BENTON — Jonesboro used three-point shooting to stay with Benton early, but it rode the coattails of junior guard Kahron Ross late to pick up another nonconference victory.
Ross scored 11 of his 17 points in the second half to lift the Hurricane to a 68-53 victory Friday night at Benton Arena.
“I thought we played much better in the second half than we did in the first half, especially in that third quarter, and Kahron was Kahron,” Jonesboro Coach Wes Swift said.“Anytime we can get a lead, there’s no reason for us to give it up with him in the game.”
Ross’ play in the second half enabled Jonesboro (8-2) to turn a tie game into a double digit lead by quarter’s end.
Marquise Pointer led the Hurricanes with 19 points and Randle Toliver chipped in 17 points. Jonesboro also knocked down 10 three-pointers, including seven in the first half.
Ricky Gipson scored 13 points to lead Benton (9-2). Quinn Allen had 11 points and Josh Bowling finished with 10.
Benton was able to combat the Hurricane’s barrage of three-pointers in the opening half by using its deliberate offense. The Panthers took advantage of their size advantage inside with lobs over the top and used back-door cuts whenever Jonesboro was overly aggressive on defense.
It was actually a layup by Bowling, off a back cut, that gave the Panthers a lead midway through the second quarter, but Jonesboro consistently hit open shots from the outside to keep Benton at bay.
Toliver scored the Hurricane’s first nine points, all on three-pointers, before Ross’ three with 3:30 left in the first quarter gave Jonesboro a 16-8 advantage. Benton later trailed 19-13, but Gipson’s floater started a run that gave the Panthers their first lead since Allen’s basket to open the game. The lead changed hands five times before the Hurricane settled for a 31-29 lead at the half.
GIRLS BENTON 49, JONESBORO 32
Benton (7-3) scored 11 of the game’s first 13 points and forced 20 turnovers to keep Jonesboro winless.
The Lady Hurricane (0-10), who have lost 22 consecutive games dating to last season, managed to take a 2-0 lead on Raquel Williams’ 15-footer to open the game.
That was the only time Benton trailed as Ashlie Dintleman’s put back ignited an 11-0 run for the Lady Panthers, who led by as many as 18 points in the second half before using an 11-2 rally midway through the fourth quarter to turn back a late Jonesboro comeback.
Korie Parker scored a team-high 10 points to lead Benton. Williams finished with 10 points to lead Jonesboro.
Sports, Pages 25 on 12/22/2012