5A-CENTRAL BOYS

McClellan slips by with Strong's finish

Little Rock McClellan’s Raymond Harris (middle) drives to the basket Tuesday against Mills defenders Rajhon Ware (left) and Jacobe’ Davis during the Lions’ 69-67 victory over the Comets.
Little Rock McClellan’s Raymond Harris (middle) drives to the basket Tuesday against Mills defenders Rajhon Ware (left) and Jacobe’ Davis during the Lions’ 69-67 victory over the Comets.

Little Rock McClellan took a huge step toward securing the 5A-Central Conference title Tuesday night.

Pierre Strong's putback with 1.4 seconds left allowed McClellan to hold off Mills 69-67 at the Lions' Den, giving the Crimson Lions a two-game lead with four games to play.

The Lions (17-5, 10-0) need to win only two of their final four games to claim the conference's No. 1 seed in the Class 5A state tournament.

Keith Hayes led McClellan with 21 points while Andre Jones finished with 14 and Raymond Harris 10. Senior Cameron Ricks led Mills with 21 points, while sophomore Darius Hall scored 17 and Jeremiah Toney 12.

"Our thing is that we've got to play better basketball consistently," McClellan Coach Chris Threatt said. "In spurts we play like I want us to play, but then we'll have a lag."

The Lions, who outscored the Comets 22-10 in the third quarter to take a 56-45 lead heading into the final quarter, almost let the game get away from them.

Mills (15-5, 8-2) got back into the game behind 10 fourth-quarter points from senior Cameron Ricks. Ricks hit the back end of a two-shot foul with 25.1 seconds left to tie the game at 67 with 25.1 seconds left.

McClellan used all but 1.4 seconds of the clock to regain the lead. Strong, who finished with seven points, grabbed the offensive rebound after a missed shot by Marcis Hall and scored on the putback. It was McClellan's lone offensive rebound of the fourth quarter.

"We'll take it," Threatt said.

Hall threw up a one-handed 55-footer that hit both the front and back of the rim before rimming out as time expired.

Mills scored nine of the final 12 points of the first half and led 35-34 at the half, but the Comets allowed Jones and Harris to combine for 15 points in the third quarter. Seven of McClellan's eight third-quarter field goals came from within five feet of the basket

"They are not the type of team that you can allow to get easy baskets," Mills Coach Raymond Cooper said. "We did not do a good job of getting back into the lane and identifying where we needed to be."

MILLS (67)

Easter 2 0-0 6, Ricks 7 5-7 21, Toney 5 2-9 12, D. Hall 7 3-6 17, Jones 1 0-0 2, Allen 1 0-0 3, Ware 3 0-3 6. Totals 26 10-25 67.

McCLELLAN (69)

Jones 5 4-4 14, Ka. Hayes 1 2-2 4, Johnson 2 0-0 4, Ellis 0 0-0 0, Strong 3 1-2 7, Harris 3 4-6 10, Molden 0 0-0 0, M. Hall 3 3-4 9, Ke. Hayes 8 3-3 21, McDowell 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 17-21 69.

Mills;12;23;10;22 -- 67

McClellan;17;17;22;13 -- 69

Three-point goals -- Mills 5 (Easter 2, Ricks 2, Allen). McClellan 2 (Ke. Hayes 2). Team fouls -- Mills 14, McClellan 23. Fouled out -- Ka. Hayes, Johnson. Technicals -- Ellis.

Sports on 02/11/2015

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