Zebra’s defense dominates Lakeside

A running clock became necessary Tuesday night in the final minutes of Pine Bluff’s dominant defensive performance to start the new year.

The Zebra basketball team defeated Hot Springs Lakeside 57-30, remaining undefeated in conference play.

Pine Bluff (11-3, 4-0 in 5A-South) led 45-16 after the third quarter and by as much as 53-21 in the fourth. The Rams made the final score a bit closer with a late 9-2 run but never threatened in the second half.

Deriyon Graydon led Pine Bluff with 12 points. The junior forward said the Zebras came into this game focused on defense.

“Just followed the game plan,” Graydon said. “Took care of what we need to take care of. Took care of the ball, slowed the turnovers down. Came out with the [win]. Followed our defensive scheme. Coach [Dixon] got a great defensive scheme. Everybody do they job. Everybody play in they spot.”

Lakeside (10-6, 1-3) finished without a double-digit scorer. Sam Trusty, a junior, led the Rams with 8 points. A.J. Howard scored 5, all coming in the first quarter.

After Graydon, Randy Emerson Jr. scored 9 points for Pine Bluff. JaiKori Phillips and Jamaal Hickman each scored 8.

Pine Bluff played without typical starter Courtney Crutchfield. Head coach Billy Dixon said the Zebras believe they can win no matter who may be out, something they showed Tuesday.

“Last year, we couldn’t say that, because without Jordon Harris, we didn’t win,” Dixon said. “[Crutchfield] can bring us 30 a night, but if you share the ball and move it and spread it around, you still can get 30. You just may have to get it from three, four other people combined.”

The Zebras led 11-5 after the first quarter but started pulling away in the second. The Rams finally reached double digits in the final minute of the first half, after which Pine Bluff led 24-11.

Pine Bluff came out of the locker room and began the second half on an 11-0 run as the Zebras finally got clicking offensively. Phillips and Braylen Hall combined to score most of the points on this run. Lakeside didn’t score until making a free throw with 4:20 remaining in the third and didn’t score from the field until roughly the 2:33 mark.

The only conference game Pine Bluff lost last year was at home to Lakeside. Graydon said the Zebras remembered coming into this game.

“We came in with a chip on our shoulder,” Graydon said. “Statement game, for real. Statement game. We knew we had to get this one.”

Girls: HS Lakeside 74, Pine Bluff 58

A star player from the visiting team achieved a major milestone to help her team pull away from Pine Bluff on Tuesday.

The Fillies basketball team kept it close for a half but fell 74-58 to Hot Springs Lakeside in conference action in Pine Bluff.

Lakeside (9-6, 4-0) guard Amelia Rogers scored 35 points. During the break between the third and fourth quarters, her coaches presented her with a special ball for passing 1,000 career points during the game. She did not play in the fourth.

Pine Bluff (1-9, 0-4 in 5A-South) got nice performances from a couple of its players. Madison Coakes led the Fillies with 25 points, while Taniya Jackson added 16. Head coach Trena Green said Coakes showed her potential in this game.

“This is what Madison can do every night,” Green said. “She just has to come mentally focused and do what she does. She’s a phenomenal passer. She can play inside, and that’s what she does. So, we need to see that more consistently from her.”

Lakeside came out firing and led 12-2 early, but the Fillies responded with an 11-4 run, forcing a Lady Rams timeout. Lakeside led 20-14 after the first quarter, but Pine Bluff continued to hang around in the second.

A pair of shots by Coakes trimmed the deficit to 27-22, but Lakeside finished the half strong and led 32-23 at halftime after Rogers drew a foul and hit two free throws with 0.3 seconds remaining.

Pine Bluff kept the game as close as 37-30 in the third quarter before the Lady Rams pulled away with a 16-2 run. Rogers scored 9 points during this stretch with two assists.

The Fillies edged Lakeside 20-16 in the fourth with Rogers on the bench. Coakes finished off her 25-point game with a corner 3-pointer, which drew a big cheer from the crowd.