FORREST CITY — In a game that began slowly and then saw the intensity levels rise toward halftime, Little Rock Hall held off Humboldt, Tenn., 60-54 in a first-round game Thursday at the Rumble on the Ridge tournament at Mustang Arena.
Neither team led by more than five points in the first half, but Hall led 30-25 at halftime.
Humboldt did their part in disrupting Hall’s transition game but not before the Warriors worked the numbers game for two transition layups featuring fast breaks by Jared Smith, Kevon Cooper and Michael Peterson and then Peterson to Montaviouc Dismuke to Xavier Madison, who finished with the soft two-handed slam.
Hall led by 13-12 after the first quarter before Humboldt tied the game at 21-21 with 3:47 left in the first half.
Hall began to pull away in the third quarter, pushing their lead to 36-29 with 3:00 left in the quarter and it was 42-36 to start the fourth quarter.
The third quarter was highlighted by a break-away slam by Humboldt’s Anthony Jones which loosened a bolt in the goal which eventually fell to the floor.
Humboldt missed a three to start the fourth quarter but Jones got loose against Hall’s motion zone defense for a dunk to get the Vikings within 43-38 with six minutes to play.
Hall saw its lead cut to 47-40, but it did not relinquish it.
Michael Peterson led the Warriors with 17 points while Kevon Cooper had 10 points and Jonathan Coleman, son of Hall Coach Jon Coleman, added eight points.
Jones led Humboldt with 18 points.
Hall plays Southwind, Tenn., today in the first semifinal game at 5 p.m. South-wind defeated McComb, Miss., 66-26 in a first-round game Thursday.
FORREST CITY 79,
SIDNEY LANIER (ALA.) 70
Forrest City worked its way through a close first half before finally breaking through against Montgomery (Ala.) Sidney Lanier.
The Mustangs (1-1) will face El Dorado in a semifinal game at 8 p.m. today. Sidney Lanier led 19-18 after the first quarter. Junior Randal Moore made one of two free throws to put Forrest City in front, 40-34, at halftime.
Moore led the Mustangs with 23 points, while Barry Wilburn added 11 and Jajuan Whitby, Ed Sparks and Deviunta Foster each finished with 10 points.
EL DORADO 66,
ST. PAUL’S, LA. 64
El Dorado held off St. Paul’s, La., thanks to two Joderrio Ramey free throws to advance.
The teams ended the third quarter tied 47-47 and battled through four additional ties before El Dorado took the lead for good on Ramey’s free throws.
St Paul’s had a chance to tie the game, but Parker Edwards missed both free throws with 2.6 seconds left.
Ramey led El Dorado with 24 points, while B.J. Johnson added 19 more.