Jerrick Cole scored 26 points — 12 in the fourth quarter — and the Little Rock Fair War Eagles outlasted Tyree Appleby and the Jacksonville Red Devils 65-62 in a 5A-Central contest at Fair’s gymnasium.
Fair led by 14 points with 1:43 remaining but had to survive a last-second three-point attempt to avoid overtime.
“Turnovers at the end of the game almost killed us,” Fair Coach Charlie Johnson said.
Appleby scored 23 of his game-high 30 points in the second half. He also had 7 rebounds and 7 steals.
Fair shot 9 of 11 in the fourth quarter and had turned a 39-35 lead after three quarters into a 63-49 advantage with 1:43 to play, but the War Eagles (16-4, 6-2) could not put the Red Devils away. Jacksonville hit 7 of its final 11 shots and got as close as 64-62 with 11 seconds remaining.
Fair was 7 of 11 from the free-throw line while Jacksonville came up with six steals in the fourth quarter.
“We didn’t handle the pressure,” Johnson said. “It’s probably my fault because we didn’t have the right people in the game.
“But I’m not taking the blame for missed free throws and throwing the ball away.”
Cole hit the first of two free throws with :07 left to set the final score.
Fair’s Nick Jones finished with 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Kris Bankston had 14 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists.
Laquawn Smith added 13 points and 10 rebounds for Jacksonville.
LR FAIR 65, JACKSONVILLE 62
JACKSONVILLE (62)
Appleby 12 3-7 30, Ridgeway 2 3-3 7, L. Smith 5 3-5 13, C. Williams 0 0-2 0, James 2 2-4 6, Waller 1 2-2 4, Phillips 0 0-1 0, Lambert 0 0-0 0, Hamilton 1 0-0 2, Martin 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 13-24 62.
FAIR (65)
Jones 7 5-8 19, Cole 9 4-5 26, Bryant 3 0-0 6, Sykes 0 0-0 0, Hilliard 0 0-0 0, Crooms 0 0-0 0, Jones 0 0-0 0, D. Bankston 0 0-0 0, K. Bankston 6 2-5 14, C. Jones 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 11-18 65.
Jacksonville (13-7);6;13;16;27 -- 62
Fair (16-4);8;18;13;26 -- 65
Three-point goals -- Jacksonville 3 (Appleby 3). Fair 4 (Cole 4). Team fouls -- Jacksonville 20, Fair 20. Fouled out -- James; K. Bankston.
Sports on 01/30/2016