Watson Chapel dominates Ashdown

The first quarter of Friday night’s boys basketball game made it clear Watson Chapel’s losing streak was ending.

The Wildcats never trailed in a 64-32 win against Ashdown at Leslie Byrd Henderson Gymnasium in Pine Bluff.

Watson Chapel (3-7) led 24-2 after the first quarter and kept the Panthers at bay the rest of the night. Coach Jevon Barnes said the Wildcats played with energy and made shots to start the game.

“We was due for a win,” Barnes said. “We had a good practice this week, and everybody was on one accord. Once the ball started going in, I think, dealing with kids, they’ll play a little bit harder on the defensive side.”

The only Ashdown points of the first quarter came at the 3:31 mark on a shot by Kamarion Fricks. Prior to that shot, the Wildcats had opened the game on a 15-0 run.

The Panthers (1-3) earned three trips to the free throw line in the first quarter but missed all six shots. Watson Chapel senior Jabaree Smith scored 11 points in the first quarter alone, while seniors Malyk Williams and Kevin Marcus had 6 each at that point.

Smith said the Wildcats came into the game determined to end their six-game losing streak.

“Our press and our defense was working,” Smith said. “We was getting stops and steals, leading to easy transition buckets.”

The Wildcats couldn’t match that level of dominance in the subsequent quarters, but Ashdown never threatened the lead. Watson Chapel led 37-11 at halftime and 53-24 after the third quarter. Barnes pulled his starters with 7:06 to go in the fourth quarter, which was played with a running clock.

Barnes said the Wildcats’ defense kept Ashdown from making any runs to cut into the lead.

“I think we had a time where we were stuck on 30 points for a long time, but we still stayed true on the defensive side. Right now, that’s what we try to focus on. We don’t score the ball that well, but when you can defend, the biggest thing is having more points than the other team.”

Smith finished with a game-high 22 points, while Williams added 12 points. A total of 10 Wildcats scored in the game.

Antonio McDuffie led Ashdown with 10 points.

GIRLS: Watson Chapel 70, Ashdown 26

The Watson Chapel girls dominated from the start and won their second home game of the season Friday night against Ashdown, 70-26.

Coach Lenell Brown said the Lady Wildcats (7-3) were focused all week leading up to this game.

“We shot the ball extremely well tonight, and we at home,” Brown said. “They love playing at home. Of course, we shoot a whole lot of shots each and every day, and they was just locked in from start to finish. They really were.”

Junior Maranda Emerson led the Lady Wildcats with 22 points, followed by junior Jayla Rodgers with 11. Kenya Williams led Ashdown (2-2) with 10.

Watson Chapel dominated defensively, not allowing the Pantherettes to reach double digits in any quarter. The Lady Wildcats’ also forced constant turnovers to feed their offense.

Ashdown led briefly in the first quarter, 4-3, after a shot by Davereana Forte, but Rodgers answered with a pair of 3-pointers to give the Lady Wildcats the lead for good and start an 18-2 run.

The Lady Wildcats led 21-7 after the first quarter and 44-16 at halftime. After taking a 61-22 lead into the fourth quarter, some of the reserve players got into the game in the fourth.

Emerson said Watson Chapel played team ball.

“We passed the ball around the perimeter and just passed,” Emerson said. “Good teamwork.”

The Lady Wildcats are now 2-0 at home this season and have won three straight games.