Parkview overcomes Maumelle's fast start to win in overtime, secure 5A-Central undefeated conference title

Maumelle held a double-digit lead at halftime, but Parkview roared back to take the win.

By Jeff Halpern

LITTLE ROCK — Nathaniel Coley made two free throws with 18.7 seconds left in overtime to lift the Little Rock Parkview Patriots (23-3, 14-0 5A-Central) to an 89-87 victory over Maumelle (22-4, 12-2) and the 5A-Central Conference championship at Ripley Arena Friday night.

After Maumelle’s Colby Garland, who finished with 29 points, made two free throws with 37.6 seconds left to tie the game at 87-87, Coley brought the ball up the floor and held the ball. He moved to his right where he was picked up by Garland, and a collision took place with the ball coming loose. The officials called Garland for his fifth foul, sending Coley to the line.

After Coley made both free throws, Maumelle had a chance to tie or win the game. After Jamaal Summons got the ball into Dexter White, Maunelle called its last timeout. This time, Riley Wade got the ball into White, who brought the ball into the front court in front of the Maumelle bench. White was looking for Carl Daughtery, Jr., (19 points) who came off a screen and took a 3-pointer from the top of the key as time expired, but it bounced off the rim, sending the Parkview players and fans into a frenzy and Maumelle head coach Michael Shook asking for a foul.

“Parkview knew Carl was going to be our go to guy,” Shoo said. “They did a good job defending him. I wish I had instant replay when you see him get hit on the elbow twice. It is what it is is. There is room for human error. We can’t get caught up in that. A lot of things, turnovers and missed layups cost us the game. Every possession matters.”

Parkview head coach Scotty Thurman was pleased with his team’s defensive effort on the play.

“We were going defense for offense,” he said. “We had guys out there who were engaged. J.K.Sanders, J.T. Miller and Nathaniel Coley were able to switch screens. We had to make Carl have to spend a lot of energy to get the basketball.”

When asked if there was contact on the play, Thurman said, “I couldn’t tell. I thought the one he hit earlier [at the end of regulation] he pushed off. They let the players decide the game.”

Parkview had a chance to seal the game in regulation with 8.6 seconds left when Sanders missed one of two at the free-throw line, making it 79-76 Parkview and keeping Maumelle from needing two possessions to tie the game. Maumelle got the rebound and Daughtery managed to get up the floor and make a 3-pointer to tie the game at 79-79. As the shot went through the net, time ran out, but Parkview called timeout and the clock was reset to 1.9 seconds. Parkview’s Cam Wallace got one shot at a desperation three that was no good, sending the game to overtime.

“I preferred he wouldn’t make that shot,” said Thurman. “I saw they were getting fatigued and ran out of time.”

The Patriots trailed 50-33 late in the first half before gradually chipping away at Maumelle’s lead. The Patriots got the deficit down to 60-55 with 2:02 left in the third quarter when Sanders drove and missed a free throw that would have closed it to 60-56, but Garland came back with a three-point play to make it 63-55.

The Patriots closed to 67-66 with 3:56 when Wallace rebounded a miss by Sanders and made the free throw. They finally tied it at 69-69 with 3:20 left on a three-pointer by Wallace. After Garland scored in the late to put the Hornets up 71-69, Wallace got his own rebounded to tie it at 71-71.

After Garland made one of two free throws with 2:10 left to put Maumelle up 72-71, Parkview finally got the lead when Jefrrey Kamanga scored off a feed from Wallace at the 1:45 mark to make it 73-72. The lead changed three times with Parkview pushing it to three, 77-74 with 38.1 seconds left on a two free throws by Coley.

Maumelle led 33-22 after the first quarter and 50-38 at halftime thanks to Kaleb Thurman, who scored 11 points in the opening quarter while making 3 3-pointers. [He finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds.] As a team, the Hornets made seven threes in the first quarter and eight in the first half.

“We talked in pregame that we’re not good at playing angry,” said Shook. “We’re good at having fun. That’s what we did in the first half. We shared the ball and were active defensively. We were locked in and communicating and that’s why we got the lead. When you’re having fun, you’re shooting it well. In the second half, we had times where we went away from playing together.”

Thurman said his team didn’t play well defensively, aiding the Hornets’ hot start.

“I felt like we let them get too many easy looks,” Thurman said. “They had guys who normally don’t shoot that well [making shots]. I feel like we started making shots and got the rhythm we wanted.”

Wallace led the Patriots with 27 points and 7 rebounds, with 16 coming in the second half. Miller had 22 points and Kamanga had 11 points and 5 rebounds.

After the first game between the two teams on Feb. 1 was cut short with Parkview ahead 53-32 at the 3:22 mark in the third quarter when players from both teams got into a verbal altercation with three Maumelle players being ejected in front of the scorer’s table, no technical fouls were issued in Friday’s game. The game, which had a near capacity crowd, had several police officers and Little Rock School District security guards courtside.

Neither coach felt the actions of the previous game played a role in Friday’s game.

“First thing, there wasn’t a fight the first time,” Shook said. "There was no physical contact, no altercation, It was misreported why it happened. I told our players about keeping our composure and not getting caught up in the Parkview shenanigans. I’m glad we got out with no one hurt and one suspended.”

Added Thurman.

“I thought we did that at their place. I thought they were the ones who lost their composure. I’m glad the fans came out and saw a great game for high school basketball.

“We’’re going to enjoy it and turn around turn our attention to the tournament.”

After the lopsided loss in the first game, the Hornets have played well finishing with just two losses in conference play after bouncing back and making it competitive Friday night.

“I was so proud of their effort,” Shook said. “A lot of people across the state, we put people on notice. We can play with anybody. We have some things to tweak and have a job to do.”

GIRLS

LR PARKVIEW 64, MAUMELLE 31

Little Rock Parkview (9-14, 7-7 5A-Central) jumped out to a 9-0 lead and dominated in a 33-point victory over Maumelle (3-21, 1-13) in which the Arkansas Activities Association’s sportsmanship rule went into effect for the fourth quarter.

The Lady Patriots held the Lady Hornets scoreless for the first 4:09 and collected five of their 20 turnovers in the opening quarter.

They led 38-16 at halftime and 60-23 after three quarters.