Lions win 3A-4 road game
LAMAR — Jessieville’s senior high boys earned their first conference win of the basketball season on Friday, 64-50, on the road against Lamar.
Senior guard Braxton Shiflett scored 16 points and senior Tyler Holloway scored 15 to lead the Lions (7-4, 1-1 3A-4).
“We came ready to play and got after them in the first half,” said Jessieville head boys’ basketball coach Jared White.
“We have to learn how to put two halves together. We did a good job in transition and I think that attributed to the quick start.”
Lamar (2-7, 0-3) trailed, 13-8, after the first quarter, but Jessieville pulled ahead for a 34-21 lead at halftime. The margin was 45-36, to start the fourth quarter.
Senior Chase Pedersen added 10 points. Junior B.J. Holloway scored eight points.
Jessieville is scheduled for another conference game today against regional rival Perryville (5-1, 2-0). The Mustangs denied the Lions in the finals of both the district and regional tournaments last season, including a 53-51 overtime win in the 3A-1 regional championship game. * Jessieville’s junior boys also won on Friday, 45-35, at Lamar. Noah Futch and Carson Hair led junior Lions (4-3, 1-0) with 16 and 15 points, respectively.
Lamar kept pace through the opening quarter for a 15-15 tie, but the junior Lions led, 28-23, at halftime. The visitors took a 34-25 lead into the final quarter.
Jessieville bounced back from a 39-34 loss on Thursday in the junior high tournament at Poyen. Hair scored 15 points, Futch scored eight and Matt Huff added eight points as the junior Lions were eliminated, 39-34.
Bearcats best Cobras
BOONEVILLE — Booneville’s senior high basketball teams swept Fountain Lake’s teams on Friday in a pair of 3A-4 conference games.
Junior Colton McMullin scored 13 points and senior Ahman Johnson added 10 points for Fountain Lake (9-2, 1-1). Senior Blakely Cobb (65) led all players with 26 points and senior center Logan Bradley (6-8) contributed 12 points to the 60-45 victory in the senior high boys’ game.
The Bearcats, who also won the Class 3A state football championship on Saturday at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, were ahead, 11-6, after the first quarter. Their lead was 27-15 at halftime and the margin was 41-31 after three quarters.
The Cobras are scheduled to host the Two Rivers Gators (1-8,
0-2) tonight.
Girls
Fountain Lake’s senior high girls’ basketball team dropped to
0-2 in 3A-4 conference play with a
46-28 loss on Friday at Booneville. The Lady Cobras (4-7, 0-2) held an 18-14 lead at halftime until they were outscored, 17-2, in the third quarter.
Sophomore Presley Hamric led Fountain Lake with 10 points and classmate Hannah Vaughn added seven points.
Fountain Lake is scheduled for a home conference game tonight against Two Rivers (6-3, 1-1).
HSU baseball signs 4 to 2019 class
ARKADELPHIA — Henderson State head baseball coach Cody Hooten announced four new signings on Monday toward the team’s 2019 class.
“First off, hats off to Drew Maus and Alan Hall for all of their hard work on this class,” Hooten said. “They work as hard as anyone in Division II at finding players that not only fit into what we want on the field, but that also fit the mission of our program off the field and in the classroom as well.
“All of these guys are from winning programs and have a desire to help get us to the next level. We are excited about the future here.”
The three in-state signees are Henry Coppens, a left-handed pitcher at Little Rock Catholic; Montana Korte, an outfielder at Sheridan; and Jordan McCuin, an outfielder at Catholic.
Infielder Kaden Argenbright also signed with the Reddies out of Sulphur Springs High School in Texas.
Henderson was 30-20 in the 2018 season. The Reddies are scheduled to open the 2019 season on Feb. 1 at home against Ouachita Baptist.
Toney, Jones nominated for GAC basketball honors
ARKADELPHIA — Henderson State sophomore Jeremiah Toney and junior Pink Jones were nominated for Great American Conference Player of the Week awards after both of their teams earned wins against Harding on Saturday.
Toney recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds in 20 minutes off of the bench. He scored the game-winning basket to lift the Reddies (7-2, 2-1) to a 75-74 home victory over the Bisons (4-4, 2-1) at the Duke Wells Center.
The Men’s Basketball Co-Players of the Week were Southeastern Oklahoma State sophomore guard Adam Dworsky and Southwestern Oklahoma State junior guard Tre Evans. The other nominees were Arkansas-Monticello guard Austin Hardy, East Central guard Camron Talley, Southern Arkansas guard Jalen Brooks and Southern Nazarene point guard Micah Speight.
Jones scored 31 points Saturday as the Reddie women knocked off Harding (6-2, 2-1), 84-77. Henderson will host Arkansas-Monticello (2-5, 1-2) on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Southwestern senior forward Hailey Tucker was voted the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week. Also nominated were Arkansas-Monticello forward MacKenzie Johnson; East Central guard Tia Williams; Southeastern guard Katie Webb and Southern Arkansas forward Alyssa Crase.
Henderson’s men’s team is scheduled to follow the women’s game at 3 p.m. against the Boll Weevils (5-3, 2-1).
Frey, Hall help Montana State beat Washington St.
KENNEWICK, Wash. — Washington State coach Ernie Kent had warned everyone to not be fooled by Montana State’s 2-6 record.
“They’re a good team,” said Kent. “They’ve just had a tough schedule.”
The Bobcats held off Washington State for a 95-90 win Sunday at the Toyota Center. What fans saw was a spirited Montana State (3-6) team that sank 16 of 32 3-pointers, what Kent saw as the difference in the game.
Harald Frey had 31 points and 10 assists to lead the Bobcats. Tyler Hall, their leading scorer, added 24 points against the 5-3 Cougars of the Pac-12.
Senior Keljin Blevins, the team’s No. 2 scorer at 11.5 points per game, did not play Sunday. Montana State head coach Brian Fish said Blevins had a lower leg injury.