High school basketball report

Guard's 52 points third-best

Kevin Pringle knew it was coming, but the Helena-West Helena Lady Cougars coach did not realize his star player was compiling one of the state's best efforts of all time.

Kevonshaye Stackhouse posted a 52-point game Tuesday night in the Lady Cougars' 67-62 double overtime victory over Lonoke.

"I'm always expecting her to reach for a high level," Pringle said. "She was our leading scorer as a freshman, and I just knew she was going to have a breakout game for us sooner or later."

Stackhouse, a 5-8 guard, scored half of her points from the free-throw line, hitting 26 of 31 attempts. Pringle said she hit a couple of three-pointers but that most of her field goals came after "aggressive" drives to the basket.

"She's always going to the basket, that's just her style," Pringle said. "She always seems to be on the attack."

Pringle said Stackhouse is averaging 28 points a game and that her previous high-point game was 37.

Stackhouse's 52-point effort included a buzzer-beating 5-footer at the end of regulation that sent the game into the first overtime. Pringle said Stackhouse also hit some free throws near the end of the first extra period to send the game into the second overtime.

Still, the coach said he did not realize Stackhouse had eclipsed the 50-point mark until after the game.

"I knew she was having a great game, but I had no idea she was near 50," Pringle said. " I didn't know until I checked the [scorebook]."

One reason Pringle may not have noticed the sophomore was compiling a huge number was because Stackhouse finished the first half with only 12 points. She added 12 points in the third quarter and 13 in the fourth. She capped the night with a combined 15 points in the two overtimes.

"That's a 40-point second half," Pringle said. "That may be a state record."

According to the Arkansas Activities Association's record book, Stackhouse's 52 points is the third-best scoring game for a female. Greenwood's Laura Davidson holds the record with a 58-point effort against Siloam Springs in 2009. Lainie Lagasse of Guy-Perkins is second on the list with 55, which was recorded in 2010. No opponent was listed for Lagasse's effort.

DANVILLE BOYS

Trusty nears milestone

Danville senior Jay Trusty is closing in on 2,000 career points.

Trusty, a 6-1 guard, comes into tonight's 3A-5 Conference game against Booneville with 1,992 points and needs 27 more to move into sixth place for the most career points by an Arkansas high school boys player.

"We plan on making an announcement when it happens," Danville Coach Rickey Wright said of the 2,000-point mark. "Obviously, it's an incredible accomplishment."

Trusty is averaging 30.3 points a game and is scoring at a 34.4 rate during conference play. Trusty averaged 26 points a game as a junior and 22 points a game as a sophomore. He has scored 667 points this season, and he is averaging 8.5 rebounds, 3.7 steals, 2.4 assists and 1.4 blocks a game.

Trusty has signed a letter of intent to play golf for Arkansas Tech.

"There were schools that showed some interested in him as a basketball player, but he's an exceptional golfer," Wright said. "It's something he figures he'll be doing for the long term."

Danville is 10-10 overall and 3-5 in league play.

LITTLE ROCK FAIR BOYS

Help wanted

Jerrick Cole is having a standout season.

Cole, a junior for Little Rock Fair, is averaging 20.8 points a game and is coming off a 27-point effort against Mills on Tuesday, but War Eagles Coach Charlie Johnson said the 6-0 guard desperately needs some assistance from his teammates.

"Jerrick knocked down some shots, but he's got to have some help," said Johnson whose team fell to 4-3 in the 5A-Central. "We had some other players that had opportunities to knock down shots, but we didn't get them."

Cole, who had 19 of his team's 25 first-half points, hit six three-pointers to help account for his 27 points.

"Against [Cole] we did all we could in the first half and, man, that kid just lit it up," Mills Coach Raymond Cooper said after the Comets' 56-51 victory. "We knew we had to keep staying in front of him and keep contesting shots. Somewhere along the line, we knew he might miss a few shots and we might get a few rebounds."

Mills (13-4, 6-1) plays at home against Sylvan Hills on Friday while Fair (12-8, 4-3) plays at home against Jacksonville.

NETTLETON GIRLS

Injuries mounting

Nettleton's Lady Raiders have lost two starters to injuries in the past five weeks.

Sophomore point guard Javia Wilson suffered a broken leg during the Northeast Arkansas Invitational in December, and junior post player Tashanescii Walker is out for the season after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament against Blytheville on Jan. 20.

Nettleton (15-6, 4-2) started 5A-East Conference play with four consecutive victories but have dropped back-to-back close encounters with Batesville (11-7, 6-0) and Paragould (8-11, 3-3).

Losing Walker, who is 6-1 and "can really run," has been exceptionally damaging. In her four quarters prior to suffering her injury, she had scored 39 points and had collected 15 rebounds.

"She was finally figuring out to dominate a high school basketball game," Nettleton Coach Jason Smith said. "We're having to put people in spots they aren't familiar with playing."

Smith said Walker was averaging 15.5 points and 10.3 rebounds a game while Wilson had been averaging 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists.

"We're still battling," Smith said. "But we're having to do things a little differently."

LITTLE ROCK PARKVIEW BOYS

Forfeit betters record

Little Rock Parkview has picked up victories on and off the court this week.

Memphis Hamilton, which defeated Parkview in December, has been forced to forfeit 15 victories this season because of an ineligible player.

The forfeitures center on 6-7 senior Tarrance Baker, who the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association deemed ineligible to participate. Baker will not be allowed to participate in any of the Wildcats' remaining regular-season games but may return for the postseason. Hamilton is coached by former University of Arkansas player Todd Day.

Parkview (16-2, 6-0) rolled to a 74-24 victory Tuesday at Sheridan. Braelon Walker led the Patriots with 20 points and four assists. Ryan Pippins added 13 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists, while Javon Franklin and Jaylen Franklin added 12 points each.

Parkview plays at Little Rock Hall (14-6, 6-0) Friday.

LAST-SECOND SHOTS

Little Rock Hall's girls can take a two-game lead in the 6A-South race with a victory over Little Rock Parkview (9-7, 5-1) Friday night. The Lady Warriors (14-6, 6-0) used a 27-point, 10-rebound effort to defeat Lake Hamilton 62-37 on Tuesday. ... White County Central is the outright 2A-2 Conference champion after Tuesday's 34-31 victory over Tuckerman. Trace Jones led the Bears (25-5, 11-0) with 12 points. White County Central plays at second-place Walnut Ridge tonight. ... Clarksville (9-10, 1-5) ended its five-game 5A-West losing streak with a 69-65 victory over Harrison (13-6, 4-2). Logan Wood led the Panthers with 20 points, while Casey Benton and Brandon Baker added 15 and 13 points, respectively. Maumelle (14-4, 6-0) holds a two-game lead in league play. ... Arkansas Baptist (15-5, 9-0) had four players score 10 or more points in Tuesday's 50-40 victory at Clinton. Brandon Vanover led the way with 16 points, while Connor Vanover followed with 13, Chad McGonigal added 11 and Cory McGonigal had 10. ... In its past four conference games, Episcopal Collegiate (12-5, 8-0) has allowed a combined 97 points, an average of 24.3 points a game. The Wildcats defeated Perryville 66-13 Tuesday night, getting 14 points from Mahlon Martin and 10 from Dylan Owens. ... Jasper's girls improved to 26-5 and 14-0 in the 1A-East with Tuesday's 57-29 victory over Omaha. Brittany Langdon scored 17 and Cassie Emerson 14 for the Lady Pirates, who have two conference games remaining. ... CAC's girls will take a 12-game winning streak into Friday's 4A-2 showdown with unbeaten Riverview. The Lady Mustangs (19-2, 10-1) picked up 22 points from Sydnie Jones in Tuesday's 54-25 victory over Southside Batesville.

Sports on 01/29/2015

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