Chicks defeat Lions in NEA title game

JONESBORO — The Chickasaw chants rained down the final 10 seconds of the game as Blytheville senior guard Teddy Washington dribbled the ball out, capping a 46-37 win over the Manila Lions in the Northeast Arkansas Invitational Tournament Division 3 boys championship game Tuesday night at Arkansas State’s First National Bank Arena.

The victory gives McKenzie Pierce his second NEA championship in his fourth season as head coach of the Blytheville Chickasaws.

Manila got the scoring started early as the Lions took a 3-0 lead after winning the tip in the back-and-forth first quarter.

The Manila Lions took second in the NEA Tournament.Cosmo Cossey

The Chicks led 15-12 with less than 30 seconds remaining in the first quarter and the Lions had the ball but instead of taking a shot they dribbled the ball and Lions head coach Lee Wimberly let his team hear it during the break.

With 2:18 remaining in the second quarter, the Chicks led 23-18.

Chickasaws senior forward Tae Smith would not be denied with 45.2 remaining as he collected three offensive rebounds before being sent to the line where he hit one-of-two to give the Chicks (13-2) a 24-20 lead.

Lions senior guard Daley Belew missed a layup at the buzzer that would’ve cut the Chicks lead to two heading into half.

Wimberly was upset, however, as his team walked over as junior guard Ty Wagner had a wide open shot that he didn’t take with less than 10 seconds remaining.

The Chickasaws came out of the half with their defensive intensity turned up and rattled off four points, taking a 28-20 lead and Wimberly called a timeout near the 5:30 mark in the third quarter.

The Lions finally got on the scoreboard with a Belew jumpshot at the 4:15 mark to cut the Chicks’ lead to eight.

Blytheville increased its lead to 16 to end the third quarter but Belew was bullied the last few seconds as his free-throw line jump shot was blocked at the buzzer.

Wimberly asked all three officials if they were going to call a foul.

With 4:50 remaining a Jake Baltimore three-pointer cut the Chicks lead to 13.

Wimberly called a full timeout after Wagner hit a layup at 2:02 mark and the Lions trailed the Chickasaws 46-35.

T. Smith led the way for the Chicks with 17 points in the win.

Belew had a game-high 18-points for the Lions.

“It's great for the program. Great for these kids,” Pierce said. “ I won it my first year and haven’t had a great showing the last couple, but we really came out tonight and played a great game tonight. Thought it was a great team effort, really locked in on the defensive end. It was the best start that we got off to in the three games.”

It was announced after the victory that the win was 101st victory for the Chickasaws program in the 73rd year of the NEA.

“It means a lot. I think that puts us either tied for first or first all-time in NEA tournament wins. Just speaks to the tradition of the Blytheville basketball program and where we brought it back to be able to win it for the second time since I've been here. A lot of great teams, a lot of great coaches in this thing and so definitely don’t take it for granted.”

Mississippi County also had three teams — Blytheville, Manila and the Rivercrest Colts —in the final four of the Division 3 Boys bracket.

“I’ve got the utmost respect for Coach Wimberly. He works hard and he cares and there's not a lot of people like that. He works his tail off, so I’ve got the utmost respect for him and their program because they play hard every time out. I know the time and energy that he and his kids put into it so a lot of respect for the Manila Lions and their program,” Pierce explained. “It was great. How about an all- Mississippi County showdown; three of the final four teams being from Mississippi County. It also speaks to the kids and the athletes in Mississippi County.

The All-NEA tournament team was announced during the game and Chickasaws named to the team were Curtis Smith, Tae Smith, Tyreon King and Teddy Washington.

“That’s just how we play,” Pierce said. “ We’ve got six or seven guys that can score in double figures every night and it’s about we not me and the kids have bought into that and so you are dangerous when you can’t key in on one guy.”

Wagner, Gonzalez and Belew led the Lions on the All- NEA team.