LITTLE ROCK — BASKETBALL
Kingz-OTC advance to Elite Eight
The Arkansas Kingz-OTC won two games in the championship bracket of the AAU Division II national tournament on Friday in Orlando, Fla., and have advanced to the Elite Eight.
In their first game, the Kingz defeated the Massachusetts Mass Premier 62-56 in overtime. Derrick Banyard Jr. of Little Rock Hall scored 13 points to lead the Kingz, who forced overtime on a field goal by Antione Leaks of Little Rock Parkview.
The Kingz defeated the St. Paul (Minn.) Tornadoes 79-59 in the second game. Deon Miner of El Dorado led the Kingz with 22 points. Alex Howell of Strong scored 20 points, including six three-pointers, for the Kingz and Xavier Lindsey of Little Rock Fair had 10 points and four steals.
BASEBALL
Braves win two in pool play
The Pine Bluff Braves won their first two games in pool play at the American Semipro Baseball World Series in Millington, Tenn., defeating the Hattiesburg (Miss.) Black Sox 9-3 and the Austin (Texas) Mudcats 7-5.
Pitcher Michael Newby (6-1) allowed 5 hits with 5 strikeouts in 7 innings for Pine Bluff in the first game. Jerome McCullum went 3 for 5 with 2 RBI for the Braves, Chase Smith went 3 for 4 and B.J. McDonley went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI.
Pitcher Seth Bryant (4-1) had nine strikeouts in six innings for Pine Bluff (20-8) in the second game. Corey McCoy went 2 for 3, including a two-run home run. The Braves led 7-2 going into the bottom of the seventh, but the Mudcats scored three runs while sending 10 batters to the plate for the final margin.
The Braves will continue pool play at USA Stadium today at 3 p.m.
CROSS COUNTRY/TRACK
Cantero signs with Arkansas
Middle distance runner Bryan Cantero of Aix-les-Bains, France, has signed a national letter of intent with Arkansas.
Cantero, who will be a freshman in the fall, specializes in the 800 and 1,500 meters. He has a personal-best time in the 800 of 1 minute, 50.08 seconds, and a personal best of 3:44.17 in the 1,500. He finished eighth at the 2009 European Cross Country Championships and 51st at the 2010 World Junior Cross Country Championships.
Six from UA, one from Harding honored
Six members of the Arkansas Razorbacks men’s and women’s teams and one member of the Harding women’s team were named to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association All-Academic Team.
Representing the UA women were senior distance runner Miranda Walker and recently graduated pole vaulter Katie Stripling. Recently graduated Harding runner Katy Grant was honored on the Division II team.
The Arkansas men honored were senior distance runner Lane Boyer, sophomore jumper Brede Raa Ellingsen, senior javelin performer Luke Laird and junior sprinter/hurdler Andrew Pennington.
Sports, Pages 21 on 07/31/2010