Wildcats slow start costly against Southside

Trumann (4-13, 3-7) only managed 14 points in the first half letting Southside build a double digit lead that proved to much for the Wildcats to overcome in a 59-38 loss this past Friday at Wildcat Gym in Trumann.

The Southerners jumped out to an 8-0 lead before Cobey Riddle scored in the paint for Trumann making it 8-2 Southside with 3:45 left in the opening quarter. The teams traded scores the rest of the quarter as the Southerners scored down low, Riddle hit triple twine, Southside drilled a three-ball, Tristin Battles hit a baseline jumper and the Southerners hit a jumper to make the score 15-7 Southside after one.

Riddle's jumper to open the second quarter cut the Southside lead to 15-9 as the Southerners scored down low making it 17-9. Tony Postell canned a three-ball for Trumann only to see Southside score the next seven points to extend their lead to 24-12 with 2:49 left. The Wildcats got a jumper from Luke Bishop before the Southerners hit two free throws to make the halftime score 24-14 Southside.

Luke Bishop of Trumann splits a pair of Southside defenders before dishing the ball off to a teammate during game action this past Friday in Trumann. (Photo by Cosmo Cossey)

Battles scored inside for Trumann to open the third quarter as Southside hit a jumper in the lane making it 26-16 Southerners. Coda Cameron canned a three-ball for the Wildcats before Southside hit a three-pointer and scored down low to make it 31-19 Southerners. Bishop scored in the paint for Trumann only to see Southside get back to back baskets making it 35-21 Southerners with 2:44 left. Riddle got a steal and lay up for the Wildcats, Southside scored back to back baskets before Gavin Greenwell canned a three-pointer for Trumann to make the score 39-26 Southerners. Southside scored on a dunk before Cameron got inside for a basket for the Wildcats to make the score 41-28 after three.

Southside pushed their lead to 46-28 early in the fourth quarter before Bishop's jumper made it 46-30. Braxton Cook scored back to back baskets for Trumann, each after a Southside basket, to make the score 50-34 Southerners with 4:12 left. Southside scored the next six points as Bishop scored in the paint for the Wildcats to make it 56-36 Southerners. Southside hit one of two free throws and scored down low as Cam'Ron Loftin scored inside for the Wildcats to make the final score 59-38 Southerners.

“They (Southside) are huge, absolutely huge. It's hard to see on game film but when you get on the court with them you see just how big they are,” Trumann head coach Billy Phelan said after the game. “We couldn't so much when they got close to the rim, let them score or foul them. We tried to do some thing to stop that but were unsuccessful,” Phelan added. “We need to make shots to play good and we didn't make shots,” Phelan said.

Riddle led Trumann with nine points while Bishop finished with eight points. Cameron tossed in five points with Battles and Cook adding four points each for the Wildcats.