Chicks end season with 11th straight loss, tied for last in 5A-East

The Blytheville Chickasaws' 2012-13 season came to an end Friday night after a gut-wrenching, 60-50, loss to the Batesville Pioneers on "Senior Night" at Chickasaw Gym.

The game concluded a more than frustrating season for the Chickasaws (4-23, 1-13 5A-East) and first year head coach Jeff Flanigan, one that saw them finish with a tie for last place in the 5A-East with the Pioneers and end on an 11-game losing streak.

The Chicks found themselves down 5-0 before they every touched the ball. Batesville shot a pair of free throws to begin the game thanks to a technical foul on Blytheville for dunking during warmups and then Joe Mauer converted a three-point play on their opening possession just seconds into the ball game to give the Pioneers the early lead.

"That's the bizarre season that we've had," said Flanigan. "I don't know if we were tight because of Senior Night. I don't know. I don't know."

Mauer scored 11 of his team-high 13 points in the first period as Batesville (2-22, 1-13 5A-East) jumped out to a double-digit lead. His basket with 3:41 left in the first gave the Pioneers a 14-4 lead. The Chicks responded with a 10-2 run as the period ended with Michael Williams scoring five of the 10 points to cut the lead to 16-14. Mauer, however, was fouled on a three-point attempt at the buzzer, made two of the three, and Batesville lead 18-14 heading into the second.

Batesville built up another double-digit lead in the second and led 30-23 at halftime.

Things got worse in the second half. The Pioneers opened the half on 14-5 run. Jerrod May's three-pointer with 53 seconds left in the period gave Batesville a 44-29 lead. Larry Bolden responded with a three-pointer for the Chicks moments later and the Pioneers took a 44-32 lead into the final frame.

"I told these guys before the game. If you give teams like this confidence, they're dangerous. We gave them confidence."

Blytheville went to full-court pressure in the fourth as the Pioneers tried to stall the action and extend possessions. The pressure worked for the Chicks as they ran off a 12-4 run and cut the Batesville lead to just four, 48-44, with four minutes to play after a pair of Floyd Bolden free throws.

Blytheville would get no closer as the Pioneers finished the game on a 12-6 run to end the game. They made six of eight free throw attempts down the stretch to maintain their lead.

"I'm speechless," said Flanigan after the game. "We start out down 5-0 before we ever touched the ball and we could never get it going from there. We were just flat. It wasn't a quitting thing or anything like that. We were just flat. This one hurts."

Flanigan praised his seniors who played their final game in a Chickasaw uniform. 
 "I commend my seniors for coming out and fighting every night," he said, "for coming to practice every day and trying to be good leaders."

He shouldered much of the blame for the Chicks struggles this season.

"I starts with me," he said. "We've got to get this thing turned around."

For the game, Larry Bolden finished with a game-high 15 points, Damion Wilson scored eight and Williams chipped in seven.

Mauer led the Pioneers with 13 and May and Kalib McMahon each scored 11 points.
 The Chicks finish the season tied for last with the Pioneers in the 5A-East. Around the rest of the league, Beebe took home the conference championship with a 12-2 record and 20-6 overall followed by Forrest City (17-9, 11-3 5A-East), Wynne (13-11, 9-5 5A-East) and Greene County Tech (14-12, 8-6 5A-East). Paragould (14-9 overall) and Nettleton (18-8 overall) finished with 7-7 conference records.

GIRLS
Blytheville 43, Batesville 39

The Blytheville Lady Chickasaws finished the year on a high note after a 43-39 win over the Batesville Lady Pioneers.

Blythevlle (7-19, 4-10 5A-East) jumped out to an 8-0 run and led 10-3 heading into the second period. The Lady Chicks led 15-10 at halftime before Batesville (7-16, 5-9 5A-East) took a 21-19 lead heading into the final period.

Iesha Humphrey gave Blytheville the lead back with seven minutes to play at 22-21extended their lead to six and held on for the win. Humphrey's free throws with 11 seconds left gave the Lady Chicks their margin of victory.

Humphrey led the Chicks with 17 points and Deja Prude added eight.

The Lady Chicks finish the year a game behind the Lady Pioneers at sixth place in the 5A-East.

Paragould (21-4, 13-1) grabbed a share of the conference title with Beebe (22-6 13-1 5A-East) followed by Greene County Tech (17-9, 10-4 5-East) in third and Nettleton (13-14, 8-6 5A-East) in fourth. Forrest City (9-18, 3-11 5A-East) and Wynne (1-24, 0-14) round out the rest of the league.