The Parkway Panthers and Benton Tigers advanced to the semifinals of the Barksdale Federal Credit Union Parkway boys basketball tournament with victories Thursday.
Parkway defeated Mansfield 51-39 and Benton downed Calvary 52-46. The Panthers and Tigers will face off in the semifinals on Saturday at 1 p.m.
In another first-round game, Airline battled hard against North Caddo before falling 55-48. The game was tied at 40 early in the fourth quarter. The Vikings face Mansfield in a consolation game Friday at 7.
Trey Webber led Parkway with 14 points against Mansfield. Willie Sudds led Mansfield with 18, including four 3-pointers.
The Panthers led 23-13 at the half in a slow-paced game. But the Wolverines came out on fire in the third quarter, hitting three quick 3s to get within one.
Mansfield hit five of its eight 3-pointers in the quarter and it was even at 33 going into the fourth.
James Coleman and Jason Owens hit back-to-back 3s early in the fourth quarter to help Parkway regain control and the Panthers pulled away late.
Airline got 13 points from Jacob Guest in the loss to North Caddo. The Rebels’ Robert Williams, a 6-foot-8 Texas A&M commit, scored 16 points.
The Vikings played solid defense and stayed within striking distance. Airline tied it at 40 with 7:20 left to play. But the Rebels quickly regained the lead and went on an 8-0 run. The Vikings never got closer than five the rest of the way.
Jalen Harding scored 15 points in Benton’s victory over Calvary. Cameron Robinson added 11.
Friday, Fair Park faces Southwood in a quarterfinal game at 8:30. In consolation games, Ringgold plays Calvary at 4 and Haughton meets Plain Dealing at 5:30.
Tioga snapped Bossier’s six-game winning streak 48-42 in the Tioga/Pineville tournament. Larry Robinson was the only Bearkat in double figures with 18 points.
The Benton Lady Tigers girls tournament got underway with four games.
Airline rolled to a 54-8 victory over Northwood. Tyra Kidd led nine Lady Vikings who scored with 15 points.
Benton fell to West Ouachita 59-55. Brandy Harris and Emily Ward led the Lady Tigers with 16 and 15 points, respectively.
In early games, Southwood downed Northwood 59-7 and Parkway fell to West Ouachita 44-30.
The tournament continues today with four games. Parkway plays Simsboro at 3:30 followed by Red River vs. Southwood at 5, Benton vs. Simsboro at 6:30 and Red River vs. Airline at 8.
— Russell Hedges, rhedges@bossierpress.com
