The effects of a late-night game wore off on the Pine Bluff High School boys basketball team as they played their second game in 12 hours at the King Cotton Holiday Classic on Tuesday.
Courtney Crutchfield scored nine of his 22 points in the first quarter and took charge for the Zebras in a 63-50 victory over Shreveport Calvary Baptist Academy in a King Bracket consolation game.
Pine Bluff will take on Raymond (Miss.) at 4:45 p.m. today after a last-minute schedule change at the conclusion of Tuesday's games.
"I had to come out and play defense, score the ball and do my job, and everybody else would follow," Crutchfield said.
The sophomore sensation made 10 of 20 shots (50%) from the floor and added 3 steals and 6 rebounds for Pine Bluff (6-5). He helped the Zebras recover from a 62-57 loss to Antioch (Tenn.) Cane Ridge that wasn't completed until 11:52 p.m. Monday, more than 2 hours after tournament organizers expected the game to wrap up.
"We all went home, got some rest and came back ready to play," Crutchfield said. "[Monday] we took that 'L' personal, but we're a team and we took it together."
For the second time in as many games, the Zebras were tasked with slowing down a big man with an ability to play anywhere on the court. Calvary's 6-foot-7 La'Bree Williams scored a game-high 27 points, making 4 of 9 from 3-point range in the process, after Cane Ridge's Brandon Miller went for 34 points on the Zebras.
Calvary (8-7) led by as much as 10-4 before Troy'reon Ramos and Crutchfield combined for the Z's next 12 points to engineer a 16-4 turnaround. Pine Bluff led 28-23 at halftime.
"Overall as a team, I thought we were sluggish," Z's Coach Billy Dixon said. "Some of my guys were dragging. That's expected when you get out of here at midnight, you go home and you've got to come back in the morning. We weren't the only ones. Other guys had to do the same thing."
Pine Bluff also held Calvary without a field goal for a 4-minute stretch in the third period and capitalized off its staunch defense to go up 44-30 after three quarters.
"We're a transition team," Crutchfield said. "We feel like no team can run with us. Our offense can score in transition."
Williams made 10 of 16 from the floor, a bright spot for a Cavaliers team that made 20 of 49 (40.8%). Pine Bluff connected on 27 of 63 (42.9%).
X'Zaevion Barnett scored 11 points, Ramos finished with 10 and Cedric Adams had nine for the Zebras. Kameron Kennon Jr. scored 11 and Martin McDowell 10 for the Cavaliers.
St. Louis Cardinal Ritter 84, White Hall 50
For the better part of three quarters, the Bulldogs (5-5) found themselves on the verge of shocking King Cotton with a statement win over the back-to-back Missouri state champion Lions (3-5).
White Hall, which pulled within 43-42 with with 2:28 in the third quarter, struggled to contain 6-foot-8 senior forward Robert Lewis, who scored 12 of his game-high 32 points in the frame.
"Just stick to our keys, play defense hard and the game would go our way," said Lewis, who has not signed with a college team yet. "That's what we did, stick to our keys."
Ritter shot 33 for 54 (61.1%) for the game.
The Lions left nothing to chance in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Bulldogs 29-6.
"We got to within two points, and every time we self-destructed, shot ourselves in the foot," Bulldogs Coach Josh Hayes said. "It's almost like we get so close, we're afraid of the moment at times. We put ourselves where we need to be, and we turn the ball over two times in a row."
Freshman Jai'Chaunn Hayes led White Hall with 22 points, and Keaton Stone added 10. Nashawn Davis dropped 15 for Ritter, with Murray State University signee Braxton Stacker and Jordan Nichols each adding 10 points.
Raymond (Miss.) 58, Watson Chapel 46
The Wildcats got their offense going following a 66-18 loss to Beaumont (Texas) United, but a 17-4 hole against the Rangers (10-5) was too much for them to overcome.
Watson Chapel (5-6) fought to within 47-39 with 5:07 remaining, but the five-time Mississippi 4A finalists (runners-up each of the past two years) managed to get balanced scoring led by Larry Lee, who registered 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Jabarie Robinson also had 15 points, Tremaine Dixon added 11 and Eric Paymon scored 10 for Raymond.
Khamani Cooper scored 17 points and pulled down 9 rebounds for Watson Chapel. Hampton Hall added 10 points.
GIRLS
Memphis Hutchison 48, Pine Bluff 31
Hutchison School for Girls made a dozen 3-point baskets and started the day's action with a 17-point win over the Fillies.
Berklee Scifres scored all 15 of her points on treys to lead the Sting. Freshman Tyler Jones added 11 points in the win.
Sa'vhanna Obasade led the Fillies with 9 points.
UPDATED to reflect schedule change.
CORRECTION: White Hall's win-loss record was incorrect in a previous version of this story. 
Troy'reon Ramos of Pine Bluff pushes the ball to the basket against Calvary Baptist Academy on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Christian Noel of Raymond crashes down on Hampton Hall of Watson Chapel under the basket on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Tremaine Dixon of Raymond guards against Khamani Cooper of Watson Chapel on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Christopher Fountain of Watson Chapel drives to the basket against Larry Lee of Raymond on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Jai'Chaunn Hayes of White Hall attacks the basket against Norman Martin of Cardinal Ritter in the second quarter Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Jordan Rasberry of Pine Bluff dribbles down the court against Norman Martin of Cardinal Ritter in the second quarter Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Courtney Crutchfield of Pine Bluff fires a made 3-point basket against Calvary Baptist Academy in the second quarter Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Jai'Chaunn Hayes of White Hall attacks the basket against Norman Martin of Cardinal Ritter in the second quarter Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)