5A-EAST GIRLS

Batesville starts slow, steamrolls West Memphis

WEST MEMPHIS --- The Batesville girls overcame some anxious moments early in the game, but soon righted the ship on the way to an easy 71-47 victory Friday night over West Memphis.

West Memphis (5-8, 0-6 5A-East Conference) bolted to leads of 6-0 and 8-5 in the first five minutes before the Lady Pioneers (16-0, 7-0) mashed the foot to the pedal, took off and left the Lady Devils.

Isabella Higginbotham, the game's leading scorer with 22 points, scored eight of her team's next 10 points for a 14-8 lead just before the end of the first quarter.

"West Memphis played really well for most of the game," said Batesville Coach Stan Fowler. "Usually we outquick everyone we play, but tonight West Memphis' quickness kind of stunned us the first few minutes."

The hot-shooting Pioneers lit it up from the three-point arc in the first three quarters, hitting 7 of 16 attempts.For the game Batesville hit 49 percent on 25 of 51.

The visitors stretched their lead to 35-23 at halftime.

The Lady Pioneers placed four in double figures as London Cuzzort scored 17 points, while Taylor Rush and Kaylee Clark added 13 and 12 respectively.

West Memphis was led by sophomore center Clemisha Prackett's 15 points. Janiyah Tucker added 14 more.

BOYS

WEST MEMPHIS 73,

BATESVILLE 46

WEST MEMPHIS -- West Memphis hit a season-high 10 three-pointers to fuel a victory over Batesville.

The Blue Devils (8-8, 4-2 5A-East Conference) led wire-to-wire and got 21 points and 6 assists from senior point guard Jordan Mitchell, who has 51 points in his last two games.

"Right now it's a confidence thing for us," said Mitchell. "I think it started when we beat Nettleton. We were down 10 [in the second half] and came back and won in overtime. Ever since then we've been rolling."

A long two-point field goal from Mitchell, followed by a three-pointer gave West Memphis a 13-4 lead in the first quarter.

The Blue Devils led 17-7 at the end of the first quarter and consecutive three-pointers from senior Calvin Butler, who added 17 points, gave the hosts a 43-15 halftime lead.

The Blue Devils defense was solid, forcing 17 Batesville turnovers and limiting the Pioneers to 34% shooting from the floor.

Senior forward Kam Barnes scored an additional 16 points for West Memphis.

Batesville's Caden Griffin made four three-pointers on his way to a team-high 19 points, while John Paul Morgan provided 15.

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