It was a tough week of conference action basketball as North Sunflower took on Delta Academy and Regents last week.
Those outings had mixed results with wins and losses but Tuesday’s trip to Arkansas to face DeSoto School was a tough slate of losses.
The Lady Rebels JV fell to DeSoto, 49-10 while the varsity girls lost 78-54. Lady Rebels Head Coach was at home battling pneumonia and couldn’t make the trip. She had missed time earlier in the season due to COVID.
The JV boys lost a heartbreaker after leading by more than 13 in the third to lose by one, 50-49 on a last second three point shot by DeSoto.
The varsity boys trailed throughout and even with a late game surge, found themselves on the losing end of a 55-47 score.
Rebels Head Coach George Roberson noted that for the first time this entire season, he had his entire squad on the bench. But even there physically, the mental side of the game was lacking.
“The JV was up by 10 with 2:10 left to go and we lost by one. In the last minute and a half we made so many mental errors that we couldn’t get the ball across half court,” Coach Roberson said.
The Varsity boys had a repeat of their previous outing, little offense in the first three and then an explosion of points in the fourth but too late to garner a win.
“We had scored (a total of) 23 points in the first, second and third quarter. We played good defense but our offense couldn’t get started,” he said. “When it got started in the fourth quarter, we scored 24 points.”
Against Delta last week, the JV girls took a three-point win, 32-29. Rihanna Love had 22 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Sterlyn Luna had a career night wiping the boards as she collected 19 rebounds.
The varsity girls had a squeaker in their matchup with Delta as they led most of the way but found themselves down by one, 46-45 with four minutes left in the game.
The teams stayed close and the score was tied, 54-54 with 21 seconds left. Makaylah Turner racked up 31 points, nine rebounds and six steals but fouled out of the game late in the fourth.
Freshman Kaitlyn Smither was fouled and hit the game winning free throw with two seconds left – collecting her lone point of the night for the 55-54 win.
Rihanna Love had double digits with 13 points, nine rebounds and two steals.
The JV boys had little trouble with Delta as they led throughout, 9-0 after one quarter, 20-12 at halftime, extended their lead 48-12 after three and took home the win with a 49-19 win. D.D. Williams was the leading scorer with 19 points, 12 rebounds, eight steals and seven assists. Brandon Daniel added 17 points and two steals for the Rebels.
The varsity boys couldn’t bring home the win and fell 55-46.
Up next for North Sunflower is a road trip to Calhoun Academy on Friday and hosting Humphreys Academy on Monday night for Senior Night.
“Calhoun will be our last district game,” Coach Roberson said. “The JV boys have already got the number one seed for the JV Tournament coming up on January 30th. The high school boys have to win the game to get in the tournament or lose by less than eight points.”
The JV girls and varsity girls are both 3-3 in conference and have a place in the post season.
A win against Calhoun and a Regent loss will move them up but they are at least a number three seed.
