FORT SMITH -- Getting that first 7A-Central win is always the toughest one, according to Southside coach Charles Cooper.
The Mavericks almost let it slip away but getting a turnover in the final second of play allowed Southside to hang on for a 51-49 win over Little Rock Catholic on Friday night.
"Like I told the kids in the locker room 'the first one is big.' You got the get the first one," Cooper said. "This was a big win for us. Hopefully this is a big confidence builder for us."
The Mavericks (9-9, 1-3) led by 12 on a Dillon Hamilton layup with 3 minutes, 15 seconds left. But that lead shrunk to 2 with 32 seconds left on a steal and layup by the Rockets' Josh Dawson.
Another Southside turnover gave Catholic a possession to tie or win with 11.8 seconds left. After the Mavs knocked the ball out of bounds with 2.9 seconds left, Southside forced a turnover with less than a second left. The Mavs inbounded the ball to end the game.
Hamilton paced Southside with 15 while Ike Moore scored 12 and Taye Gatewood added 10. Phillips Allison led Catholic with a game-high 17 while Dawson chipped in with 12 and Charles Daniel added 10.
It was 23-20 Southside at halftime, then the Mavs started to break down the Rocket defense as Hamilton scored nine of the 20 third-quarter points getting easy inside feeds from his guards. Southside led 43-33 going into the fourth quarter.
"We got some stops and capitalized on them in the third quarter," Cooper added. "Our guards, once we settled down and got our weave going, made better decisions with the ball on offense. They penetrated to the lane, avoided the charge, and dished to the open man."
Boys
Fort Smith Southside 51, Little Rock Catholic 49
Little Rock Catholic Central 8 12 13 16 49
FS Northside 11 12 20 8 51
Little Rock Catholic (7-9, 1-3): Allison 17, Dawson 12, Daniel 10, Chase 5, Funk 3, Wood 2.
Fort Smith Southside (9-9, 1-3): Hamilton 15, Moore 12, Gatewood 10, Brewer 7, Marshall 3, Thomas 2, Jackson 2,
Fort Smith Southside 53, Mount St. Mary 51
Kelly Carson's two free throw with 5.7 seconds left lifted the Mavs (2-12, 1-3) to the 7A-Central win over the Belles (1-15, 0-4).
"That was some big free throws at the end by her," Southside coach Steve Brown said. "This was not an easy win, but you take 'em when you get 'em. These girls have not quit on me and I have not quit on them."
Mount St. Mary had tied the game with 11.6 seconds left on a three-point play by Catherine Althoff. The Belles had trailed by as much as 12 in the fourth quarter before rallying back.
"Playing with a lead was a new thing for us. It was a learning situation for us," Brown said. "We had too many turnovers against a non-aggressive press. We have to be a little more discipline and run some time of the clock. Both teams are a lot alike -- they scrap and fight."
Mo Kleck scored 11 of her team-high 15 points in the first half as the Mavs built a 32-15 halftime lead. Carson added 12 for Southside.
Natalie Snook scored a game-high 18 to lead Mount St. Mary while Althoff added 15.
Girls
Fort Smith Southside 53, Mount St. Mary 51
Mount St. Mary 8 7 15 20 51
FS Southside 17 15 10 11 53
MOUNT ST. MARY (1-15, 0-4): Snook 18, Althoff 15, Ranaraja 6, Ceccherini 5, Allgood 2, Tarini 2, Meadors 2, Grice 1.
FS SOUTHSIDE (2-12, 1-3): Kleck 15, Carson 12, Graham 8, Schmidt 8, Smith 5, Rainwater 5.
Preps Basketball on 01/20/2018