Basketball: Southside survives Van Buren

Southside built a big first-half lead but needed to survive a late-game comeback from Van Buren to play for the Citizens Bank Classic championship. The Pointers got within two points twice in the closing minutes, the latter 53-51 with 1:35 left. But the Mavericks’ defense came up big down the stretch and they were able to hit some free throws to pull out a 58-51 win in the Citizens Bank Classic on Friday at Van Buren’s Clair Bates Arena. “Any time you go to Van Buren, you’re going to be facing a tough challenge,” Southside coach Charlie Cooper said. “It’s a tough place to play, and a tough place to win, so it was a great ballgame, both sides. Very proud of our kids for hanging in there.” Southside (4-1) will now play 7A-Central conference rival Cabot at 7 p.m. today for the Citizens Bank Classic title. Cabot defeated Mountain Home in Friday’s other semifinal game. Early on against the Pointers, it was all Mavericks. Southside took a 19-6 lead at the end of the first quarter; then extended it to 15 points early in the second, 22-7, on a 3-pointer from Ike Moore, who hit four 3's in the first half. The Mavericks were still in command well into the third quarter, going up by 17 points, 45-28, on a baseline jumper from David Sykes. Van Buren, though, clawed back into the game. The Pointers reeled off a 21-6 run to close their deficit to two points, 51-49, with less than four minutes left. Moments later, Southside went back up by four on Dillon Hamilton’s offensive rebound and put-back shot. Van Buren got to within two points again, 53-51, when Presley Kindrix sank two free throws with 1:35 remaining. It turned out to be the last points for Van Buren. Southside got into the double bonus with 1:19 left and made 5-of-10 free throws. The Mavericks’ defense also came up huge as they forced three turnovers inside the final minute. Their second turnover in that span came with Southside holding a 55-51 lead, and the Mavericks got a steal as Van Buren was closing in on a shot. Ollis Brewer drew a foul and made 1-of-2 shots with 25 seconds left. Brewer then grabbed the rebound on a missed Pointer layup, drew another foul and went to the line and hit another free throw with 16 seconds left to put Southside up by six. Moore came up with a steal seconds later and was fouled. He made 1-of-2 free throws for the final seven-point margin. “It’s one of those deals where we’re not very big, but these guys are quick, they’re fast, they’re athletic and that can make up for a lot of things, so I was really proud of the way they hustled after the ball,” Cooper said. “They made plays, they made plays down the stretch. But hat’s off to Van Buren; they played a great ballgame, too, so it was a good high school basketball game.” Moore led all scorers with 18 points, 14 of those in the opening half. Taye Gatewood added 10 points in the win for Southside. Jordan West had 15 points and made three 3-pointers to lead Van Buren (2-2). Kindrix added 13 points for the Pointers, who will play Mountain Home in the third-place game at 5:30 p.m. Southside 58, Van Buren 51 Southside 19-10-16-13 — 58 Van Buren 6-15-16-14 — 51 Southside: Moore 18, Gatewood 10, Hamilton 8, Brewer 6, Coleman 6, Solomon 6, Sykes 4. Van Buren: J. West 15, Kindrix 13, Burnett 6, Ball 6, Stewart 6, Z. West 5.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Van Buren High School Athletics

BASKETBALL: SOUTHSIDE SURVIVES VAN BUREN

BUCK RINGGOLD

Times Record | 12/2/2017