Wildcats score wins over Vienna, Sparta
The Anna-Jonesboro High School boys’ basketball team was 2-1 last week.
A-J 57, Vienna 35: Trailing 10-7 after one quarter, the host Wildcats rallied for the win Saturday, Jan. 18.
Blake Pena had 18 points and 4 rebounds to lead the Wildcats.
Zach Overstreet had 14 points and 5 rebounds. Noah McFarland had 8 points and 7 rebounds.
Damareon Faust had 7 points and 4 rebounds. Maddox Thorpe had 5 points and 2 rebounds.
Landon Trammel and Nate Belcher had 2 points apiece. Ethan Carver had a point and a rebound. Ta’Kevon Williford had a rebound.
The Wildcats were 16 of 33 in shot attempts from the floor, 5 of 20 from 3-point range and 10 of 14 from the free throw line.
The Eagles were 9 of 23 in shot attempts from the floor, 5 of 11 from 3-point range and 2 of 2 from the charity stripe.
A-J 52, Sparta 48: Trailing at the half, the visiting Wildcats came on in the second half for the Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference Mississippi Division win Friday, Jan. 17.
“Those conference wins aren’t easy...you have to earn them,” A-J coach Mike Chamness said. “I thought our guys were a little sluggish in the first half, but they really did a good job in the second half forcing turnovers.”
Pena, who was 6 of 7 in free throws for the game, sealed the win in the closing minutes with several free throws.
Pena led the way with 19 points and 4 rebounds.
Williford had 8 points and 4 rebounds. Faust had 8 points and 5 rebounds.
Overstreet had 8 points and 2 rebounds. McFarland had 5 points and 7 rebounds. Juan Valencia had 4 points and 2 rebounds.
A-J was 18 of 34 in shot attempts from the floor, 3 of 14 from 3-point range and 7 of 10 from the free throw line.
The Bulldogs were 17 of 30 in shot attempts from the floor, 3 of 16 from 3-point range and 5 of 6 from the charity stripe.
Century 75, A-J 72: The visiting Wildcats let a first quarter lead slip away in the loss Tuesday, Jan. 14.
Overstreet had 23 points and 4 rebounds to lead A-J.
Valencia added 16 points and a rebound. Faust had 11 points and 11 rebounds. Pena had 10 points and a rebound.
McFarland had 6 points and 9 rebounds. Williford had 6 points and 4 rebounds.
A-J, 6-12 and 2-3 in the conference, is scheduled to play this week in the Johnston City Tournament.
“We needed those two wins to give us a little momentum going in this week,” Chamness said.