West Memphis senior duo pave the way

5A-EAST GIRLS

WEST MEMPHIS 64, MARION 54

MARION — West Memphis senior guard Janiyah Tucker led all players with 22 points and 6 assists, while senior Clamisha Prackett hit for 15 points and 17 rebounds to help the Lady Blue Devils top Marion on Wednesday night 64-54 at Fidelity Bank Arena.

Tucker and Prackett sparked the offense, and the West Memphis (21-3, 9-0 5A-East) defense harassed Marion into 29% shooting from the floor.

“It felt like every time we almost got something going, they had an answer,” said Marion Coach Shunda Johnson. “We missed too many layups and free throws to beat a team like that.”

Kiera Neal paced Marion (8-13, 5-4) with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, while Brianna Dyson added 13.

West Memphis closed the first quarter on an 8-2 run to claim a 14-7 lead entering the second. Prackett and Tucker combined for all eight West Memphis points during that stretch.

West Memphis took its first double-digit lead (18-8) when Aniya Price turned an offensive rebound into a layup, and the Lady Blue Devils led by as many as 11 points in the second quarter on four occasions. Marion worked the deficit to nine points at the half when Neal found Dyson for a layup to make the score 30-21.

The visitors reinstated their double-digit lead in the third quarter when Price hit a pair of free throws and Prackett logged a layup for a 35-24 lead, but Marion made a move when Neal hit a pair of free throws, and Ny’Asia Jackson hit Alyse Holliman for a layup before Jackson made a pair of free throws on the following possession. When Neal hit a layup, Marion was within 3530 with 3:34 left in the third.

From there, West Memphis got a three-pointer from Price before Tucker converted a three-point play to give the Lady Blue Devils a 44-36 advantage to begin the fourth quarter.

A Neal three-pointer got Marion within 51-43 with 5:11 remaining, but West Memphis hit the hosts with an 11-3 run to put the game out of reach. Price’s fourth three-pointer launched the spurt before Tyra Taylor hit a layup, and Tucker again converted a three-point play on the possession before she made two of three from the line. When Alayah Price split a pair of free throws, West Memphis enjoyed its largest lead at 6246 with 3:21 remaining.

Marion got threes on backto-back possessions from Jackson and Aaliyah Taylor, and a Neal stick back got the Lady Patriots within eight (6254) with 41 seconds left, but Alayah Price made a pair of free throws to clinch the final.

BOYS MARION 57, WEST MEMPHIS 28

Marion allowed West Memphis to make just 11 of its 45 (24%) field goal attempts, as the Patriots topped the Blue Devils for the 10th time in 11 tries, including eight straight, in Wednesday night’s 57-28 victory at Fidelity Bank Arena.

Marion (20-6, 9-0 5A-East) got a game-high 20 points and 5 assists from sophomore guard Lyndell Buckingham, 12 points by junior guard David Brewer and 10 more from Kayden Nesbitt in the victory. Jalen White scored 8 points, racked up 6 rebounds and blocked 4 shots for Marion.

Max Reece paced West Memphis (6-18, 4-6) with 6 points, Kevion Brazile hit for 5, and Johnny Washington Jr. added 4.

Marion outrebounded West Memphis 38-19 and forced 15 West Memphis turnovers while giving it away just 9 times.

Marion bridged the first and second quarters with an 18-0 run to remove much of the early drama.