CLASS 4A

Perry scores 39, but Jackrabbits move on

Pottsville’s Jake Dugger (top) and Lonoke’s Tykel Gray scramble for a loose ball during Thursday’s game at the Class 4A state tournament in Lonoke.
Pottsville’s Jake Dugger (top) and Lonoke’s Tykel Gray scramble for a loose ball during Thursday’s game at the Class 4A state tournament in Lonoke.

LONOKE - Pottsville’s Michael Perry had Lonoke sweating the entire second half, but the Jackrabbits had enough to end the defending champions’ season.

Lonoke leaned on the shoulders of Jamel Rankin and Blake Mack in the second half and came up with a key turnover with 20 seconds left to pull out a 66-64 victory in the first round of the Class 4A state tournament at the Gina Cox Center on Thursday.

Rankin scored 24 points and Mack finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds to carry Lonoke (24-5), which will take on top-seeded Central Arkansas Christian in the second round at 5:30 p.m. today. The two scored 25 of the Jackrabbits’ 33 second-half points, including 17 of the team’s first 19 points. Darien Young added 12 points for Lonoke.

The Jackrabbits still had to withstand a huge game from Perry to extend their season. The senior guard scored 39 points, including 26 in the second half to almost single-handedly keep Pottsville (20-10) in it.

“He is a great, great player,” Lonoke Coach Heath Swiney said. “Luckily for us, we ran out of time. He almost willed those guys to victory.”

Lonoke used a 12-2 run midway through the second quarter to open a 33-23 halftime lead and led 38-23 early in the third period following Tykel Gray’s jumper with 7:30 left. But Andrew Rushing scored the next five points for the Apaches before Perry took over.

He scored 16 of his team’s next 18 points, including a three-pointer to end the third quarter and two consecutive threes to start the fourth. His three-pointer with 7:10 left gave the Apaches a 46-43 lead, their first since the 7:23 mark of the first quarter. The lead changed hands three times over the ensuing four minutes before Mack’s dunk started a 7-0 run to give the Jackrabbits some breathing room at 62-57.

“The adrenaline was out the roof, and we talked a lot about that,” Swiney said. “We knew we were going to get winded, but we kept pushing and made a run there late that got us a lead after we’d lost a 15-point lead. But with Michael playing the way he was, we knew we’d have to keep playing to the very end.”

NASHVILLE 60, STUTTGART 50

Darius Hopkins’ free throw with 1:17 left started a late 7-0 run to power Nashville (14-11) past Stuttgart (12-15).

Lamichael Pettway scored 17 points for the Scrappers. Hopkins and Cameron Alexander had 16 points each.

Lexus Hobbs scored 17 points to lead Stuttgart. Dewaine Minter had 11 points, and Alante Stewart finished with 10.

Stuttgart pulled to within 50-46 following Hobbs’ three-point play with 1:29 left. The Ricebirds had a chance to get closer after forcing a turnover moments later, but they gave it right back with an errant pass that sailed into Hopkins’ hands. The freshman was fouled and made two free throws to start the Scrappers’ game-clinching rally.

LINCOLN 49, BAUXITE 44

Ossy Escareno finished with 13 points, 16 rebounds and 6 steals to push Lincoln (22-5) past Bauxite (16-16).

Shandon Goldman scored 15 points, all on three-pointers, and Payton Hulse had 10 for the Wolves.

Ben Madison led Bauxite with 23 points. Bradly McCool added 5 points, 13 rebounds and 3 steals.

The teams combined for nine three-pointers in the first half, with Goldman making one just before halftime to give the Wolves a 24-22 lead. Escareno scored Lincoln’s first nine points of the third quarter, with his three-pointer igniting an 8-0 run to help the Wolves build a 10-point lead.

Sports, Pages 22 on 03/07/2014

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