Dragons misfire late, fall to Tyler on Sunday, 65-62; Lady Dragons lose, 85-77

By CHARLES RICHARDS

eParisExtra

TYLER – Trailing 60-59 in the final minute, Paris Junior College couldn’t make the go-ahead basket and Tyler Junior College was 5-of-6 from the free throw line the rest of the way to nail down a 65-62 victory on Sunday.

Antonio Arnold led Paris with 16 points, and Mike Harmon added 13 points. Tyler was led by DeAndre Harris with 16 points and Anthony Odunsi with 13.

It was Tyler’s seventh straight victory and improved the Apaches to 16-4 overall and 7-3 in Region 14 junior conference play. Paris fell to 10-12 and 4-7.

Odunsi grabbed two big rebounds for Tyler in the final minute as the Dragons tried to take the lead. Dickerson stepped out to the 3-point line and missed with 35 seconds to go and with the shot clock now off, Paris had to foul Odunsi or let the clock run out.

Odunsi made both two free throws for a 62-59 lead, and when Eddie Leal misses his 3-point attempt for a tie with 10 seconds to play, Odunsi again was there for the rebound.

Odunsi made only one free throw attempt this time, but one was all Tyler needed for a two-possession lead at 63-59 with just 8.3 seconds to play.

Lo and behold, Harmon raced past midcourt and made his 3-point attempt. That made it 63-62 but with only one second to play.

Daniel Edozie added two more free throws for the 65-62 final score.

The game was tied 40-all halfway through the second half, but Tyler went on an 11-0 run in 80 seconds to break out to a 51-40 lead.

Arnold made two 3-pointers, and Paris got two baskets from Sheldon Yearwood and Anthony Adams as the Dragons got back into the game, almost catching up in the final minute.

Paris coach Chuck Taylor was second-guessing himself after the game because Anthony Adams committed his fifth foul with 1:14 left in the game.

”I should have done offense-defense with Ant. I made the decision not to, and he picked up his fifth foul trying to grab a rebound. That’s how I want him to play, but I should have subbed him and got (David) Tucker back in. He was giving us some good defense,” Taylor said.

“When Ant fouled out, we didn’t have our floor general in there at the end to make the plays we needed,” Taylor said.

Taylor said he is disappointed with the loss, but not with his team’s effort.

“We lost to a good team, a well-coached team,” Taylor said.

Tyler coach Mike Marquis said:

“We made some big free throws, and we got a couple of great rebounds near the end. Odunsi and Harris made some good shots. Paris is extremely talented and is playing really well right now. We were fortunate to win.”

Paris’ next game is Wednesday night in Paris against Trinity Valley (14-7, 5-5). The Dragons wind up the first half of zonal play on Saturday against Panola College in Carthage.

In Sunday’s first game, Paris’ Lady Dragons lost to Tyler’s Apache Ladies 85-77.

Shanice Vaughn led Paris with 17 points, followed by Ashley Johnson with 16, Voche’ Martin with 13, and Brea Castro-Gambrell with 11.

Paris trailed by 20 points in the first half and it was 46-32 at the break. But Paris rallied behind Johnson and Vaughn and found themselves trailing by 77-73 in the final couple of minutes.

 

PARIS DRAGONS    26-36–62

TYLER APACHES    30-35—65

Paris JC (10-12, 4-7) – Antonio Arnold 4 4-7 16, Mike Harmon 4 2-2 12, Anthony Adams 2 0-0 4, Chris Jones 2 0-0 4, David Tucker 0 2-2 2, Delwin Dickerson 2 0-0 5, Eddie Leal 2 0-0 4, Lamar Walker 2 0-0 4, Sheldon Yearwood 2 3-4 7, Morris Mitchell 1 0-0 2, Will Ransom 0 2-2 2. Totals: 21 13-17 62. 3-Pointers: 7 (Arnold 4, Harmon 2, Dickerson 1). Fouls: 21. Fouled Out: Adams. Technical Fouls: 1.

Tyler JC (16-4, 7-3) – Trevor Berkeley 3 1-2 8, Todd Eaglin 2 1-1 6, John Alexander 2 0-0 4, Anthony Odunsi 3 7-8 13, Chaz Samuel 0 0-0 0, DeAndre Harris 4 5-7 16, Sharife Sargeant 1 2-2 4, Winsio Barry 0  0-0 0, Dale Jones 3 1-2 8, Daniel Edozie 2 2-3 6. Totals: 20 19-25 65. 3-Pointers: 6 (Harris 3, Berkeley, Eaglin, Jones). Fouls: 13. Fouled Out: None.

 

PARIS LADY DRAGONS    32-45-77

TYLER APACHE LADIES   46-39—85

Paris JC (6-13, 1-6) – Shanice Hill 0 0-0 0, Kelsei Ewings 0 6-6 6, Lea Holt 0 2-2 2, Shanice Vaughan 6 5-8 17, Maeghan Scott 3 2-2 8, Ashley Johnson 7 2-2 16, Brea Castro-Gambrell 3 5-6 11, Adriene Small 2 0-0 4, Voche’ Martin 4 5-7 13. Totals: 25 27-33 77. 3-Pointers: None. Fouls: 22.

Tyler JC (9-11, 2-5) – Kim Munoz 1 0-0 2, Shernise Robertson 7 16-17 35, Blayke Hemmitt 4 0-0 12, Sierra Henry 2 2-2 6, Carolina Lopez 4 2-3 10, Raiesha Preston 0 0-0 0, Adrienne Phillips 3 7-7 13, Bria Emanuel 2 3-4 3. Totals: 23 30-33. 3-Pointers: 9 (Robertson 5, Hemmitt 4). Fouls: 15. Fouled Out: None.

 

Region 5 & 14 Women’s Junior College Basketball Standings & Schedule/Scores

WOMEN’S   JUCO
(Thru Jan. 24)
			CONF				ALL
Region_14	W	L	PCT.		W	L	PCT.
TrinityValley	6	0	1.000		19	1	0.950
Blinn	6	1	0.857		20	1	0.952
Angelina	5	2	0.714		18	6	0.750
Kilgore	4	2	0.667		9	5	0.643
Jacksonville	3	4	0.429		10	10	0.500
Panola	2	5	0.286		10	11	0.476
Tyler	1	5	0.167		8	11	0.421
Paris	1	5	0.167		6	12	0.333
SanJacinto	1	5	0.167		6	12	0.333
			CONF				ALL
Region_5-W	W	L	PCT.		W	L	PCT.
Collin	4	0	1.000		18	1	0.947
Weatherford	4	0	1.000		13	3	0.813
Temple	3	1	0.750		14	5	0.737
McLennan	2	2	0.500		8	12	0.400
Hill	1	3	0.250		9	10	0.474
Cisco	1	3	0.250		3	17	0.150
Ranger	1	3	0.250		2	15	0.118
SwChristian	0	4	0.000		1	15	0.063
			CONF				ALL
Region_5-W	W	L	PCT.		W	L	PCT.
NewMexicoJC	5	0	1.000		16	2	0.889
SouthPlains	4	1	0.800		17	3	0.850
Midland	4	1	0.800		16	5	0.762
Odessa	4	2	0.667		14	5	0.737
FrankPhillips	2	3	0.400		9	11	0.450
Howard	2	4	0.333		13	8	0.619
WesternTexas	1	6	0.143		8	15	0.348
Clarendon	0	5	0.000		10	11	0.476

WOMEN’S JUCO SCHEDULE & SCORES:

SATURDAY, JAN. 26:

   Region 14:

Paris at Tyler, 2 p.m .

Kilgore at Angelina, 2 p.m.

San Jacinto at Blinn, 4 p.m.

Trinity Valley at Panola, 4 p.m.

   Region 5-North:

Hill at McLennan, 2 p.m.

Collin at Temple, 2 p.m.

Ranger at Weatherford, 2 p.m.

Cisco at SW Christian, 2 p.m.

 

MONDAY, JAN. 28:

   Region 5-West:

Frank Phillips at South Plains, 5:45 p.m.

Odessa at New Mexico JC, 5:45 p.m.

Midland at Clarendon, 5:45 p.m.

 

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 23:

   Region 14:

Angelina 83, Panola, 59

Kilgore 43, Paris 27

Blinn 89, Tyler 75

Trinity Valley 74, Jacksonville 53

   Region 5-North:

Collin 83, McLennan 59

Temple68, Hill 64

Weatherford 95, Cisco 80

Ranger  70, Southwestern Christian 62

 

THURSDAY, JAN. 24:

   Region 5-West:

Howard 66, Western Texas 54

South Plains 64, Odessa 60

New Mexico JC 99, Clarendon 80

 

 

Region 5 & 14 Men’s Junior College Basketball Standings & Schedule/Scores

 

MEN’S   JUCO
(Thru Jan. 24)
			CONF				ALL
Region_14-N	W	L	PCT.		W	L	PCT.
Navarro	9	1	0.900		17	4	0.810
Kilgore	7	3	0.700		17	3	0.850
Tyler	6	3	0.667		15	4	0.789
TrinityValley	4	5	0.444		13	7	0.650
Paris	4	6	0.400		10	11	0.476
Bossier	1	8	0.111		8	10	0.444
Panola	0	10	0.000		8	12	0.400
			CONF				ALL
Region_14-S	W	L	PCT.		W	L	PCT.
Angelina	7	3	0.700		14	7	0.667
Jacksonville	6	4	0.600		15	6	0.714
SanJacinto	5	4	0.556		14	4	0.778
Lamar-PA	5	4	0.556		15	5	0.750
Lee	5	4	0.556		13	7	0.650
CoastalBend	5	5	0.500		11	6	0.647
Blinn	3	7	0.300		11	10	0.524
			CONF				ALL
Region_5-N	W	L	PCT.		W	L	PCT.
McLennan	3	1	0.750		18	4	0.818
Hill	3	1	0.750		15	7	0.682
Collin	2	1	0.667		16	4	0.800
Ranger	2	1	0.667		10	11	0.476
Temple	1	2	0.333		13	6	0.684
SWChristian	1	3	0.250		4	18	0.182
Weatherford	0	3	0.000		5	12	0.294
			CONF				ALL
Region_5-W	W	L	PCT.		W	L	PCT.
NewMexicoJC	6	0	1.000		18	2	0.900
Odessa	6	1	0.857		16	4	0.800
Howard	4	2	0.667		17	3	0.850
SouthPlains	3	3	0.500		14	5	0.737
Midland	3	3	0.500		12	6	0.667
FrankPhillips	2	4	0.333		12	8	0.600
NMMI	2	4	0.333		6	13	0.316
Clarendon	1	5	0.167		12	8	0.600
WesternTexas	1	6	0.143		11	10	0.524

MEN’S JUCO SCHEDULE & SCORES:

SATURDAY, JAN. 26:

   Region 14-North:

Panola at Trinity Valley, 6 p.m.

Bossier Parish at Kilgore, TBA

Paris at Tyler, 4 p.m.

 Region 5-North:

Hill at McLennan, 4 p.m.

Collin at Temple, 4 p.m.

Ranger at Weatherford, 4 p.m.

 

MONDAY, JAN. 28:

    Region 5-West:

Howard at NMMI, 6:30 p.m. MST

Frank Phillips at South Plains, 7:45 p.m.

Odessa at New Mexico JC, 7:45 p.m .

Midland at Clarendon, 7:45 p.m.

 

MEN’S JUCO RESULTS:

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 23:

Region 14-North:

Navarro 64, Bossier Parish 48

Paris 62, Kilgore 58

Tyler 82, Panola 62

   Region 14-South:

Lamar State-Port Arthur 68, Coastal Bend 61

Jacksonville 67, Lee 61

BLINN 94, Angelina 81

Region 5-North:

Collin 76, McLennan 69

Hill 79, Temple 76

Ranger 110, Southwestern Christian 74

 

THURSDAY, JAN. 24:

   Region 5-West:

Midland 79, NMMI 58

New Mexico JC 101, Clarendon 80

Odessa 61, South Plains 48

Howard 56, Western Texas 47

 

Eddie Leal’s 24 points and Anthony Adams’ clutch free throws lead Paris to 62-58 victory over Kilgore College

PARIS – Eddie Leal scored 24 points and Paris Junior College got clutch performances all around as the Dragons never trailed in defeating 15th-ranked Kilgore College 62-58 Wednesday night.

Paris improved to 10-11 overall and 4-6 in Region XIV play. Kilgore dropped to 17-3, 7-3.

After having lost four of five games the first half of the month, including three conference games, Paris has now put together three straight impressive performances – wins over Bossier and Kilgore and a loss to Navarro in the final two seconds.

Leal had two 3-pointers among his nine field goals. Delvin Dickerson added 10 points and Anthony Adams 8. Quinton Upshur led Kilgore (17-3, 7-3) with 18 points, including three 3-pointers. Lonnie McClanahan added 14 points and Mo Taylor 11 points.

“It’s taken some time to get everybody on board and understanding their roles, but we did some really good things tonight. Slowly and gradually we’re getting where we need to be,” Paris head coach Chuck Taylor said.

“We’re finally becoming a team,” Taylor said.

He recalled that last weekend that Navarro opened the second half by hitting four straight 3-pointers against Dragons.

“They came out and punched us in the face,” Taylor said. “Well, the thing I thought we did tonight, we came out and punched them in the face.”

Paris scored the first seven points of the first half and the first eight points of the second half. The Dragons led from start to finish.

Trailing 52-42 with six minutes to play, Kilgore went on a 9-0 run to get within a point with 3:14 to play, and play was tense the rest of the way.

Crucial in the win were back-to-back baskets by Leal, a 6-4 sophomore guard, and 6-8 freshman forward Will Ransom, giving the Dragons a 58-53 lead with 45 seconds to play.

“That was pretty much the ball game,” Taylor said.

“Eddie shot the (heck) out of the ball today. He took good shots. He made a big time shot late with a guy all over him. That was a huge, huge bucket.”

At the time, Paris led 54-53 and the shot clock was running out. Heavily guarded, Leal made an off-balance shot from 15 feet out to stretch the lead out to 56-53 with two minutes to play.

With 45 seconds left, Paris missed a shot, but Ransom nudged the ball back over the rim to make it 58-53.

Kilgore scored twice more – once on a 3-pointer – but was forced to foul in hopes Paris would miss at the free throw line.

However, the Dragons made sure to get the ball into the hands of Adams, who made four free throws in the final 27 seconds to seal the win.

“You know, we put the ball in the leader’s hands. He’s our floor general; he’s our captain. However he goes, we go. He’s really been playing great the last three or four games,” the Paris coach said.

On both in-bound plays after Kilgore’s two field goals in the last minute, sophomore guard Antonio Arnold was designated to throw the ball in. He had only two targets — Adams or Leal, the team’s best two free throw shooters.

“He knew, ‘You get it to Ant. Or to Eddie. Or call a time out. In that order.’ That’s what I needed,” the Paris coach said.

Paris was 16-of-19 (84.2 percent) from the charity line to 14-of-24 (58.3 percent) for Kilgore.

“I thought that was the difference in the game,” Kilgore coach Brian Hoberecht said.

Leal and Adams each were 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Dickerson was 3-for-3, and Mike Harmon was 2-for-2.

“Paris should feel good about themselves. They played well tonight. They found a way to win, and this one goes to them,”Hoberecht said. “Hopefully, we can use this as an opportunity to improve and make our team a little bit better before the stretch run and before the playoffs start.”

In contrast with last year, when the Dragons went into the post-season regional tournament as the No. 1 seed, they find themselves near the bottom of the standings this season.

Ten conference games remain, but Paris finds itself five games behind Navarro (9-1, 17-4) in the North Zone.

The two top teams each zone get a first-round bye in the March 6-10 tournament at Tyler, and the No. 1 seed wins one of two Region XIV berths in the national tournament March 18-23 at Hutchinson, Kan.

After losing three straight league games and seven of nine games overall, Taylor had said his goal now was “just to make it to the tournament.”

Only the top 12 teams out of the 14-team conference advance to the tournament.

PJC remains 11th out of the 14 teams. It’s 4-6 league record is ahead of Blinn (3-7), Bossier (1-8) and Panola (0-10).

The Dragons trail four teams in the North — Navarro (9-1), Kilgore (7-3), Tyler (6-3) and Trinity Valley (4-5) — and six of the seven teams in the South — Angelina (7-3), Jacksonville (6-4), San Jacinto (5 -4), Lamar-Port Arthur (5-4), Lee (5-4), and Coastal Bend (5-5).

But the Dragons feel they can take out any team in the conference on any given day. It should give them confidence knowing that among their 10 victims this season weare four ranked teams — three of whom were undefeated until Paris knocked them off. The tougher the opposition, the better PJC seems to play.

“One thing I do know, if the guys continue to play the way they’re playing, and improve the way they have been, we’ve got as good a shot as anybody in a three or four day tournament,” Taylor said.

The Paris coach said he was talking to two coaches earlier in the day and one of them told him he was underestimating his team.

Taylor said that coach told him:

“I know you don’t think your guys are guarding the way they are supposed to, and you think they’re doing this and doing that, but I’m just going to tell you, we do not want to see you guys in the tournament. At all. Period. Trust me, I’ve watched enough tape on y’all. Your guys are doing things a lot better than you give them credit for.”

That was “kind of refreshing” to hear, Taylor said.

“I think the biggest thing we’re doing now that we didn’t do earlier is, we’re trusting our teammates a lot more than they’ve done in the past.”

Leal, who played at Collin County last season as a freshman, is hoping there’s life in basketball for him beyond Paris Junior College.

Kilgore came after Leal, and he can expect the same week after week, Taylor said. He said he feels Leal is up to the challenge.

“If you’ve got toughness like Eddie Leal, you can’t get soft because they’re getting physical with you. I told him,’This is what you’re going to see all next year. This is your training ground right here.’

“I told him, ‘I don’t want to hear any excuses. Don’t come over here saying this guy’s hitting you or this guy’s grabbing you. That’s why we’ve been in the weight room. You’ve got to get through it some way, somehow.’ And he did. He had a phenomenal game tonight.”

 

KILGORE      25-33—58

PARIS           27-35—62

Kilgore (7-3, 17-3) – Lonnie McClanahan 6 2-4 14, Quinton Upshur 5 5-8 18, Chinedu Amajoyi 1 0-0 3, Andre Horne 1 0-0 2, Mo Taylor 3 5-6 11, Kalif Wright 3 0-0 6, Matt Gamberoni 1 0-0 2, Erick Diouf 0 2-6 2. Totals: 20 14-24 58. Three-Pointers: 4 (Upshur 3, Amajoyi 1). Fouls: 18.

Paris (4-6, 10-11) – Antonio Arnold 1 0-0 3, Mike Harmon 0 2-2 2, Anthony Adams 2 4-4 8, Chris Jones 2 0-0 4, David Tucker 0 0-0 0, Delvin Dickerson 3 3-3 10, Eddie Leal 9 4-4 24, Lamar Walker 1 0-0 2, Sheldon Yearwood 1 2-4 4, Marcus Holt 0 0-0 0, Courtney Austin 0 0-0 0, Mo Mitchell 1 0-0 2, Will Ransom 1 1-2 3. Totals: 21 16-19 62. Three-Pointers: 4 (Leal 2, Arnold 1, Dickerson 1). Fouls: 22.

PJC players shown are Mike Harmon (5), David Tucker (20) and Eddie Leal (partially hidden, beyond Tucker).

Anthony Adams drives the baseline against a Kilgore defender.

The Dragons’ Sheldon Yearwood is about to in-bound the ball after Paris has already scored eight straight points to open the second half of Wednesday’s game with Kilgore.

Kilgore’s players gather excitedly for a time out with 3:13 to play after the Rangers completed a 9-0 run to come from a 52-42 deficit to 52-51.

 Eddie Leal, accepting congratulations after the game for his game-high 24 points, says, “I finally found my rhythm.”

Imy Walters gives Leal an “attaboy” moments after time expired in the Dragons’ 62-58 victory over Kilgore.

Dragons coach Chuck Taylor (black suit) and Kilgore coach Brian Hoberecht shake hands after the game

Anthony Adams takes the ball across center court in the second half of Wednesday’s 62-58 victory over Kilgore. In the background are thee of the Dragons’ most loyal fans — home or away. From left are Earl Erickson, Jess Nickerson and Freddy Swaim.

By CHARLES RICHARDS

eParisExtra.com

Region 5 and 14 men’s junior college basketball standings and results

 

MEN’S   JUCO
(Thru Jan. 23)
			CONF				ALL
Region_14-N	W	L	PCT.		W	L	PCT.
Navarro	9	1	0.900		17	4	0.810
Kilgore	7	3	0.700		17	3	0.850
Tyler	6	3	0.667		15	4	0.789
TrinityValley	4	5	0.444		13	7	0.650
Paris	4	6	0.400		10	11	0.476
Bossier	1	8	0.111		8	10	0.444
Panola	0	#	0.000		8	12	0.400
			CONF				ALL
Region_14-S	W	L	PCT.		W	L	PCT.
Angelina	7	3	0.700		14	7	0.667
Jacksonville	6	4	0.600		15	6	0.714
SanJacinto	5	4	0.556		14	4	0.778
Lamar-PA	5	4	0.556		15	5	0.750
Lee	5	4	0.556		13	7	0.650
CoastalBend	5	5	0.500		11	6	0.647
Blinn	3	7	0.300		11	10	0.524
			CONF				ALL
Region_5-N	W	L	PCT.		W	L	PCT.
McLennan	3	1	0.750		18	4	0.818
Hill	3	1	0.750		15	7	0.682
Collin	2	1	0.667		16	4	0.800
Ranger	2	1	0.667		10	11	0.476
Temple	1	2	0.333		13	6	0.684
SWChristian	1	3	0.250		4	18	0.182
Weatherford	0	3	0.000		5	12	0.294
			CONF				ALL
Region_5-W	W	L	PCT.		W	L	PCT.
NewMexicoJC	5	0	1.000		17	2	0.895
Odessa	5	1	0.833		15	4	0.789
Howard	3	2	0.600		16	3	0.842
SouthPlains	3	2	0.600		14	4	0.778
Midland	2	3	0.400		11	6	0.647
NMMI	2	3	0.400		6	12	0.333
FrankPhillips	2	4	0.333		12	8	0.600
Clarendon	1	4	0.200		12	7	0.632
WesternTexas	1	5	0.167		11	9	0.550

MEN’S JUCO RESULTS:

 

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 23:

Region 14-North:

Navarro 64, Bossier Parish 48

Paris 62, Kilgore 58

Tyler 82, Panola 62

   Region 14-South:

Lamar State-Port Arthur 68, Coastal Bend 61

Jacksonville 67, Lee 61

BLINN 94, Angelina 81

Region 5-North:

Collin 76, McLennan 69

Hill 79, Temple 76

Ranger 110, Southwestern Christian 74

 

THURSDAY, JAN. 24:

   Region 5-West:

NMMI at Midland, 6:30 p.m.

Clarendon at New Mexico JC, 7:45 p.m.

South Plains at Odessa, 7:45 p.m.

Western Texas at Howard, 7:45 p.m.

 

MONDAY, JAN. 21:

   Region 5-West:

NMMI 100, Clarendon 89

New Mexico JC 82, Frank Phillips 60

Howard 77, Odessa 64

Midland 59, Western Texas 36

SATURDAY, JAN. 19:

Region 14-North

Navarro 63, Paris 60

Tyler 65, Trinity Valley 61

Kilgore 71, Panola 53

Bossier Parish 98, SFA JV 73

   R

egion 14-South

Blinn 53, Jacksonville 52

San Jacinto 80, Lamar-Port Arthur 78

Angelina 60, Coastal Bend 52

Region 5-North

McLennan 91, Ranger 84 (OT)

Collin 71, Southwestern Christian 63

Hill 86, Weatherford 77

Temple 111, Lone Star-CyFair 64

 

TUESDAY, JAN. 22:

San Jacinto 96, Lone Star-Tomball 78