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The losing streak against the Stuttgart Ricebirds is over for the DeWitt Dragons.
Dating back nearly 10 years, the Ricebirds have always had the Dragons' number on the basketball court. That is until Tuesday night at the "Bird House".
The Dragons held off a late Stuttgart rally in the fourth quarter by sinking 8-of-10 free throws in the final 1:29 to win the 2-4A conference game 42-37.
"That's big for our program as a whole and it's big for our three seniors," DeWitt head coach Justin Russell said. "When I came down here, I sat those guys down and we had a talk. They've done everything and more that I've asked them to do and those three guys deserve it."
The win boosts the Dragons to a two-game winning streak in the conference. DeWitt has league victories over Bald Knob, Clinton and Southside Batesville, as well. For the Ricebirds, the loss drops them to the conference cellar with a 1-8 mark and a 4-16 overall record.
"There was nothing," Stuttgart head coach Rodney Gilmore said. "We've had effort all year, but DeWitt wanted it more than we did. It was a good comeback by the team, but in crucial times when the game is tied and it's all in your hands, you have to have a floor-leader who knows what to do out there."
After Devonte Ice completed a three-point play with 3:50 to go in the game to tie the score at 32-32, erasing a 7-point DeWitt lead, the Dragons' Madison Mayfield made a midcourt steal following a Ricebird timeout and Jontae Williams finished the play with a layup.
Stuttgart only could get as close as one point during the last 1:09.
"In that time, as soon as I turned my head, the ball was heading the other way," Gilmore said. "The bad thing is when you have to put a player in, who hasn't played in his whole life, into that type of situation."
Williams led DeWitt with 16 points that included hitting 10-of-12 free throws. Glen King led Stuttgart with 11 points.
"We're starting to come around at the right time now," Russell said. "There's some continuity there. We've got new guys from Gillett who have never played and when we put it all together, we're pretty good."
The Dragons opened the game with a 6-0 lead on baskets by Jonathan Jeffry, Antonio Phillips and Williams. King hit a 3-pointer to close the gap and Cordell Berry put in a basket to make it a one-point game.
A made shot by Jordan Daniels seconds later made for a Ricebirds lead and another score from Berry upped it to 9-6.
Phillips stepped out for a 3-pointer and Mayfield put back an offensive miss to lead DeWitt to an 11-9 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Jarren Smith tied the game for Stuttgart with a basket to start the second period. Devin Williams came back with a 3-pointer to put the Ricebirds ahead, but Williams hit for DeWitt and Hayden Leibrock popped a shot from the baseline, then added a 3-pointer.
Williams completed the 10-0 run with three straight free throws before Ice hit for Stuttgart to make it a 21-16 Dragons lead at halftime.
The Dragons opened the third period with two free throws before Berry hit for Stuttgart.
Dalton Cox completed a three-point play to make it a 26-18 lead, the largest of the game for DeWitt. King made a free throw for the Ricebirds and hit a driving shot to the basket in the final minute to cut the Dragons advantage to 26-21.
Williams started the fourth with two more free throws, but Charles Coleman scored for Stuttgart from the paint. Leibrock hit another shot for DeWitt, but Coleman came back for two straight scores to close the DeWitt lead to three points.
After two more free throws from Williams, Berry scored for Stuttgart and Ice hit his three-point play that tied the game 32-32.
Williams hit three free throws, Leibrock accounted for one and Mayfield made four free throws in a row to finish out the game. For Stuttgart, King scored the last five points, including a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left to make it 40-37.
"We're doing the little things now like getting on the floor after those loose balls and doing all the other things they have to do," Russell said. "One thing I asked them in the lockerroom after the game was if they were satisfied and they said 'no sir'. We just have to go back to work."
DeWitt still has to play at Heber Springs and Southside Batesville before ending the regular season at home against Clinton on Feb. 12.
The 2-4A district tournament will be held at Stuttgart this year and the Ricebirds finish out the season with a trip to Heber Springs tonight and will go on the road on Friday to Clinton.
Next Monday, the Ricebirds are to play Clinton at home. They finish their regular season with home games against Bald Knob next Tuesday and Southside Batesville on Friday.
"We have to roll on," Gilmore said. "We've got a long way to go and two more games this week."
Game time tonight is 4 p.m.
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The Helena-West Helena School District will hold a public meeting at
the Helena-West Helena School District Administrative Offices on
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 6:00 PM to discuss the Facilities Ten Year
Master plan.
The Helena-West Helena School District would like to take this
opportunity to invite all citizens in the community to participate in
the developing of future facility plans by encouraging your attendance
and participation at this meeting. Therefore, the public is invited to
attend this meeting and all future School Board Meetings to incorporate
the community's thoughts on future developments. We hope to you in
attendance.
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