Cobras close conference with home win over Paris
FOUNTAIN LAKE — Fountain Lake’s senior high boys’ basketball team held off Paris, 53-50, to end the 3A-4 conference schedule alone as the No. 2 team in the league.
The Cobras (21-5, 11-3) led, 22-11, after the first quarter and took a 33-24 lead into halftime at Irvin J. Bass Gymnasium-Sammy Lambert Court. The Eagles (12-15, 5-9) outscored the hosts, 12-6, in the third quarter to make it 39-36 going into the final frame.
Senior guard Jordan Mungle led Fountain Lake with 16 points. Classmates Joe Murphy and Ahman Johnson added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Paris got 44 of its 50 points from three players. Senior Micah Duncan and sophomore Anthony Potts scored 17 points apiece, while sophomore Dylan Krigbaum scored 10.
Fountain Lake will end the regular season tonight on the road at Cutter Morning Star (15-7, 10-4 2A-5 South). The Eagles also earned the second seed in their district tournament.
The 3A-4 district tournament will begin Monday at Two Rivers in Ola, but the Cobras have a bye into the semifinals on Wednesday and an automatic berth to the 3A-2 regional tournament the following week at Perryville.
The No. 6 and No. 7 seeds, Atkins (7-15, 3-11) and Lamar (1016, 3-11), will play Monday at 7:45 p.m. in the opening round. The winner will advance to face third seed Jessieville (19-7, 10-4) at 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday for a berth into the regional tournament and the semifinals against Fountain Lake at 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday.
Top-seeded Booneville (24-1, 14-0) also earned a bye to the semifinals. The tournament final is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. on Thursday.
The Bearcats led the conference in scoring offense, 60 points per game, and scoring defense, 40.3 points per game. Fountain Lake was second in defense at 45.4 per game and third in offense at 55.9. Jessieville ranked second in the league in scoring with 56.2 points per game and fourth on defense at 50.4.
Girls
Fountain Lake’s senior high girls came out on the short end of yet another close conference game on Tuesday, 40-37, against Paris at Irvin J. Bass Gymnasium-Sammy Lambert Court.
The Lady Cobras (5-21, 0-14) led, 11-8, after the opening quarter, but they fell behind, 15-13, by halftime. Paris (18-9, 8-6) took a 25-21 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Junior forward Emoree Martin led Fountain Lake with 14 points. Sophomore Hannah Vaughn added 11 points.
Three of Fountain Lake’s last four losses came by a total of eight points, including a defeat on a 3-pointer at the buzzer a week ago to Lamar (20-5, 11-3), the No. 3 seed in next week’s 3A-4 district tournament at Two Rivers in Ola. The fourth loss, 53-45, to Perryville
(12-13, 5-9) saw the Lady Cobras trail by just one point at the start of the final eight minutes.
Tonight is the final game of the regular season for Fountain Lake. The Lady Cobras will play on the road at Cutter Morning Star
(6-16, 4-10 2A-5 South), the sixth seed in its conference. Fountain Lake, as the No. 8 seed, is matched up in the first game of the district tournament on Monday at 4 p.m. with rival Jessieville
(13-13, 5-9), the No. 5 seed. The winner will advance to meet the No.
4 seed, Paris, at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
The winner of the second-round game will earn a berth into the 3A-2 regional tournament the following week and semifinal matchup with the top seed, Two Rivers (21-6, 13-1). The tournament final is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.