DeWITT — Dollarway did its part Friday night, but will have to win at McGehee on Tuesday to clinch the 8-4A Conference championship outright.
Dollarway blew out DeWitt 62-20 in 8-4A boys basketball action, needing a McGehee loss at Lake Village Lakeside to win its first conference championship since 2006. But McGehee won 63-41, forcing the Cardinals (21-4, 12-0 in 8-4A) to try and beat the Owls on their home court Tuesday in another opportunity to take the title.
Kabion Ento scored 18 points, and Jamal Burton had nine points and eight rebounds for the Cards, who outscored the Dragons 36-8 in the second half.
Dollarway has won 11 straight games.
Fordyce 57, Drew Central 49
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
FORDYCE — The Redbugs (13-11, 6-2 in 8-3A) pulled away by making free throws in the final moments to break a tie with the Pirates (16-8, 5-3) for second place in the conference behind Smackover.
No statistics were available, but the game was tied at 22 at halftime.
Drew Central played without leading scorer Dominique Rhodes, who missed his third straight game with an ankle injury.
The first through fifth seeds in next week’s 8-3A tournament at Fordyce, in order, are Smackover, Fordyce, Drew Central, Camden Harmony Grove and Rison.
Dumas 70, Warren 30
DUMAS — The Bobcats remained in a tie for third place in the 8-4A Conference with Star City after blowing out the winless Lumberjacks.
Charleston Dobbs scored 15 points and Antonio Ford 11 for Dumas (12-7, 8-4 in 8-4A). Kaleel Thomas led Warren (0-18, 0-12) with 12.
Dumas led 34-18 at halftime.
Star City 78, Hamburg 47
HAMBURG — Four Bulldogs scored in double figures in a rout of the Lions.
Jemiel Thompson led Star City with 18 points, followed by Landon Burns with 15, Damar Reed with 12 and Lavonte Gardner with 11. Star City (11-13, 8-4 in 8-4A) jumped to a 23-9 lead after one quarter and maintained control from there.
For Hamburg (7-16, 3-9), Nick Barnes scored 11 points and Jaylon Fisher added 10.
GIRLS
Fordyce 40, Drew Central 37
FORDYCE — The Lady Bugs earned a share of the 8-3A Conference championship after ending the Lady Pirates’ bid for an unbeaten conference record. But Drew Central will still get the No. 1 seed in next week’s conference tournament at Fordyce because it defeated Fordyce by a larger margin earlier in the season.
Sade Jenkins and Lacie Hulse each had 15 points to lead Fordyce. Adruna Simpson led Drew Central with 14 points and Aaliyah Block followed with 11.
Following Drew Central in order of seeding are Fordyce, Smackover, Camden Harmony Grove and Rison.
Star City 45, Hamburg 22
HAMBURG — The Lady Bulldogs (24-1, 12-0 in 8-4A) are two games away from finishing the conference race unbeaten.
Star City jumped to a 13-2 lead and was ahead 24-6 at halftime. Octavian Reedy led the Lady Bulldogs with 13.
Hamburg fell to 12-10 and 7-5 in the conference.
McGehee 50, Lake Village Lakeside 18
LAKE VILLAGE — The Lady Owls (11-8, 6-6 in 8-4A) kept alive their regional tournament hopes by blowing out the Lady Beavers, who are now 2-10 in 8-4A.
McGehee was a game behind DeWitt for the fourth and final regional seed from the conference going into Friday’s game. For the Lady Owls, Monie Stinyard had 13 points and Brittney Lee and Raven Burks each scored 10.
JUNIOR HIGH BOYS
Ridgway Christian 36, Garrett Memorial 18
LITTLE ROCK — The Eagles advanced to the semifinals of the Arkansas Association of Christian Schools state tournament, where they will take on Life Way Christian at 11:10 a.m. today at Southwest Christian. The winner will play next Saturday in Magnolia for the state championship.
Garrett Memorial beat St. Joseph earlier in the day to meet Ridgway, which had a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed from the South Region.
For Ridgway, Maleek Ware scored 14 points, Cody Andersen had 11 and Jacob Andersen scored seven.
The boys and girls tournament schedules were changed during the week from what was previously announced.
JUNIOR HIGH GIRLS
Christian Ministries 31, Ridgway Christian 29
LITTLE ROCK — A short-range shot went in and out just before the buzzer that otherwise would have sent the game into overtime for the Lady Eagles in the first round of the AACS state tournament.
For Ridgway, Madison Heflin had 16 points and Henley Parker finished with seven.