Defending champion Clarksville broke open a one-point halftime lead behind the play of Dederick Lee and Deven Simmons on Friday to beat Heber Springs 59-43 in a 4A boys basketball semifinal at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
Clarksville will play the Marianna Lee vs. McGehee winner at 7:30 tonight for a spot in next week’s state championship game in Hot Springs.
Lee and Simmons combined for 18 of the winning Panthers’ 22 points in the third quarter, opening a 24-23 lead to 46-36. Lee scored eight of his 19 points in the period, and Simmons finished with 17. Kendrick Lee added nine points for Clarksville.
John Price led Heber Springs with 17 points, going 8 for 8 in free throws. As a team, Heber Springs was 13 of 14.
Austin Brown added 11 points for the losing Panthers.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Clarksville last repeated as state champion in 1997-98.
GIRLS
Pulaski Academy 68, Prairie Grove 60
Junior center India Wilson scored 18 points and sophomore guard Mackie Kuhn scored all 13 of her points in the second half as Pulaski Academy (28-5) rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat Prairie Grove (29-2).
Prairie Grove, which led by 17 points in the second quarter, was led by 21 points from Michelle Lumsargis and 18 from Whitnee Fitts.
Pulaski Academy trailed 34-23 at halftime but turned up the defensive pressure in the second half and got a scoring lift from Kuhn, who had nine of the Lady Bruins’ 26 third-quarter points. Wilson, who was held scoreless for the game’s first 13 minutes, also scored 13 second-half points for Pulaski Academy.
Prairie Grove made seven three-pointers, but just two of those came in the second half. Three Lady Tigers fouled out of the game.
Farmington 43, Batesville Southside 31
Rene Scheyder scored 13 points to lead Farmington to a quarterfinal win Friday.
Scheyder hit three three-pointers in the win that sends the Lady Cardinals (25-7) to today’s semifinals against Pulaski Academy at 6 p.m.
Jordan Hicks paced the Lady Southerners (25-7) with six points.