NEW BOSTON, Texas-Arkansas High assured there will be a new boys champion and handed Paris its first loss of the season by pulling off a 75-70 victory over the Wildcats Thursday during the opening round of the annual Gunslinger Tournament at Lion Gym.
Texas High's junior varsity also upset Pleasant Grove, 70-61, in the boys division. In other boys games, Hope downed New Boston, 69-32, and Idabel outlasted Daingerfield, 66-61.
On the girls side, defending champion Liberty-Eylau and Pleasant Grove were both first-round winners. The Lady Leopards raced past Hope, 62-34, and the Lady Hawks topped Arkansas High, 65-47. Idabel's girls beat L-E's jayvee, 71-24, and Ashdown downed New Boston, 54-14.
In today's action, Arkansas High and Liberty-Eylau's junior varsity open up the action with a girls game at 10 a.m. In other girls games, Pleasant Grove and Idabel meet in a semifinal at 12:40 p.m., Hope and New Boston clash in a loser's bracket game at 3:30, and Liberty-Eylau and Ashdown play at 6:10 in the other girls semifinal.
The girls championship is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday and the boys at 6:20. Saturday's play start at 9 a.m.
Girls Division
Pleasant Grove 65, Arkansas High 47
After a near even first quarter, Pleasant Grove used a 9-point swing in the second quarter to open up a double-digit lead on the Lady Backs.
The Lady Hawks scored 25 points during the second period and extended their lead to 18 before the fourth
quarter.
Abby Hines led PG with 11 points, and Monique Walker added 10.
Tierra Holliman scored 16 points for Arkansas High, and Tyquana Strickland contributed 10 as well.
Liberty-Eylau 62,
Hope 34
The Lady Leopards built a 17-point cushion by intermission, with the aid of a 10-point rally in the second quarter, and never looked back.
Eliyah Howard poured in 10 of her team-high 14 points in the fourth quarter for Liberty-Eylau. Taylor Crabtree added 13 points, and Derrica Henderson had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Raley Potter and Andrea Curtis each scored nine points to lead the Lady
Cats.
Ashdown 54,
New Boston 14
Four Lady Panthers scored in double figures to power Ashdown past the host team.
Adaysia Thompson led the Panthers with 13 points, Lark Wilkerson added 12 points and Cambre McCullough and Zakiyah Rhone chipped in with 10 each.
McKenzee Thomas led the Lady Lions with five points
Idabel 71, L-E JV 24
The Lady Warriors were never challenged by the Liberty-Eylau junior varsity as Idabel built a 19-1 lead in the first quarter and 39-10 advantage before halftime.
Shyia Smith (21 points) and Stevesha Cursh (20) combined for 41 points to lead the Warriors.
Aaliyah Thompson paced the Lady Leopards jayvee with 10 points.
Boys Division
Texas High JV 70, Pleasant Grove 61
The Tigers junior varsity jumped out to a 6-point lead in the first quarter, trailed by five at hafltime but went on a 47-33 rally in the second half, scoring 24 in the third and 23 points in the fourth quarter to upset the Hawks.
Quez Clark scored 16 for the Tigers, Kyle Wright added 14, and Jacoby Johnson had 12.
Aaron Harmon and Connor Ouellette paced Pleasant Grove with 19 points apiece, and Cory Jones added 12.
Arkansas High 75,
Paris 70
In one of the highlight matchups of the opening round, the Razorbacks pulled away from the Wildcats in the third quarter and then held off a late charge by Paris, which cut its deficit to one possession.
Taviron Oliver pumped in 22 points to lead Arkansas High, and Kyndal Martin was just behind him with 20 points. Michael Caldwell had 10 points for the Hogs.
Josh Robinson ripped the cords for 29 points for Paris, which came in unbeaten at 6-0. Jalen Pipkins added 18 points.
Hope 69, New Boston 32
Four Bobcats scored in double digits, and Hope ran away from host New Boston.
Markel Haynie scored 17 to lead the Bobcats, Keith Brown added 16 points, Clyde Ricks had 13 and Desmond McDonald had 12.
Colby McElwee scored 14 for New Boston.
Idabel 66,
Daingerfield 61
Idabel had a dominant second quarter, and Daingerfield ruled the fourth quarter but it wasn't enough to overcome the Warriors.
Idabel held a 40-29 lead at intermission, and the Tigers trailed by 12 entering the final stanza, when they went on a 23-16 run.
Easton Reesing and Tyrone Howell each scored 17 points for the Warriors. Q.T Burns added 12.
Reggie Jeter had 17 points for Daingerfield, Mikal Reeves and Timmyon Broner added 14 each, and Jay Johnson scored 10.