Wildcats tournament-bound
STAR CITY — In a week marred by on-campus tragedy, Watson Chapel not only found what boys Coach Marcus Adams called a safe haven on the basketball court, the Wildcats and Lady Wildcats brought inspiration to an entire school district that had been searching for some positive light all week and earned berths in the coming 4A state tournament in Morrilton.
Adams’ Wildcats held off a second-half charge from Hope and eliminated the Bobcats, 4237, from the 4A South Region tournament at Star City High School’s new arena Thursday.
“It gives our guys a chance to get away from stuff and just do something they like to do to take their minds off of some things for a couple of hours,” Adams said. “That’s why it’s always just good being in here with these guys.”
Earlier Thursday, the Watson Chapel girls team defeated Arkadelphia 39-34. The Lady Wildcats will play Mena at 10 a.m. today, with the Wildcats taking on Camden Fairview at 1 p.m.
Watson Chapel continued to play, hours after junior high student Daylon Burnett, 15, died from injuries suffered in a Monday shooting on campus. A fellow freshman will be charged with murder. Watson Chapel High School is next-door to the junior high campus.
Khamani Cooper led a balanced scoring effort for the Wildcats (12-8) with 10 points. Keshun Wilkins and Antwon Emsweller each had eight points.
“Earlier this week, it was hard because of what happened at the school and stuff,” Cooper said. “Now, I feel like everybody has come out and fight for Watson Chapel because we want to win a state championship.”
The semifinal and final rounds will determine seeding for the state tournament.
Watson Chapel saw a 26-14 halftime lead dwindle to 32-30 at the end of the third quarter, but the Wildcats’ lead grew back to 39-32 as they took advantage of 6-of-9 free-throw shooting and held the Bobcats (9-4) to two field goals in the final 8 minutes.
“We told our kids, if you want to win this game, rebound the basketball, point-blank, period,” Adams said. “Rebound the ball. You might not be making shots, but you can hang your hat on defense — defense and rebounding.”
Ammorrion Dempsy scored 11 points, and KaJameion Love totaled eight for the Bobcats.
GIRLS WATSON CHAPEL 39, ARKADELPHIA 34
Also in Star City, post DeKeira Kentle scored 22 points, and the Lady Wildcats (13-11) earned another trip to state by knocking off the Lady Badgers (10-14).
“It was just one of those games, I guess,” Watson Chapel Coach Leslie Henderson said. “I really do believe that because I really do they were sagging in and keying in on our post players, but she just had a great game.”
The 5-foot-8 Kentle found her shooting touch on the high post, but Henderson said Kentle held her own against taller Arkadelphia players on the low blocks.
Henderson said the Lady Wildcats were happy to be playing again but felt they may have started slow against the Lady Badgers, given the tragedy that took place on the campus next-door to Watson Chapel High. The teams were tied 6-6, but Watson Chapel pulled out to a 16-10 halftime lead behind 12 of Kentle’s points.
“The longer we went, we started kind of loosening up, even though we did make it interesting,” Henderson said. “We had a chance to put it away … but I told them at this time of the year, a win is a win, and we have to move forward.”
Abriunna Dendy scored 11 points, and DaNasia Randle had six to complete Watson Chapel’s scoring.
Kyla Elgas had 17 points to lead Arkadelphia.