Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Saratoga Boys Defeat Nevada Blue Jays in Semi-Finals

Area teams found the Southwest Arkansas Invitational Tournament at Saratoga to be unfriendly -- with the exception of the Blevins senior girls.

The Lady Hornets breezed through the tourney and captured the title with a 50-37 win over the Lady Warriors from Wickes Saturday night in the finals.

Nevada's senior girls made an early exit as they fell 37-27 to Delight in their first round game.

Neither team shot particularly well in the outing, but the Lady Bulldogs managed to take a 10-4 lead at the end of one and were up 13-10 at the half. By the end of three, the Lady 'Dogs led 25-14.

Dilesha Easter led the Lady Blue Jays with eight points in the outing.

Candi Gordon paced Delight with 10.

The Lady Jays swished nine shots and were nine of 20 at the line. They committed 21 team fouls as well.

Delight had 14 two point shots, fouled Nevada 18 times and was six of 21 at the stripe.

Nevada's boys fared better as they pummelled Bright Star 82-56.

The Jays opened hot as they poured in 36 first quarter points while allowing five. At the half, they led 54-21 and were up 71-34.

Tavorus Blakeley led the team with 26, including four threes. Joseph Young canned 11, with a three included, while Lamarcus Page and Ricardo Young sent 10 through the iron ring. Ricardo Young netted two from long range as well.

John Larry led Bright Star with 18, while Corey Shepard had 15.

The Jays were 11 of 12 at the line and committed only 15 fouls in the game.

Bright Star hit seven of 17 free throws and had 11 fouls.

In other first round games, Mineral Springs' girls beat Genoa 50-43; the Blevins senior boys dumped Genoa 81-69; Nashville's Lady Scrappers posted a 62-40 win over Bradley; Bradley's boys returned the favor by knocking the Scrappers out of the tourney 60-45. Saratoga's girls demolished Lockesburg 54-28; Gurdon's boys escaped the Lockesburg Blue Darters 48-42; Wickes' boys dropped Cove 77-62 and Mineral Springs's boys neared the century mark by thrashing Emmet 99-65.

Round two opened with Delight sending Gurdon's senior girls home 51-48; Wickes' girls eliminated Nashville 77-62; Bright Star's girls ended Saratoga's home stand 51-41; however, Saratoga's boys sent the Devils home with a 106- 68 beating. The Blevins girls beat Mineral Springs 52-33; Delight's boys whipped Bradley 63-54; Mineral Springs' boys edged Wickes 64-59 and Nevada tripped Blevins 7-69.

In the Nevada-Blevins game three-pointers were the shot of the day as both teams had long-range fever early. However, Blevins only hit three treys in the game, while the Jays netted five.

The Jays opened with a 23-17 lead and built it to a 46-36 halftime advantage. At the end of three, they led 57-51 as the Hornets fought back.

Joseph Young led the Jays with 24 points, including four of the team's five three-pointers. Reginal Reed netted 17, Page added 12 and Blakely sent 11 home.

Nicholas McClure led the Hornets with 22, while John Taylor ripped the cords for 17. Thomas Turner canned 10.

The Jays were 15 of 26 at the line, while Blevins connected on eight of 15 free throws.

As the tourney wound down to semifinal action, Blevin's girls ended Bright Star's hopes with a 56-36 spanking; Mineral Springs' boys ripped Delight 51-35; Wickes' girls also sent Delight packing with a 62-38 score; while Saratoga finished Nevada's stay 73-58.

The Jays opened hot in the contest. In fact, it appeared as though they would run the 'Dogs out of their own gym as they posted a 26-16 first period lead.

But the 'Dogs responded and their defense put the bite on the birds in the second as they took the lead, heading to the lockers with the score 40-34 at the half.

Saratoga remained in control in the third quarter as they extended their lead to a 55-43 margin.

Blakely led the Jays with 19, while Reed netted 15 and Eric Murphy added 11.

The 'Dogs were led by junior sensation Jason McDonald's 34. Tim Green poured in 14 in the win.

The Jays were 10 of 16 at the stripe, while the 'Dogs were 19 of 30.

In the finals, though, Blevins' girls did what they do best as they whipped Wickes 50-37. However, Mineral Springs managed to earn some serious bragging rights as they clipped Saratoga 70-67 for the tourney title.