Forrest City wins rematch with Troy in 2OT, 80-76
JONESBORO — Nine months after going overtime in their Class 5A semifinal classic at Bank of the Ozarks Arena, Hot Springs and Forrest City needed another period to settle the rematch Thursday night. Different setting, same result.
Reigning Class 5A champion Forrest City overcame Hot Springs’ hot start with stifling defense after halftime and big shots down the stretch, downing the Trojans 80-76 in double overtime to conclude the first round of the 32nd annual Barry Pruitt Hurricane Classic at Don Riggs Hurricane Gymnasium.
The Mustangs (2-2) outscored Hot Springs (1-3) 9-5 in the final overtime, shutting out Trojan top scorer Exavian Christon for the first time in any period of the night. Blayton Williams scored the winning basket on a layup with 1:22 left, and after both sides missed two free throws, Trajan Norment made two free throws with three seconds left.
Norment also hit a buzzer-beating layup to send the game into double OT at 71 after Damien Blackwell gathered an offensive rebound of a missed three-point attempt.
The game went to overtime after Hot Springs squandered a strong first half. The Trojans led 25-9 after the opening quarter, 27-9 for their largest margin and 37-24 at halftime.
Tamarkus Guinn then got a steal and fast-break layup for a 41-26 lead with 6:30 left in the third quarter but injured his leg and didn’t return after collecting three steals. The Trojans then led 43-28 before the Mustangs pulled within 45-41 with a 13-2 run.
Trayvun Gordon gave Hot Springs a temporary lift with a buzzer-beating three for a 52-43 edge to end the third quarter, but Forrest City then tied it at 54 with a 7-0 run. The Trojans scored the next three at the free-throw line, but Kobe Wilson eventually knotted it with a three and gave Forrest City its first lead, at 61-59, since it was 3-0 early.
Christon countered with a threepoint play, but Jawan Whitby made a pair of free throws to make it 63-62 Mustangs with 35 seconds left. Christon went to the line at the other end but made just 1 of 2 with 26 seconds left, and neither team could come up with a winning shot.
Christon finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Paris Harris added 17 points, Gordon 16 points and five assists.
Wilson and Norment had 18 points each for the Mustangs, Wilson also grabbing eight rebounds and Norment overcoming first-half foul trouble to score all after halftime. Williams had 17 points and Damien Blackwell 12 points and seven boards.
Hot Springs won the first-half turnover battle 13-6, but Forrest City turned it around 17-9 after halftime.
Hot Springs took on two-time reigning 1A champ Bay in Friday’s consolation bracket.