NEW BOSTON, Texas-During the first four games of the annual Gunslinger Shootout, there was only one close game.
New Boston edged Daingerfield in the opening game of the boys division by seven points, while the other three early games were decided by an average of 40 points apiece.
In the early boys games, Liberty-Eylau defeated Idabel, Okla., 82-42, and New Noston topped Daingerfield, 47-40. In the early girls games, Pleasant Grove's varsity beat Texas High junior varsity, 77-35, and Arkansas High varsity posted a 54-16 win over L-E's jayvee.
In the evening games, Liberty-Eylau girls edged Fouke, host New Boston girls dismantled Hope and Paris' boys defeated Hope.
Today's action begins with THS' and Liberty-Eylau's girls JV teams at 9:30 a.m. Daingerfield and Idabel play a boys game at 11 a.m., and PG and Arkansas High play a girls semifinal at 12:30 p.m. The host Lions and Liberty-Eylau's boys clash in a boys semifinal at 2 p.m.
Fouke and Hope girls play at 3:30, while Hope's boys take on the loser of the Arkansas High/Clarksville game at 5 p.m. Liberty-Eylau's girls take on New Boston in a semifinal at 6:30 p.m., and Paris plays Arkansas High in the other boys semifinal at 8 p.m.
Girls Division
Pleasant Grove 77,
Texas High JV 35
The Lady Hawks jumped out to a 29-6 lead in the first quarter, were up 46-12 at halftime and were never challenged in the lop-sided win, featuring four double-digit scoring by PG players.
Keshawn Davis scored 15 points for Pleasant Grove, Maiya Ware had 13 points, Noni Hilley added 12 and Ashanti Levingston 11.
Ashanti Northcross paced the Lady Tiger jayvee with 11 points.
Arkansas High 54,
Liberty-Eylau JV 16
Cedrianna Daniels ripped the cords for 18 points as the Lady Backs rolled past the junior varsity Lady Leopards, breaking open a 26-11 halftime lead with a 22-1 run in the third quarter.
Kiara Young added 12 points for Arkansas High, and Jayla Easter contributed nine points.
Tamara Norris scored six to lead Liberty-Eylau.
Liberty-Eylau 57, Fouke 56
In a game that went back and forth for its entirety, it was the Lady Leopards who came away with the one-point victory in dramatic fashion.
Liberty-Eylau, which trailed only once coming in the first quarter, allowed the Lady Panthers to stick around and have an opportunity at the end, but Fouke's game-winning shot fell shy.
Eliyah Howard led Liberty-Eylau with a game-high 18 points and Kyla Coston added 11.
Fouke's Taylor Harden scored a team-high 13 points, including two 3-pointers, while Mallory Oliver and Crysta Larey finished with 12 and 11, respectively.
New Boston 64, Hope 29
The Lady Lions took care of its home court with a convincing victory over Hope.
New Boston led wire-to-wire and jumped out of the gates with a 16-4 lead after the first quarter and took 35-11 advantage into halftime.
Chloe Davis scored a game-high 20 points for the Lady Lions and teammate Grace Duffer added 18.
Hope's Mariuna McClenton finished with 18 points.
Boys Division
Liberty-Eylau 82, Idabel 42
R'Aikem Harris poured in 20 points for the Leopards, who built a 44-19 lead in the first half and won every quarter.
Kentraile Atkins and Keanu Daniels added 10 points each for L-E.
Lamar Rutherford led the Warriors with 13 points, and Corbin Cooper had 11.
New Boston 47, Daingerfield 40
The Lions went on a 31-15 rally in the second half to claim the win over the Tigers, who were still missing players who are participating in the football playoffs.
Bichop Fields scored 15 for New Boston, and Kyle Atkinson added 12 points.
Nathaniel Dancer led Daingerfield with 17 points.
Paris 74, Hope 47
The Wildcats sped out to a quick 24-11 lead in the first quarter and took that momentum into halftime and the second half for their big victory.
The Bobcats, who found themselves down, 38-23, at intermission, struggled to find their rhythm and found it hard to contain the bigger and more physical Paris team.
Zykeis Raglon and Larry Peters each scored nine points for Hope.
Arkansas High 56, Clarksville 46
Led by Jaylon Randle's 14 points, including his eight in the first quarter, the Razorbacks cruised to a first-round win in the nightcap.
Arkansas High took a 31-23 lead into halftime and outscored the Tigers, 25-23, in the second half.
Clarksville's Jaquadrian Scales finished the night with a game-high 18 points.