Basketball Harrison overpowers Greenbrier

FARMINGTON--Without a player shorter than 5 feet 10 inches in its starting lineup, Harrison coach David Stahler knew his team would have a size advantage over Greenbrier as the teams squared off the Thursday's semifinal of the 5A-West District Tournament. The Goblins proved their coach right, as they scored 40 points in the paint to take a 68-57 victory over the Panthers.

"We have good overall size," Stahler said. "Our two guard and three guard are big, 6-3 and 6-4, and they're pretty good at finding a mismatch, and they found that a lot tonight."

Harrison 68, Greenbrier 57

Harrison^16^17^17^18^—^68

Greenbrier^11^14^17^15^–^57

Harrison: Journagen 23, Young 17, Youngblood 15, Elliott 4, Shrum 3, Ditmanson 2, Collins 2.

Greenbrier: Clifton 15, Matthews 14, Dunlop 8, Linn 6, Thomey 5, Stewart 4, Clarke 3.

Harrison's Skyler Young and Carson Journagon took advantage, as the duo feasted inside all night. They combined for 40 points, including 30 scored from inside the paint.

As a result of their efforts, the Goblins built an early lead that Greenbrier couldn't overcome. Young and Journagon scored 14 of Harrison's 16 points, as the Goblins jumped out to a 16-7 first quarter lead.

"Carson has been in a shooting slump of late, but really broke out well tonight. He can shoot the ball like that every game," Stahler said. "[Skyler] is long and athletic and a late mature. A lot of people don't know about him, but he's really making a name for himself."

Harrison extended its lead to 11 when a 3-ball by Colton Youngblood, who scored 15 points, gave the Goblins a 30-19 lead with just under two minutes remaining in the half.

"All of them can shoot it and spread you out," Greenbrier coach Mike Simmons said. "They got so many weapons of offense, they're just hard to guard."

Greenbrier still made things interesting in the second half. A bucket by Juwaun Clifton, on an assist from A.J. Matthews, trimmed the Goblins' lead to three, 39-36, with 2 minutes 59 seconds remaining in the third period. Harrison answered, though, with a 9-0 run on 3-pointers from Youngblood and Journagon on three consecutive possessions.

"Those were keys," Stahler said of the 3-pointers. "We had three starters in foul trouble there, and those two really stepped up and made some plays and hit some shots.

Simmons said his team's focus on defending the interior gave the Goblins open looks.

"We were trying so hard to keep it out of the inside, and they stepped up and made big shots, " he said.

Journagen led all scorers with 23-points, while Young added 17.

Clifton led the Panthers with 15 points, while Matthews chipped-in 14 for Greenbrier.

Alma 56, Morrilton 54

Tanner Shelton scored from point-blank range with 1:06 remaining, as Alma took a two-point victory over Morrilton, the No. 1 seed from the East.

Morrilton led by four halfway through the fourth quarter, but the Airedales outscored them down the stretch to secure the victory. Alma advances to today's final against Harrison.

Brayden Johnson led Alma with 15 points. Kade Wood scored 12, and Shelton finished with 10 for the Airedales.

Laken Dillard led Morrilton with 14; Xavier Wright scored 11 and Torian Cain 10.

Girls

Farmington 57, Clarksville 35

After Clarksville kept things closer for a quarter, Farmington outscored the Lady Panthers 20-4 to take the semifinal victory on their home court Thursday night.

Farmington advances to today's finals, where it will play Vilonia.

Makenna Vanzant scored 13 points to lead four Lady Cardinals in double figures. Alexis Roach scored 12 and Joelle Tidwell scored 11. Audrey Culpepper also scored 12 off four second-half three-pointers.

Maegan Payne led Clarksville with nine points.

Vilonia 53, Harrison 37

Vilonia jumped out to an early lead, and never looked back.

The Lady Eagles built a six-point advantage after the first quarter, and more than doubled that after the second. Vilonia outscored the Goblins 17-6 in the second, and then held them scoreless in the fourth to notch the victory.

Paige Kelley led all scorers with 22 points, while Lauren Patterson scored 11 for the Lady Eagles

Kenzie Parker led Harrison with 18 points.

Preps Basketball on 02/23/2018

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