Conference schedules begin for Forrest City, P-Wheatley

Mustangs in 4A-5 conference, Patriots playing in 3A-6 conference

On Tuesday, the Forrest City Mustang sand PalestineWheatley Patriots will move into the next phase of this 2020- 21 prep basketball schedule. Conference play.

For the third time, Forrest City will be navigating the 4A5 conference waters, while Palestine- Wheatley will be taking their first trip through the 3A- 6 conference, after moving over f rom the 3A- 2 conference the last two seasons which netted the Pat riots a total of five conference victories.

Both schools will open conference play Tuesday when Forrest City hosts eStem and the Patriots travel to Little Rock to face Episcopal Collegiate.

While Tuesday's game marks the first-time conference meeting between Palestine- Wheatley and Episcopal.

Forrest City has not played since last week, when they took on former 5A- East conference member Nettleton, losing 84- 72.

The Mustangs were led by Kesean Washington and Robert Echols, who combined for 38 of the Mustangs 72 points.

After forging a second half lead by a many as 10 points, Nettleton's size caught up with the much smaller Mustangs in the fourth quarter.

Tuesday's conference opener will mark the start of Forrest City's 14- game conference schedule, which will be highlighted by a fivegame home stand, from Jan. 12 through the 26, as well as a five- game road swing to close out regular season play Feb. 5 through Feb. 18.

The dates for the Class 4A- 5 regional and Class 4A state tournaments have not been set.

A year ago, the Mustangs dropped both conference games to eStem on the way to a final 6- 17 overall season and 4- 12 in the conference.

Last week, the PalestineWheatley Pat riots took on Wynne, Forrest City's Friday night conference opponent, in a junior boys/ senior boys doubleheader, dropping both games to the Jackets.

In the senior boys game, Wynne opened a quick 14- 4 lead and pushed that lead to 25- 7 at the half, holding Peyton Hi l l , P- W's leading scorer scoreless in the first half to secure a 48- 18 "mercy rule" final.

While the P- W boys were playing the doubleheader at Wynne, the P- W Lady Patriots played host to Des Arc for a junior/ senior girls twinbill.

In the junior girls game, Des Arc opened a 10- point halftime lead at 23- 13 and outscored the Junior Lady Pat riots 5 to 1 in the third quarter to lead 28- 14, on the way to a final 34- 19 win.

Rhealee McGraw led P- W with eight points.

On Saturday, PalestineWheatley made the short trip to McCrory for nonconference junior high games and varsity games.

Ke'Von Medley scored 15 points for P- W while Avieon Smith added nine and Hi l l finished with five in Saturday's varsity boys 62- 41 loss to the Jaguars.

The junior Lady Pat riots lost their game to McCrory 3517 while the Lady Patriots fell 61- 29.

Following Tuesday's conference game at Episcopal, Palestine- Wheatley will take on Lisa Academy Fr iday at Little Rock.

Twelve of Palestine

Wheatley's 13 final season games are conference dates, including a four- game away swing from Jan. 21 through Jan. 29, when P- W travels to White County Central for a nonconference game, followed by conference dates at DeWitt, Pine Bluff Dollarway and Episcopal. Eight of the final 12 conference games will be road trips for the Patriots.

The P- W junior high district tournament will begin on Feb. 8, while the senior high di s t rict tournament starts on Feb. 15.

Both P- W basketball programs are under new guidance this season, with Jim Wallace taking over the junior and senior boys while Zack O'Brien takes over the girls basketball program.

Forrest City Mustang head coach Dwight Lofton returns for his 25th season, while the Forrest City Lady Mustangs will navigate the season under f i rst- year head coach and former Forrest City Lady Mustang and graduate Caronica ( Randle) Williams, taking over for former head coach Erica ( Smith) Taylor, who took over the West Memphis girls program.

The Lady Mustangs have not played since a lop- sided loss to Paragould on Dec. 15, but have been scr immaging against former Lady Mustangs as they prepare for Tuesday's game against eStem, according to Williams.

In a girls nonconference game played last week, eStem exploded for 24 second quarter points on the way to a 63- 28 win over Riverview.

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The Forrest City junior high teams will return to action tonight hosting eStem for a pair of seventh grade games and two junior high games beginning at 4: 30 p. m.