Trumann falls 67-41 to Stuttgart

Trumann (3-16, 1-6) lost to Stuttgart 67-41 in boys’ 4A-6 basketball action this past Friday at Wildcat Gym.

The Ricebirds jumped out to a 4-0 lead before the Wildcats got one of two free throws from Johnny Bell and triple twine from Luke Bishop to tie the game at 4-4. Stuttgart got a steal and layup and hit three free throws after a foul on a three-point attempt before Drake Harlow scored in the paint for the Wildcats making the score 9-6 Ricebirds with 4:50 left. Stuttgart got a stick back basket, Jalen Elrod scored down low for the Wildcats but the Ricebirds scored inside and hit two free throws to make the score 15-8 Stuttgart. Bishop hit triple twine again only to see the Ricebirds get a jumper in the lane making it 17-11 Stuttgart at the end of one.

The Ricebirds pushed the lead to 20-11 before Elrod hit a jumper in the lane making it 20-13 before Stuttgart reeled off nine points to make the score 29-13 Ricebirds. Bishop scored down low to end the run, Stuttgart scored in the paint as Tony Postell, Jr. scored inside making the score 31-17 Ricebirds with 1:47 left. The Ricebirds stuck back an offensive rebound, Postell, Jr. hit one of two free throws, Stuttgart scored down low and Bishop canned a three-ball from the left corner making the halftime score 35-21 Ricebirds.

Stuttgart converted an old-school three-point play early in the third quarter before Kristopher Harris hit a jumper for the Wildcats to make it 38-23. The Ricebirds scored down low, Bishop hit a jumper in the lane only to see Stuttgart score the next six points making it 46-25 Ricebirds with 2:39 left. Bell got inside for a basket, but the Ricebirds scored down low and canned a three-pointer before Bishop hit a jumper in the lane to make it 51-29 Stuttgart. The Ricebirds pushed the lead to 54-29 with a three-ball right before the buzzer.

The Ricebirds hit one of two free throws on a foul and then added two free throws after a Trumann player was assessed a technical foul to make the score 57-29. Bishop and Adams canned three-balls around a Ricebird basket in the paint making it 59-35 but the Ricebirds scored inside to make the score 61-35 Stuttgart with 3:50 left. Bishop hit one of two free throws and Trevor Blagg canned a three-pointer only to see the Ricebirds score the next six points making it 67-39 Stuttgart. Cam’ron Loftin added a basket late for the Wildcats to make the final score 67-41 Ricebirds.

“I thought we came out defensively and executed really well. We gave up to many offensive rebounds and that is expected when you play Stuttgart,” Trumann head coach Aaron Ballew said after the game. “We just could not get anything going offensively tonight. I don’t know if was just us or if they (Stuttgart) had something to do with that,” Ballew added.

Bishop scored 19 points to lead Trumann, while Elrod added four points. Bell, Adams, Blagg, and Postell, Jr. scored three points each while Loftin, Harlow and Harris chipped in two points each for the Wildcats.