Chicks drop key road game

PARAGOULD--The Blytheville Chickasaws hit a bump in the road Tuesday night in Paragould on their quest to return to the 5A state playoffs for the first time in two years. The Chicks fell to the Rams, 55-48, in a key 5A-East contest. The game was the first of three in a four-day stretch the could make or break the Chicks chances of postseason play.

"We fought hard," said Blytheville head coach Jeff Flanigan. "I thought we had the game where we needed it to be."

For the better part of three periods, Flanigan's squad did have the second place Rams right where they needed them to be. Blytheville and Paragould traded one-point leads after the first and second periods as the Chicks led 12-11 at the end of one and the Rams led 18-17 at halftime.

Close games are usually decided by just a couple of plays and Tuesday night's contest was no different. Paragould's Chase Brittingham got loose for back-to-back three-pointers midway through the third and Bradon Clifford converted a traditional three point play to put the Rams up nine at 32-23 with two minutes to play.

"We covered their shooters well in the first half," said Flanigan. "I don't know what happened in the second half. We gave up two big threes on the down screen that we've been working on. We didn't play it properly. It's just one of those things that we've got to continue to work on and execute at all times. We can't let a team get going in a close game like this."

On the Rams' next possession, Blytheville's Marquise Selvy rebounded a missed shot attempt and then was whistled for a questionable traveling call. During the Rams ensuing possession, Flanigan was called for a technical foul that was as curious, to the Blytheville bench as the travel call on Selvy. Brittingham knocked down both technical free throws and Clifford scored on the Rams next possession giving them a 13-point lead, 38-25, heading into the fourth.

"If you know what I did, tell me please," said Flanigan. "I said nothing to the officials and that's on my life."

"They can corroborate that at the table," said Flanigan pointing to the scorers table. "I said nothing to the official. I never looked at him and never addressed the call."

Blytheville, after playing a patient style offense for three periods, forced the tempo in the fourth as they tried to play catchup to the Rams.

Blytheville cut the Ram lead to six on two occasions in the fourth. Selvy's three pointer from the corner with 1:35 to play made it a 48-42 ball game and then his back-to-back baskets with under a minute to play made it a 52-46 game with 45 seconds left. Blake Bales breakaway basket on the Rams ensuing possession sealed the deal giving the Rams a 54-46 lead with 36 seconds to play.

"We were put in a position where we were forced to turn it up," said Flanigan.

"We were planning on doing that in the fourth but we didn't want to do it to try to erase a deficit. We wanted to do it to get a lead. So, it just put us behind the eight ball."

For the game, Selvy led the Chicks with 17 points and Kevineon Whitfield chipped in 13.

Brittingham led all scorers with 23 for the Rams and Clifford added 21.

Blytheville (3-18, 3-5 5A-East) has to turn it around quickly as they take on the Beebe Badgers in another key 5A-East battle Wednesday night at Chickasaw Gym.

"We can't lose tomorrow night's game because of what happened tonight," said Flanigan. "We have to put this behind us and think about Beebe."

Wednesday night's action begins with girls varsity at 5:30 p.m. followed by varsity boys.

GIRLS

Paragould 59,

Blytheville 23

The Paragould Lady Rams defeated the Blytheville Lady Chickasaws, 59-23, Tuesday night.

The Rams led 15-8 at the end of one period. Paragould scored the first 13 points of the second period and took a commanding, 34-13 lead into halftime.

The Rams led 52-19 heading into the fourth.

Dejah Prude led the Lady Chicks (7-15, 1-7 5A-East) with 13 points.

Sydney Layock led all scorers with 19 points for the Lady Rams.

afitzpatrick@blythevillecourier.com @CN_AaronF