7A-6A CENTRAL BOYS: NLR starts out hot, gets hotter in victory

North Little Rock’s Gary Vines (14) tries to move around Little Rock Catholic’s Evan Jimes toward the basket in the third quarter Tuesday night in the Charging Wildcats’ 81-32 victory.
North Little Rock’s Gary Vines (14) tries to move around Little Rock Catholic’s Evan Jimes toward the basket in the third quarter Tuesday night in the Charging Wildcats’ 81-32 victory.

— North Little Rock shooting 50 percent (16 of 32) from the floor in the first half against Little Rock Catholic on Tuesday night would have been impressive in just about any other game.

Except in this game, the Charging Wildcats (9-5, 2-1 7A/6A-Central) shot 84 percent (16 of 19) in the second half of a 81-32 blowout of the Rockets (6-4, 1-2) at North Little Rock Arena.

The Charging Wildcats’ second half included a stretch in which they hit 13 consecutive shots from the 6:51 mark of the third quarter until less than three minutes remained in the game.

“I’ve been a coach for 38 years and I’ve never seen anything like that,” North Little Rock Coach Richard Alexander said. “It was amazing.”

Catholic Coach Tim Ezzi was a little less enthusiastic if not as impressed.

“They just kept hitting shots. It was something,” Ezzi said. “And it’s not like it was just their frontline guys. A lot of those shots were guys coming off the bench and just throwing it in there.”

The Charging Wildcats jumped out to a 16-4 lead to start the game, but the Rockets kept it close - going on a 6-2 run to close out the quarter down just 18-10.

Then North Little Rock turned things up on the defensive end in the second quarter, holding Catholic to just a field goal in the second quarter - a three-pointer by Alex Cope - as the Charging Wildcats led 40-15 at halftime.

“I thought our defense was the key to the game,” Alexander said.

Guards Jamicah Gibson and Cody Ware each scored16 points to lead North Little Rock. Forward Jalen Green and center Mark Monk each added 10. Monk’s points all came in the first half on 3 three-pointers including a four-point play late in the first quarter.

Cope led Catholic with 10 points.

While amazed at the Charging Wildcats’ output, Ezzi said his team was looking forward to another shot at North Little Rock.

“They killed us on the offensive glass and we kept turning the ball over, but the good news for us is that we get another chance,” Ezzi said.

LR CATHOLIC (32) Cope 4 0-0 10, Johnson 1 0-0 2, Onyekwelo 1 0-0 2, Hartnedy 1 0-0 2, Konita 1 2-3 3, James 2 3-5 7, Morris 2 2-4 6. Totals 12 6-11 32.

NORTH LITTLE ROCK (81) Green 4 1-1 10, Laster 2 0-0 5, Vines 3 0-0 6, Gibson 6 2-2 16, Thomas 2 0-0 5, Ware 7 0-0 6, Hollister 4 0-0 9, Campbell 3 1-1 10, Coleman 1 1-2 3. Totals 32 5-6 71.

LR Catholic (6-4) ................ 10 5 11 6 - 32 North Little Rock (9-5) .......... 18 22 19 22 - 81 Three-point field goals - Catholic 2 (Cope 2). North Little Rock 12 (Campbell 3, Ware 3, Gibson 2, Green, Laster, Hollister, Thomas). Total fouls - Catholic 8, North Little Rock 12.

Sports, Pages 26 on 01/19/2011

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