The Pine Bluff High Zebras basketball team and their Head Coach Billy Dixon will travel to take on the Jacksonville Titans tonight in the second match up between these two teams this season.
Last week, the Zebras traveled to El Dorado, where they came up short by a final of 76-73. This past weekend, Pine Bluff competed in the Lake Hamilton Classic, where they split a pair of games. They defeated Kirby 64-41 and lost to Lake Hamilton 72-71.
“We got off to a very slow start against Lake Hamilton,” Dixon said. “They came out energized and they took advantage of having home court. They really shot the ball well and we just let it get out of hand.”
The Zebras have lost three games by a total of nine points combined. Senior guard Caleb Parker has led the Zebras in scoring in each of the four games, and they’ll need him to continue to lead the way.
“We definitely didn’t want the outcomes that we’ve gotten,”Dixon said. “They’ve been hard nose, hard fought games and that’s what we need at this point. Caleb Parker is our experienced guy, and he’s doing his job. The rest of the kids need to be put in these pressure situations to grow.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Zebras opened up the season hosting Jacksonville in a thriller. Pine Bluff jumped out to a large lead, but behind the play of Tyree Applebey, the Titans were able to storm back for a 69-64 win. When the Zebras held a double digit lead, and the Titans were closing the gap, Dixon decided to let the players play through the adversity. However, he believes that might have ultimately caused them that game.
“I put that game totally on me,” Dixon said. “It was a good learning experience and a humbling experience for the players, but that one was on me. I can’t put it on the kids cause of the way I approached the game in the third. We have to manage the game better, and we have to put a team away when we have the chance.”
Jacksonville’s Appleby accounted for 33 points and a few highlight dunks in the first match up as he gave the Zebras major problems.
“We didn’t have the help defense that we needed on him,” Dixon said. “We didn’t have weak side support, and there was nobody in a denial position. He took the team on his shoulders and we didn’t have an answer. He certainly has our attention, and they’ll be at home and this is their first home game. We’re going to have to lock down this time and we’ll do some things a little differently defensively.”
Although the Zebras haven’t got off to the start the had hoped for, a win over Jacksonville will do a lot for them going forward.
“Getting this win will do a lot for our confidence,” Dixon said. “We had bad body language after our last lost and that’s understandably so due to the fact that we had high expectations coming in. Now we have to prove ourselves. We must execute and sit down and guard defensively. We need to find our identity and we must man up.”