The last time White Hall played at McFadden Gymnasium, Randy Emerson Jr. was one of the Bulldogs.
Now a Pine Bluff High School senior, Emerson scored 17 points against his old team Friday night, leading the Zebras to a 66-50 win in the latest installment of their next-door, 5A-South Conference rivalry.
“I just get to feeling like, dang, I get to go out and play another day, play again against guys I used to play with, hard-working guys,” Emerson said.
Emerson sank 3 of the Zebras’ 5 three-point baskets and went 4 for 6 in free throws as Pine Bluff (9-2, 5-0 in 5A-South) remained unbeaten in conference play.
Austyn Dendy scored 13 points and had 4 rebounds, and Deriyon Graydon had 10 points and 8 rebounds for the defending 5A state champions, who were missing reigning state player of the year Courtney Crutchfield. The senior guard will play in the All-American Bowl football game at noon today in San Antonio, with NBC (KARK, Channel 4) televising the game.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Missing Crutchfield did not affect the Zebras’ rhythm, Emerson said.
“Crutch is a great piece to have on our team. We love Crutch,” he said. “It didn’t affect nothing because the guys go out, come back, and it’s next man up.”
Jordan Rasberry scored a game-high 21 points and Jacoby Edwards had 15 for White Hall (8-10, 2-2), which has lost six in a row.
White Hall led 16-10 late in the first quarter before giving up a game-changing 11-0 run to Pine Bluff going into the second quarter. The Bulldogs went nearly 8 minutes without a field goal until Rasberry made a spin move to the basket with 2:46 left before halftime and White Hall pulled within 26-25 with 58 seconds to go. But two layups for Dendy and two empty trips to the foul line for White Hall padded Pine Bluff’s lead to 30-25 at intermission.
Emerson scored 11 points in the third quarter as Pine Bluff’s lead grew to double digits. He converted 3 of 4 free throws after White Hall Coach Josh Hayes was ejected for back-to-back technical fouls while arguing for a foul on a hard fall his son Jai’Chaunn took. The Bulldogs nearly went the entire period without a field goal, but Edwards ended that drought with a 3 to narrow the deficit to 56-35.
Pine Bluff will host a key battle for first place Tuesday when Benton, which was 3-0 in 5A-South play going into Friday, pays a visit. White Hall will host Texarkana on Tuesday.
GIRLS
White Hall 52, Pine Bluff 28
The Lady Bulldogs (11-7, 2-2 in 5A-South) left little doubt about this rivalry game, jumping to a 9-0 lead and withstanding a Fillies attack late in the first quarter to build a 31-14 halftime lead.
Kenedi Bowman, Macie Lambert, Jelayla Stith and Kynnedi Barnett each scored 9 points to lead White Hall, which outscored Pine Bluff 17-4 in the second quarter.
Madison Coakes scored 13 to lead Pine Bluff (1-10, 0-5).
Kaleb Higgins of Pine Bluff closely defends against Carl Walker of White Hall in transition during the first quarter Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, at McFadden Gymnasium. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)