Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

In Young Basketball Season

Gurdon's senior boys basketball team has been up and down so far this year.

As of Dec. 4, the Go-Devils had a 3-5 record.

The Devils played a tough game in the opening round of the Dierks tournament, but fell 77-72 in double overtime to Umpire.

The Devils were hot in the opening period as they took a 20-14 lead. At the break, Gurdon held a 32-27 advantage over the Wildcats.

Umpire, though, has a history of playing tough as the 'Cats fought back and tied the score at the end of three, 42-42.

From there, the two squads battled back and forth with neither able to put the other away. When time expired in regulation play, the score was deadlocked at 58-58.

A five-minute overtime period resulted in both teams scoring nine points and heading into the second extra period knotted at 67-67.

However, possibly because Umpire has no football team and has been able to practice basketball since October, their experience paid off in the second OT, as the 'Cats outscored the Devils 10-5 for the victory.

Travon Crow led the Devils with 29 points, including three treys and connecting on six of eight from the charity stripe. Chauncey Marsh netted 16 in the effort, with D.D. Sheppard contributing 13.

Overall, the Devils were 14 of 27 from free-throw land.

The Devils also fell prey to Fordyce, 63-49, in a game played Tuesday, Nov. 28 in Fordyce.

On the other hand, they posted a 67-42 win Nov. 21 as they pounded Prescott's Curley Wolves.

Nov. 17 saw the Devils with a nailbiting 66-65 victory over Sparkman.

Ashdown, though, handed the Devils a narrow 48-44 loss on Nov. 14.

The Devils took it on the chin, 88-69, when they locked horns with 4A school Texarkana Nov. 13, which was the first game following football season.

Gurdon's `B' team, though, posted a 63-56 win over the Razorbacks that same night.

The boys opened their season with a heartbreaking 56-55 loss at Ashdown.

The Devils, however, are steadily improving, and are proving to be tough competitors as league play nears.

Gurdon's next outing will be in the Coca-Cola Classic in Fort Smith from Dec. 27-29.