FORT SMITH -- After a third-quarter dry spell, Fort Smith Southside rediscovered its offensive rhythm in the fourth quarter.
The Mavericks scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter to take the lead for good Thursday night and held off Little Rock Fair, 48-47, in the first round of the 41st annual Coca-Cola Christmas Classic in the UA-Fort Smith's Stubblefield Center.
The Mavericks (5-6) will face Pulaski Robinson in Friday's 7:30 p.m. semifinal. The War Eagles (3-6) will play Van Buren at 2:30 p.m. in a consolation game.
Southside hadn't played since a Dec. 15 loss to Bentonville, so the three games in the tournament are important, Mavericks coach Charles Cooper said. Southside hosts Conway Jan. 4 to open 6A-Central play.
"We kinda just held onto (the win)," Cooper said. "We haven't played in almost two weeks, so as a coach you sort of cross your fingers and hope for the best. We're trying to get our legs back from the Christmas break and we are also getting ready for conference. It is good that we see a team like Fair that is so athletic. The press, trap and run-and-jump and we will see that (in the 6A-Central), so this is a good experience for them."
Southside led 31-25 with 5:17 left in the third quarter, but only scored 2 points the rest of the period as Fair finished with an 11-2 spurt to take the lead at 36-33.
"In the third quarter, we had some of the worst shot selection that we have had all season -- falling down, behind the backboard -- just bad decisions," Cooper said. "Give Fair credit because they were switching defenses on us and giving us trouble."
The Mavs, though, regained its offensive composure at the start of the fourth quarter with a 9-0 spurt in the first three minutes of the period to retake the lead at 42-36. Dalton Thomas scored five of those nine points to lead the comeback, including a 3-pointer with 5:42 left that gave Southside the lead for good at 38-36. Thomas led Southside with 13 points while Darin Davenport added 11.
"Dalton is one of those guys that just hangs around and then suddenly bangs a 3 or get a stickback inside or hit a jumper," Cooper said. "In the fourth quarter, we changed up our offense and cutting to the basket and got some easy looks inside."
A Mykale Franks basket with 55 seconds left gave the Mavs a 48-44 lead. The War Eagles got to 48-47 on an Erlon Boose post up with 5 seconds left. Southside broke the Fair press and ran out the final seconds.
Jacori Cranford scored 11 points to lead the War Eagles.
In other games Friday, Pulaski Robinson (7-4) outlasted Van Buren (4-7), 64-61, in double overtime thanks to 22 points from Xavier McGraw. Bryant (8-3) had three players in double figures (led by Treylon Payne's 17 points) in dominating Charleston (8-3), 76-42, and Fort Smith Northside whipped Texarkana (Texas) Pleasant Grove, 76-44.
FS SOUTHSIDE 48, LR FAIR 47
LR Fair 8 13 15 11 — 47
FS Southside 15 10 8 15 — 48
LR FAIR (3-6) — Cranford 11, Tyson 9, Young 8, Polite 7, Boose 6, Bracy 4, Haynie 2.
FS SOUTHSIDE (5-6) — Thomas 13, Davenport 11, Coleman 7, Franks 6, McBride 4, Solomon 3, Gatewood 2, Infield 2.
Coca-Cola Christmas Classic At UA-Fort Smith
Thursday's games
Game 1 — Pulaski Robinson 64, Van Buren 61 (2 OTs)
Game 2 — Bryant 76, Charleston 42
Game 3 — FS Southside 48 LR Fair 47
Game 4 — FS Northside 76, Texarkana (Texas) Pleasant Grove 44
Friday’s games
Game 5 — Van Buren vs. LR Fair, 2:30 p.m.
Game 6 — Charleston vs. Pleasant Grove, 4:10 p.m.
Game 7 — Bryant vs. FS Northside, 5:50 p.m.
Game 8 — Pulaski Robinson vs. FS Southside, 7:30 p.m.
Sports on 12/28/2018