Senior forward Allen Flanigan scored 27 points to lead Little Rock Parkview to a 65-50 victory over Jacksonville on Tuesday night in Jacksonville.
Flanigan, 6-6, 210 pounds, scored 9 points in less than 4 minutes as Parkview pulled away late in the third quarter and early into the fourth. His free throw with 5:50 left in the game gave the Patriots a 52-42 lead.
Parkview's lead was 53-42 after senior center Airion Simmons' free throw with 5:32 left.
Jacksonville trailed by nine or more points for the remainder of the game. The Titans did not hold a lead after the first quarter, though they were within 29-28 at halftime.
Allen Flanigan's grandfather Parkview Coach Al Flanigan said he has been pleased by his grandson's progression after he tore an anterior cruciate ligament as a freshman.
"As a sophomore, he was afraid to play on that leg, so last year was his first year really playing," Flanigan said. "I'm proud of him. He's a pleasure to be around and to coach. He reminds me of his father."
Allen Flanigan' father is Wes Flanigan, who also played at Parkview and then Auburn from 1993-97. Allen Flanigan signed a letter of intent in the fall to play for the Tigers.
"He's a solid player," Jacksonville Coach Victor Joyner said. "He's a hard cover for high-school kids. He's a nice hand. He's just a good player."
Joyner said his team did not play aggressively on offense, offering that the Patriots had 37 free-throw attempts to the Titans' nine.
"We have to get more aggressive," Joyner said. "The free throws tell the tale. We have to attack the basket and get second shots, rebound aggressively. We have to attack the basket and get to the free-throw line."
Al Flanigan walked onto the court in the final minute to criticize his grandson after he drove in for a slam-dunk attempt with Parkview leading 60-49.
"[We've] got bigger fish to fry, and I don't want that kid to get hurt," Al Flanigan said. "Everybody's been playing him real physical, so he's got to be smarter than that. At that point, he [doesn't] even need to shoot the ball, but everybody wants to score."
Sports on 01/16/2019