Jonesboro turned the ball over 21 times and shot 36.2 percent from the field in Class 6A girls' championship game Saturday at Bank of the Ozarks Arena, but a young Greenwood squad was unable to seize opportunities in a 57-44 loss.
The Lady Hurricane (27-7) gave up 25 points off of turnovers and shot 3-for-10 for 30 percent from 3-point range, but Greenwood (22-10) could not overcome an unfortunate shooting performance in Saturday's first game at 11 a.m.. The Arkansas Activities Association held six title games Saturday, the final day of its basketball championship weekend.
Greenwood was best from the floor in the fourth quarter when the team made 4 of 15 shots for 26.7 percent. The Lady Bulldogs featured five freshman and three sophomores. They shot 18.8 percent on 3-for-16 in the first quarter, 23.1 percent on 3-for-13 in the second quarter and 14.3 percent on 2-for-14 in the third quarter.
The Lady Bulldogs finished 12-for-58 for 20.7 from the field and 4-for-32 for 12.5 percent on 3-pointers. They were able to keep within striking distance in the first three quarters by shooting 11-for-13 for 84.6 percent at the free throw line, but made just 5 of 9 for 55.6 percent in the final quarter.
Greenwood's lone senior, Kaila Cartwright, made an early 3-pointer in the first quarter to give the Lady Bulldogs the 3-2 lead, but Jonesboro senior Kiana Williams answered for the Lady Hurricane, who never trailed again. Sophomore Elauna Eaton led Jonesboro with six points in the opening quarter as Jonesboro took a 16-9 lead, but the Lady Hurricane failed to pull away at the free throw line, shooting just 2-for-7 for 28.6 percent.
The young Greenwood team had its best stretch late in the second quarter. Freshman Kinley Fisher sank two free throws, fellow freshman Clements hit one foul shot, Fisher sank a 3-pointer and sophomore Jaelin Glass added another trey as Greenwood erased a nine-point deficit.
Junior Sonni Martin responded for Jonesboro in one of several clutch moments in the game. She converted an and-one play on the other end to put the Lady Hurricane ahead 25-22.
Cartwright brought Greenwood back within one point with two free throws. A late 3-pointer by Eaton made the score 28-24 at halftime.
The teams combined for 18 points in the third quarter, making 0 of 11 3-point attempts. Jonesboro began to pull away with a growing edge on the glass. The Lady Hurricane finished with a 52-35 edge on the glass.
Junior Kayla Mitchell made two free throws and Martin converted on a fast break to put Jonesboro up 39-28. A pair of free throws by Fisher and another foul shot by Martin made the margin 40-30 after three quarters.
Jonesboro did not score from the floor after the 6:33 mark in the final quarter, but heated up at the free throw line to seal the victory. The Lady Hurricane made 13 of 19 for 68.4 percent on free throws in the fourth to finish 20-for-35 for 57.1 percent from the line for the game.
Greenwood forced turnovers late in the game with the press as the team scrambled to get back in the game. Back-to-back buckets by freshman Ally Sockey and sophomore Angela Price made it 50-42 with 1:22 remaining.
Martin hit a free throw before Mitchell landed on a loose ball and called a timeout with 59 seconds left in the game. Martin later stripped a layup attempt, kept possession, drew a foul and made two free throws to put the game out of reach at 53-42 with 42 seconds remaining in the game.
Eaton and Williams each added two free throws for Jonesboro and freshman Shea Goodwin added a late runner for Greenwood to set the final score.
Fisher led Greenwood with nine points. Sockey added eight points and a team-high seven rebounds.
Mitchell received MVP honors with nine points, and a game-high nine rebounds from the point guard position. She also tallied the team's only two assists.
Eaton led all scorers with 19 points to go along with eight rebounds. Sophomore Kianna Hardaway scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
The AAA scrapped Class 7A in the 2018-2020 cycle in all sports except football. Class 7A will become 6A in other sports, including basketball, with all 16 teams in 6A joining the 16 largest schools in the current 5A classification.
Schools such as Greenwood, Jonesboro, West Memphis and Lake Hamilton will be joined in the new 5A by all four semifinalists from 5A -- Hot Springs, Watson Chapel, Little Rock Parkview and Nettleton -- in this year's 5A girls' playoffs, as well as two other quarterfinalists in Little Rock Christian and Vilonia.
Sports on 03/12/2018