Moore makes amends for NLR

6A-CENTRAL BOYS

NORTH LITTLE ROCK 65, LR CATHOLIC 62

Collin Moore missed two opportunities to give North Little Rock the lead, and a victory, with 2.1 seconds to play in the fourth quarter Tuesday night against Little Rock Catholic.

Moore shrugged off the missed free throws and told North Little Rock Coach Johnny Rice not to worry as the game went into overtime at Catholic High School.

“I told Coach Rice, ‘I’ll make up for it,’ ” Moore said. He did, and then some. Moore, a 6-4 senior forward, scored 9 of North Little Rock’s 13 overtime points as the Charging Wildcats (15-4, 3-1) won 65-62 over Catholic in a spirited 6A-Central matchup.

Moore, the only North Little Rock player to score more than 7 points, finished with 40 — a performance that included 13 baskets and 14 free throws in 18 attempts.

“We just couldn’t stop him,” Catholic Coach Todd Ezzi said.

Rice praised Moore, who scored 29 of his team’s 39 points in the second half and overtime.

“He just willed his way in there,” Rice said.

Catholic led 25-24 at halftime and were up 40-33 after three quarters, with Daniel contributing 21 points while orchestrating the Rockets’ offense.

“They had us right where they wanted it, and we turned it up,” Rice said.

Daniel finished with 31 points while leading the team in rebounding and assists, but the Charging Wildcats checked Catholic’s junior guard all over the court.

North Little Rock turned a 46-41 deficit with 4:32 to play into a 52-48 lead with 40 seconds to play, but the Rockets countered with three free throws by Parker Loyd, who was fouled on a three-point attempt, with 21 seconds left to make it 52-51.

Catholic got the ball back after North Little Rock missed two free throws with 18.8 seconds, and Daniel got to the line with 10 seconds left, his team down 52-51. He made the first to tie the game at 52-52, missed the second, and North Little Rock got the ball to Moore, who was fouled with 2.1 seconds.

He missed both free throws, but it didn’t faze him.

“I felt like I had to go out there and do something for my team,” Moore said.