The future, with freshman guard Layden Blocker and 6-7 sophomore center Creed Williamson leading the way, appears promising for Coach Clarence Finley's Little Rock Christian Warriors.
The present, as evidenced by Tuesday night's 78-51 victory over Greenbrier, is not too bad either.
Blocker scored 20 points and Williamson added 15 points and 8 rebounds for the Warriors, who scored the game's first 10 points and never looked back at Warrior Arena.
"I thought we got off to a good start with our defending and going inside," Finley said. "Our game plan was to go inside to Creed Williamson early. Then he was able to kick it back out for threes."
Greenbrier (6-15, 2-7 5A-West) tried to make a game of it early in the second quarter behind Chole Linn, who scored 11 of his team-high 15 points in the first half .
Greenbrier cut Little Rock Christian's lead to 25-17 with 4:04 to play in the half.
Little Rock Christian (12-8, 6-3) outscored Greenbrier 15-2 to close out the half, and then outscored the Panthers 8-1 to start the second half to build a 48-20 lead.
"We got it inside and we got some transition baskets," Finley said. "I thought our transition offense could work against their transition defense. Which it did. I thought if we got the ball inside early to Creed, we could get some points down there on the block.
Williamson scored four baskets but missed all three of his free-throw attempts in the first half.
He scored two second-half baskets, but made all three free-throw attempts.
"He's still developing," Finley said. "Every team been very physical with him. We're trying to teach him to play through fouls.
"We've been working on his free throws, trying to get more arch. He's got to make 10 in a row to end practice. He's going to be fouled inside. He's a tough matchup for us. If they can't stop him, they're going to foul him. So we've been working on free throws with him.
"He's getting better."
Finely is trying to blend the youthful talent of Blocker and Williamson with two hard-charging arrivals from the school's Class 5A runner-up football team -- senior Akeem Gilmore and junior Colin Cooper.
Finley said there is more help on the way Friday when four members of the Warriors' freshman team, which is playing for a conference championship, will be promoted to the varsity for the stretch run.
The Warriors came into the night in a three-way tie for second in the conference with Vilonia and Beebe, one game ahead of Alma, which plays host to the Warriors Friday night.
GIRLS
LITTLE ROCK CHRISTIAN 63,
GREENBRIER 48
Little Rock Christian's Wynter Rogers and Ashton Elley each scored 17 points, and the Warriors (17-4, 6-2 5A West) converted eight three-pointers, four in each half, to defeat Greenbrier.
Little Rock Christian outscored the Panthers 21-13 in the second quarter to take a 35-26 halftime lead.
Little Rock Christian led 52-42 lead heading into the fourth quarter, with Ashlynne Robeson making 3 three-pointers to account for 9 of the Warriors' 17 points in the third quarter.
Alex Newland led Greenbrier (7-14, 1-8) with 20 points.
Sports on 02/12/2020