Third time the charm for Jonesboro against North Little Rock

The Hurricane had lost to NLR twice this season before Friday night's come-from-behind win

By Jeff Halpern | Photos by Braeden Botts  

NORTH LITTLE ROCK — The No. 3 Jonesboro needed a late comeback in the third quarter to avoid a third defeat to No. 10 North Little Roc 60-52 at Charging Wildcat Arena Friday night. 

Trailing 36-31 with 57.8 seconds left in the third quarter after North Little Rock’s Andre Barnes made 1-of-2 free throws, the Hurricane (22-3, 7-1 6A-Central) mounted their comeback.

Deion Bufford-Wesson scored on a breakaway dunk close it to 36-33. After the Charging Wildcats (16-7, 5-4) were called for a five-second count with 46.3 seconds left, Devious Montgomery made 1-of-2 free throws with 30.3 seconds left to close it to 36-34. Bufford-Wesson scored off a turnover with 19.2 seconds left to get the Charging Wildcats tied it at 36-36, the first tie of the second half.

After a North Little Rock tip-in attempt was ruled to come after the buzzer sounded to end the third quarter, Phillip Tillman had a three-point-play play off an inbounds pass to put the Hurricane up 39-36.

Carlos Larry scored underneath to make it 41-36 before North Little Rock’s Robert Griffin ended the run with a three-point play at the 6:43 mark to make it 41-39.

That was as close as the Charging Wildcats got as Jonesboro maintained the lead the rest of the way.

“It was a dog fight,” said Jonesboro head coach Wes Swift. “I thought we were battling uphill and couldn’t get under five or six points, and it was good to get it tied there at the end of the third quarter. To score at the start of the fourth quarter was very important because that was the first time we led.”

North Little Rock closed to 47-44 when Griffin scored with 3:18 left, but he missed the free throw. After that, Jonesboro went on a 7-0 run to make it 54-44 with Bufford-Wesson making two free throws, Montgomery getting a three-point play and added two other free throws.

North Little Rock, which defeated Jonesboro 57-53 on Nov. 26 in a tournament at Forrest City and 53-43 on Jan. 13, led 17-11 after the first quarter, 24-18 at halftime and 30-23 midway through the third quarter before Jonesboro mounted its comeback.

“We know each other really well,” Swift said. "Not a lot of secrets and it’s who does what better. In the fourth quarter, we finally out played them. I know we didn’t for the first three quarters.”

Charging Wildcats head coach Nathan Clayborn was trying to give some of his starters a rest before the fourth quarter. Griffin and Ty Frederick fouled out late in the game.

“We tried to give some of our guys a rest at the of third and get them ready for the fourth,” said Clayborn. "They say it’s hard to beat a team three times.

“There is a lot of familiarity. The know what we’re running, and we know what they’re running. They do a good job and are well coached.”

The Hurricane, who shot 7-of-27 through the first half, started to come alive in the second half as it shot 11-of-21 from the floor in the second half.

Bufford-Wesson led Jonesboro with 23 points and Phillip Tillman had 19 points.

“It was our senior guards who did what they were supposed to do,” said Swift “It was nice to see Phillip Tillman and Deion get downhill and get to the basket for us. When you have seniors who’ve been there and done that, it’s nice to see that.”

Griffin led North Little Rock with 15 points and 4 rebounds. Ja’kory Withers added 13 points and 4 rebounds.

“Everything is still in front of us,” said Clayborn. “At North Little Rock, we don’t hang conference championship banners. We hang state championship banners, and everything is in front of us. It’s part of the journey.”

In the end, Swift was glad his team able to stay on top in the conference race. “It was huge,” he said. "If we lose, it brings a big jumble at the top. With the win, we have some space.

NORTH LITTLE ROCK 72, JONESBORO 36 (GIRLS)

The No. 2-ranked North Little Rock Lady Charging Wildcats (22-4, 7-2 6A-Central) didn’t do much wrong in a blowout victory over Jonesboro (8-15, 1-7).

April Edwards, who earlier in the day committed to Pittsburg State (Kan.), led the way with 17 points. Zenyanna Cooper came off the bench to scored 14 points as nine different players scored.

North Little Rock led 25-5 after the first quarter, 40-21 at halftime and 58-29 after three quarters with the reserves playing the final quarter under the Arkansas Activities Association’s sportsmanship rule.

The Lady Charging Wildcats shot 26-of-58 from the floor including 12-of-25 on three-pointers.

Jonesboro was held to 12-of-38 shooting from the floor and committed 18 turnovers. Bramyla Johnson led the Lady Hurricane with 13 points and 6 rebounds.

“It was senior night, and they were fired up,” said North Little Rock head coach Daryl Fimple. “We had a little lull and did some good things tonight. We tried to keep the pressure on them. They hurt us on the glass but our kids did a good job getting rebounds and getting out in transition.