JAMMIN’ FOR JACKETS

North Little Rock holds off LR Parkview’s late pressure

North Little Rock’s Kevaughn Allen (middle) drives to the basket against Little Rock Parkview’s Anton Beard (33) during the Charging Wildcats’ 82-68 victory over the Patriots in the Jammin’ for Jackets tournament Thursday in Little Rock.
North Little Rock’s Kevaughn Allen (middle) drives to the basket against Little Rock Parkview’s Anton Beard (33) during the Charging Wildcats’ 82-68 victory over the Patriots in the Jammin’ for Jackets tournament Thursday in Little Rock.

— North Little Rock seemed to have an answer for everything Little Rock Parkview threw at the Charging Wildcats on Thursday night.

Senior Dayhawn Watkins scored 22 points and handed out four assists as North Little Rock posted an 82-68 victory over the Patriots in the opening round of the Joe Johnson Jammin’ for Jackets Tournament at George Cirks Arena.

Parkview (3-1) had whittled a 14-point deficit to 70-64 with 3:55 remaining when Watkins made a shot from the free-throw line with a defender hanging on his arm. Watkins, a 6-0 point guard who has signed with Alabama-Birmingham, hit the ensuing free throw and the Charging Wildcats (4-1) were comfortably back up by nine points.

“I told our guys that someone had to make a play and Dayshawn did it,” North Little Rock Coach Johnny Rice said. “Parkview had taken all of the momentum, but that threepoint play turned the tide for sure.”

For the first time in three seasons, Parkview took the floor without its “Little General.” I.J. Ready missed Thursday’s game because he had collected two technicals in the Patriots’ previous game. Parkview Coach Al Flanigan said his team obviously missed their All-Arkansas guard, but he admitted North Little Rock “was the better team” Thursday.

“Not having [Ready] took our leadership away,” Flanigan said. “It’s just a comfort to have him out on the floor and not having to worry about anybody taking the ball from us. Without him on the floor, [junior guard] Anton [Beard] had to be more of creator. We were asking too much of him.”

Beard finished with a team-high 20 points and six rebounds.

“I think it made a difference that they didn’t have [Ready],” Watkins said. “But really, when you play a game like this, you can’t have any excuses.”

North Little Rock never trailed. Sophomore Kevaughn Allen hit a three-pointer 14 seconds into the game and the Charging Wildcats hit their first 3 three-point attempts, helping them jump out to a 15-5 advantage five minutes into the game.

Parkview pulled within 17-14 midway through the first half, but back-to-back baskets from Thomas Alexander and a steal and a dunk by Allen pushed North Little Rock’s lead back to 23-14.

North Little Rock led 42-35 at the half.

“At halftime, I was frustrated about some of the things we were doing, but we had 42 points,” Rice said. “It seemed like every long rebound or 50-50 ball, they got. I thought we did a little better in the second half.”

Allen turned in a 19-point effort while Alexander was good for 17 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Gary Vines scored 10.

Sophomore Jaylen Franklin added 18 points to the Patriots’ total while junior guard Daryl Macon put in 15 points and handed out four assists

Parkview not only missed its senior guard, but the Patriots also missed 15 free throws, going 12 of 27 from the line.

“I got to give it to North Little Rock,” Flanigan said. “They beat us. We can’t cry about it. We just ran into a better team, but I wish we could play them again.”

Sports, Pages 21 on 12/07/2012

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