1A-3 Junior District Tournament held in Luxora

KIPP vs. Earle

LUXORA - KIPP matched up with Earle in the first round of the tournament. The Bulldogs came out on top 55-15 behind a 17-point outing from Aiden Davis. Nasir Doyle ended in double figures as well, with 12 points for the winning side. KIPP’s Trevon Burton accounted for over half of his team’s points, scoring eight in the loss.

The Bulldogs shut the Thunder out in the first quarter, outclassing them as Davis and Dole combined for 12 points during the period. KIPP finally got the lid off the basket in the second quarter, making it 23-3. Burton forced the issue and scored a pair of baskets for five of his eight points. At halftime, KIPP trailed 35-8.

Davis added five points in the third quarter. Burton scored from the free throw stripe, and Christian Logan got himself on the board for KIPP with a bucket inside. Earle constructed an 11-point third quarter and put the game away. They held KIPP to just four points in the final period to cruise to victory.

Maynard vs. Armorel

LUXORA - Maynard opened up the girls side of the tournament bracket with a statement win over Armorel 54-13. London Olmer led the way with 17 points in the win. Chasley Pickens was a bright spot in the loss for the Armorel Tigers, scoring six of the team’s 13 points.

Maynard asserted themselves from the beginning, taking it straight to Armorel with a full-court press. This pressure forced turnovers early and put a wrench in Armorel’s offensive flow. After the first quarter, Armorel was in a hole with the score 17-5.

After allowing just a pair of field goals in the first quarter, Maynard’s defense cranked up another notch, and Armorel had trouble advancing the ball past half court. They forced several turnovers again. Olmer benefited from the extra possessions, topping her eight points in the first period with nine in the second. Armorel, on the other hand, were scoreless in the second quarter. The lead ballooned 40-5.

After making their mark in the first half with staunch defense, Maynard showed their ability from outside, hitting four of their five threes in the second half. The large cushion gave both teams a chance to get their subs in the game as Maynard won convincingly.

Maynard vs. Armorel

LUXORA - The first tipoff of the 1A-Region 3 Junior High Conference Basketball Tournament featured the Maynard Tigers against the Armorel Tigers, who met Monday evening. Maynard proved to be a major threat in the bracket, as they coasted by Armorel 57-28. Connor Parkway helped thrust Maynard into the second round with an 18-point outing. Cash Gifford spaced the floor, scoring 15 points with 4 successful 3-pt shots. Jagger Morris led Armorel with 10 points.

Maynard imposed their will on Armorel with a full-court press. The pressure caused several turnovers in the backcourt. Armorel struggled to maintain possession, and as a result, failed to muster any points in the first quarter, which ended 27-0.

Maynard’s scoring slowed down in the second and third quarters, producing 9 and 8 points. Armorel outscored them with 11 in the second quarter and nearly matched them with 6 in the third, but the first quarter produced an insurmountable deficit. Although they took better care of the ball, they went into the fourth quarter trailing 49-22.

Both sides relieved both starters as Maynard eased into the nearly 30-point win.

Marked Tree vs. Hillcrest

LUXORA - Marked Tree Junior Girls fell to Hillcrest on Thursday by a 48-10 count. Hadley Doyle was at the head of the Hillcrest attack with 13 points. Jaylin Neubauer supplemented 12 points. Lyndee Smith poured in 10 first-half points in the win. London Adams led the Lady Indians with six points.

Marked Tree had a difficult time getting their offense going and only managed four points in the first quarter. Hillcrest’s full court press set up easy layups in transition as the Lady Indians struggled to advance past half court. Hannah Ivy knocked down a shot just inside the arc and Adams scored at the basket. Hillcrest led 11-4.

Hillcrest began pulling away in the second quarter. After Hannah Hall scored for Marked Tree, the frontrunners wouldn’t allow another point in the half, outscoring the Lady Indians 12-2 in the second quarter to take a 23-6 lead at halftime.

Doyle and Neubauer scorched the Lady Indians in the third quarter. They combined for 16 of Hillcrest’s 18 points in the period and forced several turnovers with their pressure at half court. Hillcrest stretched their lead to nearly 30 points before the quarter ended. They cruised in the fourth quarter, getting some rest for their starters heading into the final round.

Hillcrest vs. KIPP

LUXORA - Hillcrest Girls defeated KIPP 46-8 in round one action on Wednesday. Lyndee Smith took charge, as she scored 11 points. Hadley Doyle chipped in with 9 points in the first half, and Bailey Durham finished with 7 points in the win. Princess Mitchell battled to score all 8 of KIPP’s points in the devastating loss.

Hillcrest hounded KIPP on the ball, playing gritty defense which allowed 0 points in the first period. They smothered ball handlers and denied passing lanes to create turnovers. Jaylin Neubauer was the beneficiary of most of these turnovers, and she led the Screamin’ Eagles with 5 points in the 10-0 opening quarter.

KIPP finally took the lid off the basket when Mitchell drove inside and scored to open the quarter. Hillcrest responded with an 18-0 scoring run. Their pesky defense inspired the run, as they ripped the ball away from KIPP’s guards on numerous trips up the court. Doyle scored 8 of her points during this run. Durham made use of the extra possessions, scoring on a breakaway layup and a pair of baskets in the post. Hillcrest rolled into the second half leading 28-2.

Hillcrest slammed the door shut on any comeback chances in the second half by allowing just 2 points in the third quarter. Smith struck from deep and scored 7 second-half points. Brooke Miesner also deposited a 3 for the Screamin’ Eagles who took leisure in giving the starters some extra rest as they had victory secured.

Marked Tree vs. Crowley’s Ridge Academy

LUXORA - On the boys side of the bracket, Marked Tree took on Crowley’s Ridge Academy in the first round. H.D. Dupree led a team-spirited effort in which eight different Marked Tree players scored at least one field goal. The cohesion carried the Indians to a 44-16 win. Dupree tallied 10 points. Kingston Crockett recorded eight points and knocked down a pair of threes. Dylan Malone added seven points, and Ayden Smothers supplemented six points. For Crowley’s Ridge, Roc Gamble provided six points and Eli Edgar had five points as Marked Tree’s defense sparingly conceded points.

Crowley’s Ridge initially gained confidence through their shooting. Edgar nailed a shot from deep to get his team on the board. They went back to the long ball a few possessions later and it paid off, as Gaylon Holland converted. Dupree knocked one down from beyond the arc and assisted Patrick Powell in the post, but the shooting of Crowley’s Ridge saw them in front 8-7 heading into the second quarter.

Marked Tree showed resolve. Crockett made a pair of free throws, Dupree settled into a shot from the top of the key, and then Crockett unloaded a corner three to make it 15-8 in favor of the Indians. Gamble scored to end the run, but Crowley’s Ridge went ice cold for the rest of the quarter. Marked Tree led 22-10 by halftime.

The slump persisted in the second half. Marked Tree grew in confidence, playing assertive half-court defense which forced turnovers. Crowley’s Ridge couldn’t buy a shot, and came up empty even when getting second chances. They were scoreless in the period, and the contest looked out of reach as they went into the final quarter trailing 37-10.

Both teams obliged in resting their starters for the full fourth quarter, and Marked Tree coasted into the second round with the 28-point win.