Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Go-Devils Lose In OT; Stephens, Baptist In Finals

The Gurdon Go-Devils fell in the first game of the Class AA State Tournament at Centerpoint last week.

Greenland took an 83-80 overtime victory away from the expectant tough Gurdon senior boys.

The Go-Devils had been tough when the going was tough all year, coming close to defeating the number one team in the conference and the state in Class AA the Stephens Roadrunners, in the finals of the 7AA Central District tournament two weeks previous.

By no surprise then, the Roadrunners did it Monday in the semi-finals that had been delayed due to the threat of tornados Friday night. They beat Buffalo Island and will play Arkansas Baptist for the championship title Friday night in Pine Bluff at 8:45 p.m.

In the senior girls' division of the tournament, it will be Palestine-Wheatley vs. Greenland Saturday at 6:30 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. This will be the fourth consecutive year for the Greenland senior girls to reach the finals.

Gurdon almost didn't get a second chance in last Thursday's game against the Greenland senior boys.

A three-point shot put up by Greenland at the buzzer was missed, but the rebound was tipped in by Jeramy Pense. The officials ruled it good.

Only after long consultation did the officials finally change their minds and ruled the game tied at 73.

Greenland led by two points at halftime, 36-34, and by 59-52 going into the final period.

Gurdon scored 21 points in the fourth while holding Greenland to 14. The Go-Devils only scored 7 during the overtime period and the Greenland senior boys made 10 points.

The Go-Devils jumped out to a quick lead in the OT period, but Greenland came back to win.

Keevin Beasley was Gurdon's leading scorer with 19 points with four other Gurdon players in double figures.

Adrian Meeks, who fouled out of the game, scored 16 points for the Go-Devils, Rashun Hopson scored 15 and Cameron House and Terry Cornish finished with 13 apiece.

The leading scorer for Greenland was John Davis with 26 points.

Gurdon got beat from downtown with Greenland hitting 8 three's while the Go-Devils only sacked two from beyond the stripe via Meeks.

The Go-Devils may not be in the finals this week, but it will be a team remembered by fans as one that never quit trying.