Lady Mustangs down LR Hall to continue postseason swing

Seeded second into the 4A-3 district tournament played this past week, the Forrest City Lady Mustangs upset top-seeded Brookland 58-50 to earn the girls' district tournament championship and the top seed into this week's 4A-East regional tournament which opened play Wednesday at Brookland.

Facing Little Rock Hall Wednesday night, the Lady Mustangs continued their swing through postseason with a 74-42 win over the Lady Warriors, putting the Lady Mustangs in line for a second-round regional match up against today's Pulaski Academy/Jonesboro Westside winner.

Once again Wednesday, the Lady Mustangs first-round regional win came down to three players who have become a unique scoring trio for the Lady Mustangs.

Led by senior Charnelle Hoof's 25 points and nine rebounds, teammates Kylei Bailey wasn't far behind hoof in the final scoring column finishing with 20 points and 21 rebounds, while Ayana Watson tossed in 13 points and Jaztin Rodgers finished with nine.

From the floor, the Lady Mustangs connected on 25 of their 57 shots and four of their 13 three-point shots. A brighter sport for the Lady Mustangs came at the foul line, a place of struggle for the girls for most of this just completed regular season.

Wednesday night, the Lady Mustangs turned that around dropping in 20 of their 29 free throw attempts.

Forrest City was tagged with 15 turnovers in the game and came away with three steals.

While Forrest City took a complete player roster to the game, Hall used just seven players, led by Ta'Mya Hughes who recorded 24 points, 12 of that total coming in the second quarter. Malory Moore added 13 points, including four, three pointers. Hall got to the free throw line 10 times, sinking just two of those tries.

Following a feeling out first quarter which led to a 14-10 Forrest City advantage, the Lady Mustangs put up 17 second quarter points to lead 31-25 at the half. The second half belonged entirely to the Lady Mustangs 43-17 scoring run, 27 of that total coming in the final frame while hold the Lady Warriors to just five, fourth quarter points.

The Lady Mustangs are looking for their first trip to the state tournament since the 201314 season when they entered the 5A state bracket as a four seed, losing to Vilonia in the first round under then head coach Bobb Harris, who is now the head coach at Little Rock Hall.

The Lady Mustangs also played their way into the state tournament during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, both of those trips as the No. 4 seed under then head coach Jacky England.

Also Wednesday at the 4A-3 regional, Westside turned back the LR Halls boys 61-42 and will next face the ClintonBrookland winner.

Clinton's girls eliminated Highland in Wednesday's first round 44-41 and will advance to play Brookland in the second round.

••••• In Wednesday's first-round boys' regional game, also being played at Brookland, the fourthseeded Forrest City Mustangs were unable to get past Little Rock Christian, the defending Class 4A state champions and into the second round of the regionals, falling 75-44.

The loss ended the Mustangs' season, which saw Forrest City hold down the No. 2 slot in the 4A-3 conference standings for several weeks and wearing the No. 2 seed into the district tournament.

The Warriors used 28 points and 11 rebounds from J.J. Andrews and 16 points from Landren Blocker to oust the Mustangs from the tournament.

Little Rock Christian will move on to play either Blytheville or Pulaski Robinson Friday.