High school basketball report

Swats have senior 154 from mark

Caroline Hogue (shown left)
Caroline Hogue (shown left)

Caroline Hogue is humble when it comes to discussing her accomplishments, but the 5-11 senior is anything but shy when it comes to swatting shots.

photo

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

McClellan High School boys basketball coach Chris Threatt.

Hogue has blocked 958 shots during her four-year career at Arkansas Baptist. That number, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations record book, places her second all-time nationally for career blocks. Adia Barnes, who played for San Diego Mission Bay from 1991-1994, holds the career mark for blocked shots with 1,112.

Arkansas Baptist Coach Ann Ferguson said Hogue is a smart player who takes advantage of other players being out of position.

"She's very good at anticipating the play and picking the right moment to make her move," Ferguson said. "What's even more impressive is that she has that reputation that causes other players to change their shots."

Hogue isn'tt only a shot blocker. She is averaging 15.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 9.3 blocks a game this season.

"She is so talented and well-rounded," Ferguson said. "She's not a prima donna and she shows such great leadership. She makes everyone around her better."

Hogue has been a force since her freshman year. She scored a career-high 30 points against Harding Academy during her freshman season and had a career-high game for blocks (22) during her sophomore season against Maumelle. Earlier this season, she grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds against Pulaski Robinson.

Hogue's is nearing 1,600 career points. Ferguson said that number would be higher if Hogue wasn't so unselfish.

"She could score a lot more, but she's always willing to make the extra pass to a player who may be in a better position to score," Ferguson said. "She doesn't care who scores."

Hogue plans to continue her basketball career at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

FORREST CITY

Coach remains sidelined

Dwight Lofton said he will not return to the Forrest City bench this season.

Lofton, the Mustangs' head coach who suffered a stroke last month and has been recuperating at home for the past two weeks, said he is pleased with the way the team has responded since his absence. Long-time Forrest City assistant Barry Hodges has led the Mustangs to a 7-1 record since Lofton suffered his stroke Jan. 12.

"He's done an outstanding job, so I think I'll let him finish it up," Lofton said Thursday. "I don't want to ruin the party."

Forrest City (12-9, 8-1) is tied with Valley View (19-1, 8-1) for the 5A-East lead. The Mustangs handed Valley View its lone loss Jan. 20.

Lofton said he receives calls from his players after every game and that he talks with his players frequently. During games, Lofton said he gets updates via texts from fans.

Lofton said his right side is still weak but he is slowly showing improvement.

"The biggest thing I'm proud of is that I haven't had a cigarette in over a month," Lofton said. "I've quit them for good."

McCLELLAN

Lions extend streak

Little Rock McClellan was a .500 team at the start of 2015, but the Crimson Lions have been anything but average since 5A-Central play started.

McClellan (17-5, 10-0) has won its past 11 games, including a 69-67 victory over Mills on Tuesday.

Senior Keith Hayes scored 21 points and junior Andre Jones scored eight of his 14 points in the third quarter as the Lions turned a 35-34 halftime deficit into a 56-45 lead heading into the final eight minutes.

" Andre and Keith have helped us a lot offensively, and the team has done a good job of finding them and stepping up and making timely shots," McClellan Coach Chris Threatt said. "I thought [Andre] settled for too many jump shots in the first half. We talked to him about driving into the lane to get some shots, and I thought that's what he did in the third quarter. He played inside-out, and that's what helped us."

In its past 11 games, McClellan is averaging 74.6 points a game.

The Lions have clinched a spot in the Class 5A state tournament and can claim the conference's No. 1 seed as early as tonight with a victory over Little Rock Fair (15-8, 7-3) and a loss by Mills to Beebe.

LAST-SECOND SHOTS

Arkansas Baptist, which won the 4A-4 regular-season title, will play at 3A-5 regular-season champion Episcopal Collegiate on Saturday. Tip-off is 7 p.m. The teams were scheduled to meet in November, but Episcopal was still involved in the football playoffs. ... The All-Metro Games are scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, at Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock. The event, which has been played every year since 2000, is for seniors from schools in Pulaski County. ... Booneville's Lady Bearcats ended a 41-game losing streak Tuesday by defeating Charleston 51-50. Alley Vaught scored 19 points and handed out five assists for Booneville, which won for the first time since Nov. 25, 2013.

Sports on 02/13/2015

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