After layoff, Comets find stride late

BOYS MILLS 65, LITTLE ROCK CHRISTIAN 62, OT

Even behind a mask, Mills Coach Raymond Cooper was all smiles after Tuesday night’s game at Little Rock Christian.

The Comets used a stout defensive effort in the second half to battle back from a 10-point, third-quarter deficit for a 65-62 victory in overtime at Warrior Arena.

Senior forward Jakari Livingston finished with 26 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals for Mills (3-0), which opened the season with backto-back victories over reigning Class 5A champions West Memphis and Jacksonville but hadn’t played since Nov. 17 because of coronavirus quarantining.

The Comets’ performance was sluggish through the first three quarters before they found their footing to secure a road victory.

“It was the first game since we’ve been quarantined, and practices have been sloppy, but we just kept playing hard,” Cooper said. “We didn’t shoot it well, we definitely didn’t rebound it well, but the one thing I can say about my guys is that they’ve played a lot of ball in a lot of different atmospheres. We didn’t come out and play the way we wanted to starting out, but they’re going to play until the end no matter what.

“These guys will scrap all the way. You’ve got to beat them because they’re going to keep coming until that final buzzer.”

Senior Joseph Bell added 10 points and sophomore Q.J. King had nine points for Mills.

Senior Trey Jones scored 19 points and sophomore Layden Blocker had 15 for Little Rock Christian (3-1), which turned the ball over 18 times after halftime. Junior Creed Williamson had 13 points and 11 rebounds.

The Comets didn’t fold despite trailing 32-19 at the half and 44- 34 late in the third quarter. Mills was still without junior forward Javion Guy-King, who averaged nearly 16 points and nine rebounds last season but is recovering from offseason foot surgery.

Livingston provided the offensive spark the Comets needed to stay close to the Warriors, who rode a dominant effort from Williamson in the first half to establish a lead.

The 6-8 standout had nine points and seven rebounds in the first quarter. He finished the half with 13 points and 10 boards, but foul trouble forced him to sit most of the second quarter. He picked up his fourth foul with 5:26 to go in the third quarter, which was when Mills started to make its run.

Williamson fouled out with 6:26 remaining in the game.

“That was big because we didn’t have an answer for him,” Cooper said. “He was just dominating us in every way, and we had no matchup for him. So that was big.”

Mills took its first lead, 50-48, on a basket inside by

Livingston. The Comets led 53-51, but Blocker drilled a 21-footer from the left wing with 8.7 seconds left to put the Warriors up by one. Livingston, though, was fouled on the other end and hit one of two free throws with 0.9 ticks remaining to send the game into overtime, where the Comets hit 6 of 8 free throws.

GIRLS LITTLE ROCK CHRISTIAN 81, MILLS 10

Eleven players scored for Little Rock Christian (6-0) in its dominant victory.

Sophomore guards Kate Denton and Mia Smith scored 14 points and 12 points, respectively, for the Lady Warriors, who scored the game’s first 23 points and led 45-3 at halftime. Senior forward Wynter Rogers had 13 points, junior guard Peyten Williams-Griffin ended with 10 points, and junior forward Katelyn Harris contributed 6 steals for Little Rock Christian.

The Lady Warriors shot 33 of 55 (60%) from the floor, outrebounded their opponents 24-13 and committed just 5 turnovers.

Senior guard Gabbie Marler scored all 10 points for Mills ( 0- 2), which didn’t record its first basket until 6:54 remained in the game.