HOT SPRINGS — Clarksville looked right at home Friday in the Spa City Shootout at Summit Arena.
The Panthers returned to the site of their state title victory last season and posted a tournament record for points in a 97-53 victory over Maumelle.
Clarksville easily surpassed the previous high of 81 points scored by Pulaski Oak Grove against Mountain Pine in 2008. The teams’ combined 150 points also broke the tournament record of 147 set by Malvern and Texarkana (Texas) High last year.
The Panthers started the game by going 0 of 7 from the field, including 0 of 5 from behind the three-point line, but they began to build momentum when Jerren Thompson finished a fast break with a dunk for a 12-6 lead. Clarksville led 20-11 after one quarter.
Kenderick Lee and Dederick Lee helped push the Panthers to a 51-26 lead going into halftime.
Kenderick Lee’s ninth three-pointer gave Clarksville an 86-34 lead - the largest of the game - late in the third quarter. Clarksville pulled its starters with seven seconds remaining in the quarter and went into the fourth quarter leading 86-36.
Kenderick Lee finished with 29 points. Dederick Lee scored 27 points and grabbed four rebounds, and Freddy Lee had 16 points.
Nick Cox led Maumelle with 11 points and four rebounds.
Clarksville plays Springdale Har-Ber at 5:30 p.m. today in a semifinal game. Maumelle faces Hot Springs at 11:30 a.m. in the consolation bracket.
SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 60, HOT SPRINGS 51
Brandon Buccheri’s long-range shooting keyed a second-quarter surge by Springdale Har-Ber, and Landon Jones and Justin Mallott helped the Wildcats (5-7) hold off the Trojans (1-10) in the second half for a first-round victory.
Hot Springs took a two-point lead into the second quarter but fell behind before rallying in the final 6:30 behind Juwan Nero’s nine points.
Buccheri’s 3 three-pointers keyed an 18-3 Har-Ber run in the second quarter as the Trojans made just 3 of 13 shots from the field.
Mallott had 12 points.
Nero led Hot Springs with 13 points.
HOT SPRINGS LAKESIDE 58, CAC 45
Junior Nick Jones and sophomore Ray Beresford scored 14 points each to pace the Rams (8-3) over the Mustangs (7-5).
Lakeside raced out to an 8-1 lead and led 15-10 at the end of the first quarter. CAC trimmed the deficit to 18-16 with a 6-3 run early in the second quarter, but the Rams responded with a 12-3 run for a 30-19 halftime advantage.
The Mustangs outscored the Rams 16-10 in the third quarter and closed the gap to 42-38 early in the fourth. But Lakeside closed out the game with a 16-7 run.
Senior Chris Aings and junior Keljin Blevins added 11 points each for Lakeside.
Senior forward Joshua Holland’s 14 points led the way for CAC. Seniors Travis Byrne and Dylan Sherrill added nine and seven points, respectively, for the Mustangs.
Sports, Pages 24 on 12/29/2012