Wolverines top Mulberry in tournament
The Vian boys’ basketball team advanced to the semifinals of the Bill Frye Invitational Tournament Wednesday afternoon inside the Mansfield, Ark., high school gymnasium while the Lady Wolverines lost a close contest in their first-round game.
VIAN HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Mulberry girls edge Lady Wolverines
The Vian boys’ basketball team advanced to the semifinals of the Bill Frye Invitational Tournament Wednesday afternoon inside the Mansfield, Ark., high school gymnasium while the Lady Wolverines lost a close contest in their first-round game.
MULBERRY GIRLS 36, VIAN 33
Vian’s Maci Smith made four 3-point baskets and scored a team-high 14 points Wednesday afternoon at Mansfield but the Lady Yellowjackets outscored the Lady Wolverines 9-5 in the final eight minutes to register the first-round tournament win.
The Lady Wolverines took a 28-27 advantage to the fourth period and led 31-29 with five minutes remaining after Skylar Locust’s inside basket. Smith’s jumper in the lane put Vian in front 33-32 at the 2:31 mark but Mulberry recorded the final four points of the contest at the foul line.
Each team scored 10 points in the first quarter, which featured three lead changes. Smith hit her first 3-pointer in the period and Avery Wright, Annie Neal and Kiah Richardson each made a 2-point basket for the Lady Wolverines. Katlynn O’Bar led Mulberry with five points.
In the second stanza Smith hit three 3-pointers and Wright had five points to help Vian outscore Mulberry 14-11 and lead 24-21 at the break. O’Bar (two 3-pointers) registered six of her game-high 17 points in the quarter.
Wright made two inside baskets in the low-scoring third period but the Lady Yellowjackets trimmed two points (6-4) off the deficit.
Trailing Smith in scoring for the Lady Wolverines were Wright (11 points), Locust, Neal and Richardson (2 each) and Kala Gibbins and Rayleigh Terrill (1 each).
The Lady Wolverines played the Mansfield-Two Rivers loser Thursday afternoon in a consolation game.
VIAN BOYS 49, MULBERRY 29
The Wolverines’ defense limited Mulberry to two points in the second stanza and Yonsi Grass scored a game-high 23 points as Vian registered its first victory of the season Wednesday afternoon. Vian trailed 8-5 with 3:15 left in the opening period before a 7-0 run gave the Wolverines a 12-8 advantage with 1:23 remaining. Grass (4 points), Elijah Stewart and Masyn Wright (3 apiece) and Desean Mays (2) provided the scoring for the Wolverines in the quarter. The Wolverines turned up the defensive pressure in the second stanza to lead 24-12 at the intermission after outscoring the Yellowjackets 12-2. Wright made a pair of 2-point baskets in the frame and K’den Richardson and Grass added three points apiece. Vian increased its advantage (16-12) in the third period behind the scoring of Grass (3-pointer and 7 points), Wright (5 points) and Diego Ramos (4).
Grass (9 points) recorded all of the Wolverines’ points in the final eight minutes as Vian increased (9-7) its advantage.
Trailing Grass in scoring for Vian were Wright (12 points), Ramos (6), Richardson and Stewart (3 each) and Mays (2).
Dominic Belt led Mulberry in scoring with 11 points. The Wolverines played the Mansfield-Two Rivers winner Thursday night in a semifinal contest.
