The Parkway Panthers and Haughton Buccaneers advanced to the boys division semifinals in the Jack Clayton Haughton Invitational basketball tournament with victories Wednesday.
The Panthers defeated the Minden Crimson Tide 89-77 in the first round, and the Bucs downed the North DeSoto Griffins 82-69.
Parkway faces defending champion Byrd at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at BPCC. Byrd received a bye in the first round. Haughton takes on the Lakeside Warriors at 7 p.m. Friday at BPCC.
Lakeside defeated Benton 82-74 in overtime in the first round. Benton rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit to send it into OT on William Givens’ layup with about 1 second left.
Benton faces Minden in the consolation finals at 7 Thursday at BPCC.
Juwon Johnson led Parkway’s balanced scoring attack against Minden with 20. Tristan Hill added 16. Niki Edwards and Artavious Lynn scored 14 each.
Kevin Hamilton and Anfernee Red scored 22 and 20, respectively, to lead the Crimson Tide. Davien Moore, who hit five of Minden’s 9 3-pointers, scored 17.
Ja’marcia Banks tossed in 22 points to lead Haughton past North DeSoto. Steven Simmons helped the Bucs’ cause with 18 points. Javonte Woodard added 12 and Kobe Byrge 10. Cody Lilly scored nine.
Benton trailed Lakeside 40-27 at the half. But the Tigers, forcing turnovers and shooting better, rallied to cut the led to seven at the end of the third quarter.
With five minutes left, it was a two-point game. The Warriors led by as many as five, but the Tigers cut the lead to one with 1:09 left.
Givens made one of two free throws to get Benton within two with 8.3 seconds left. When Lakeside could make only one of two, also, Givens drove the center of the lane and layed the ball over the rim and in the basket to force overtime.
Benton started the overtime well. Givens converted a three-point play to put the Tigers ahead 68-65. After a Lakeside turnover, Jessie Little scored and Benton led by five.
Lakeside’s 12 cut the lead to two with a three-point play, but Little answered with a layup to give the Tigers a four-point cushion.
But the Warriors took control with an 11-0 run. Quatarious Solomon scored seven points during the run.
— Russell Hedges, rhedges@bossierpress.com
