Smith shows worth; Riverview moves on

RIVERVIEW 61, POTTSVILLE 55

BROOKLAND — J.T. Smith scored 22 points to lead the Riverview Raiders in a 61-55 victory over the Pottsville Apaches on Friday in the Class 4A boys state tournament quarterfinals at Bearcat Arena.

“J.T. Smith is a three-time all-state point guard,” Riverview Coach T.J. Coleman said. “Our offensive game plan was to let J.T. have the ball.”

The Raiders (26-9) will face Baptist Prep or Ashdown in a semifinal game at 7:30 p.m. today.

“It’s our third tournament to do it,” said Coleman, whose team also played in the 2-4A Conference and 4A-East Regional semifinals. “If we go out and listen like we did tonight, I like our chances tomorrow.”

A.J. Jiles had 12 points for the Raiders.

Riverview trailed 6-0 in the first two minutes but led 11-7 at the end of the first quarter.

With 7:32 remaining in the second quarter, Logan Porter’s three-pointer gave the Apaches a 13-11 lead. From that point, Riverview went on a 14-2 run, which included three-pointers from Smith and Jiles, to take a 25-15 lead with 2:47 left in the second quarter. Cahill Overstreet hit a three-pointer late in the quarter for a 30-18 lead, and the Raiders went into halftime with a 30-19 advantage.

Coleman wasn’t concerned about his team’s slow start. Instead, he looked to his team’s first-round victory over Warren on Wednesday.

“Warren got off to an 11-2 run against us,” Coleman said. “We came back and led at half. So it was the same thing here. I just said, ‘Put your hands up on the shooters and guard.’ I thought our kids handled it well. They’ve handled adversity all year. I told them, ‘Keep your composure. It’s a long game.’ That’s what these kids did.”

It was 36-26 Riverview entering the fourth quarter, but Pottsville cut the lead to 38-34 on Landon Reed’s three-pointer with 6:36 remaining.

The Raiders led 56-46 with 1:00 remaining, but the Apaches cut the lead to 59-55 on Wesley Heikes’ three-pointer. Riverview closed the game out by making two of three free throws in the final 30 seconds.

CLASS 3A AT MONTICELLO DREW CENTRAL 70, OSCEOLA 68

Sophomore Ty Chavis scored 11 of his game-high 24 points in the fourth quarter and the host Pirates (28-4) rallied from a 12-point deficit to start the fourth quarter to edge the Seminoles (24-8).

Osceola led 19-6 after one quarter and 35-27 at the half. The Seminoles entered the final quarter holding a 55-43 advantage.

Sophomore Travarus Shead added 17 and senior Montell Daniels put in 14 for Drew Central.

Junior Makai Caruthers scored 20 points to pace Osceola. Senior Dante Adams put in 18 and junior Jariq Scales scored 10.

MCGEHEE 68, CHARLESTON 53

Senior Zac Henry scored 12 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter as the Owls (26-4) downed the Tigers (21-8).

Juniors DeWayne Railey and Coryontae Smart added 14 and 10 points respectively for McGehee, which led 30-18 at the half and 44-29 entering the final quarter.

Sophomore Brayden Ross led the Tigers with 16 points. Senior Chase Ewing scored all 11 of his points in the fourth quarter. Junior Jacob Green also scored 11 points.