JOURNAL SPORTS
After going 1-1 over the weekend, the Shreveport Mavericks get back to The Basketball League action on the road Wednesday before a homestand Friday and Saturday.
The SMavs beat the Beaumont Panthers 130-127 in overtime at Centenary’s Gold Dome last Friday night, getting a big 3-pointer from leading scorer Paul Parks and crucial free throws by Ty Jordan in the closing seconds.
The drama continued Saturday in Dallas, but this time the final ticks were unkind to the locals. A 112-109 loss to the Dallas Skyline dropped Shreveport to 10-3.
The Mavericks go to Beaumont Wednesday night at 7, then host Sugar Land Friday at 7:05 in the Gold Dome on the Centenary campus, and welcome Little Rock to town Saturday night at 7:05.
In last Friday’s return to action from the All-Star break, the Mavericks missed chances to win in regulation. Clinging to a 116-115 edge, Parks missed a pair of free throws with 22 seconds left. Paul Harrison fouled Beaumont’s William Benjamin on the rebound and Benjamin hit one of his two free throws to tie the game 116-116 with 21.8 seconds left. PJ Meyers then couldn’t convert for the Mavs in the waning seconds to send the game into overtime.
Parks’ 3-point jumper with 34 seconds left in overtime put Shreveport ahead for good 128-127 and Jordan hit a pair of free throws with 12 seconds for a 130-127 lead. Beaumont then misfired on a couple of desperation 3s in the final seconds. The contest included 13 lead changes and 10 ties.
Parks led all scorers with 36 points and nine rebounds. Jordan had 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Meyers had a double-double of 15 points and 10 assists. Paul Harrison finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, Dre’ McIntyre 11 points eight rebounds and Cordarius Johnson a season-high 10 points for Shreveport.
Beaumont (4-5) had four score 20 or more with Gary Cox leading the way with 27. Lyle Hexom was right behind him with 26 points and added 13 rebounds, Malachi Davidson scored 23 and Josh Boyd 20.
At Pope John Paul II High School in Dallas last Saturday night, the Skyline led 110-109 when Mavericks’ swingman Tavin Cummings had a chance to win the game but couldn’t convert a two-pointer. Dallas got the rebound and added two free throws, then the SMavs didn’t succeed on their last possession.
Andrew Cooper led Dallas with 30 points and had nine rebounds. Logan Hicks closely followed with 21 points. Paul Harrison paced Shreveport with 28 points and had 12 rebounds.