Mills prevails in a ‘dogfight’ with eStem

MILLS 64, eSTEM 43

The Mills Comets had to fight off comeback attempts from the eStem Mets throughout, but they followed seniors Kevin Cross and Orion Virden to finally pull away to a 64-43 victory Friday night at the Nutt Athletic Complex at the Arkansas School for the Deaf in Little Rock.

Mills had leads of 10-4 early in the first quarter and 26-18 at halftime. EStem responded to each with runs to pull even in the first half and within two late in the third quarter.

“That’s a tough team we played,” Mills Coach Raymond Cooper said. “They play tough and they have some good shooters. They’re going to battle, and they’re going to battle to the end. That was a dogfight.”

Mills (22-4, 15-0 4A-5) led 30-22 after Virden’s layup with 4:53 left in the third quarter, but eStem’s 6-1 run put it within 31-29 after junior guard Dylan Sewell made a 15-foot jump shot from the baseline with 1:45 left. An eStem rebound of Mills’ subsequent miss led to an open three-point attempt by Sewell that would have given eStem a one-point lead, but it spun off the rim.

“That was the story of the night,” eStem Coach Josh Hayes said. “Every time we’d get close, they’d make a run. That miss took the wind out of our sails.

“Their defensive pressure bothered our guys all night. They are a very good defensive team, and they’re very physical.”

Mills scored on three of its next four possessions to lead 38-29 at the end of the third quarter. EStem (21-10, 10-4) never pulled closer than seven points in the fourth quarter.

“After we went on that run, I think they got a little bit deflated,” Cooper said. “We really dug in defensively and took care of the basketball.”

Cross led Mills with 17 points. Virden scored 14. Sophomores Kiyler Hudson and Keilon Davis scored 11.

Sewell led eStem with nine points. Junior guard Jacob Sanders and senior guard Jacob Profit IV scored eight each.