville 58-36 and West Memphis eased past Searcy 55-52.
The Lady Mustangs will face West Memphis Tuesday at West Memphis.
*Mountain Home grabbed a big lead early and cruised to a 58-36 win over Blytheville in senior girls' AAAAA-East basketball Friday.
The Lady Bombers led 30-10 at halftime. Blytheville (7-6, 0-1 AAAAA-East) was led by Kenya Moore with 11 points followed by Krystal Harris with 10.
*The Hughes Lady Blue Devils picked up a key 3AA South Conference win Friday, holding off parkin 38-31 at Parkin.
The Lady Blue Devils will play at Turrell Tuesday.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
In a low-scoring game, the Palestine-Wheatley Lady Patriots held off the Clarendon Lady Lions 35-29 Friday in 6AA Conference play.
Tonisha Wynne led the way with 16 points as the Lady Patriots move to 2-8 and 1-1 in the conference.
"Defensively, we played better and we were able to keep Clarendon's two big girls off the boards," said P-W Lady Pats Coach Lanny Allen.
Cara Lansford added eight points for the Lady pats while Fallon Parker finished with seven.
Clarendon led 13-11 at the half and 23-22 after three quarters before Palestine-Wheatley rallied to out-score the Lady Lions 13-to-6 in the final quarter to get the win.
Chelsea Jumper scored 16 points to lead the P-W Junior Lady Patriots past Clarendon 43-26.
Kisha Stovall helped out with seven pints while Deidra Ingram had six.
The P-W junior girls trailed by five at the half but responded with 30 second-half points.
*P-W will host a four-team, seventh-grade jamboree on Saturday, Jan. 24, including Forrest City, Brinkley and Marianna competing in a round-robin format.
The event starts at 8 a.m., and admission is $1 per person.