Barbara Fuston, third from the left, a cancer survivor and devoted fan of Paris Junior College basketball, is presented a game ball signed by the Dragons coaches and players by PJC men’s basketball Head Coach Chuck Taylor, second from the left, and Marsha Dennis, right, Phi Theta Kappa sponsor and English instructor. Barbara and her husband John have attended most of the Dragons and Lady Dragons basketball games since moving to Paris 11 years ago. The presentation was part of PJC’s participation in the American Cancer Society’s Coaches vs. Cancer to raise awareness about fighting cancer. (PJC Photo)
Antonio Arnold lets fire with a 3-pointer that increased Paris’ lead to 38-33 early in the second half of the Dragons game with Tyler on Wednesday. His shot was the first of four straight 3-pointers as Paris opened up a lead it would not relinquish. (eParisExtra photo by Charles Richards)
PARIS — Eddie Leal knocked down six 3-pointers and Antonio Arnold and Mike Harmon made three apiece Wednesday night as Paris Junior College exploded in the second half for a 72-56 victory over Tyler Junior College.
Nine of the Dragons’ 12 field goals in the second half were from 3-point range as PJC broke away from a 33-33 tie at the half.
“Our offense finally showed up,” PJC head coach Chuck Taylor said, expressing pleasure with his club’s performance.
Tyler’s Ta’Jon Welcome led all scorers with 25 points, but no other Apache made much of an impact. Leal finished with 18 points, Harmon 14 and Arnold 11.
Paris improved to 14-14 overall and 8-9 in Region XIV play, while Tyler fell to 19-7 and 10-6.
Taylor liked how his team used the clock to its favor in the second half. The Dragons were aggressive on the boards, resulting in a succession of second chances in the closing minutes.
They out-scrambled Tyler for loose balls, resulting in PJC possession and new 35-second clocks on offensive rebounds.
The Dragons led 30-23 with 5:17 to play in the first half, but Tyler ended the period on a 10-3 run and the two teams went into halftime tied at 33. Welcome scored 11 of the Apaches’ last 14 points in the first half.
Mo Mitchell made a pair of free throws to open the second half, and the next four baskets by Paris were from long range – one by Arnold, one by Delvin Dickerson, and two by Leal.
Welcome had three early field goals himself — two of them 3-pointers – but two free throws each by Mo Mitchell and Marcus Holt pushed the Dragons’ lead to 51-41 with 10:34 to play.
Harmon made two 3-pointers that increased the lead to 56-45 and then to 59-46, His third 3-pointer of the day made it 67-53 with 2:29 to play, and Leal’s final 3-pointer with 1:15 left gave the Dragons their largest lead of the game at 72-55.
Paris was 11-of-14 (79 percent) from the free throw line, while Tyler was 6-of-15 (40 percent).
PJC will wrap up its 19-game conference slate with a game at Trinity Valley at 6 p.m. Saturday and home game against Panola (8-19, 0-17) at 7:30 p.m next Wednesday.
By CHARLES RICHARDS
eParisExtra.com
TYLER 33-12—56
PARIS 33-39—72
Tyler (19-7, 10-6) – Trevor Berkeley 1 1-2 3, Todd Eaglin 1 0-0 3, Anthony Odunsi 3 0-0 6, Deandre Harris 3 0-3 7, Sharife Sargeant 2 1-2 5, Ta’Jon Welcome 10 2-4 25, Winslo Barry 0 0-0 0, Dale Jones 2 1-2 6, Daniel Edozie 0 1-2 1. Totals: 22 6-15 56. Three-Pointers: 6 (Welcome 3, Eaglin 1, Harris 1, Jones 1). Fouls: 18. Fouled Out: None.
Paris (14-14, 8-9) – Antonio Arnold 4 0-0 11, Mike Harmon 4 3-4 14, Anthony Adams 3 0-0 6, Chris Jones 0 0-2 0, Delvin Dickerson 3 1-1 8, Eddie Leal 6 0-0 18, Lamar Walker 0 0-0 0, Sheldon Yearwood 0 0-0 0, Marcus Holt 3 2-2 8, Mo Mitchell 1 5-5 7. Totals: 24 11-14 72. Three-Pointers: 13 (Leal 6, Arnold 3, Harmon 3, Dickerson 1). Fouls: 16. Fouled Out: None.
Charles Richards Charles Richards moved to Paris in 2004 after retiring from a 40-year career in journalism – the last 26 years as a news writer and sports writer with The Associated Press in Dallas and Washington, D.C. In mid-2004, The Paris News coaxed him out of retirement, and he began covering the police, court and regional beat for The Paris News. Then in early 2005, he was switched to coverage of a sharply divided Paris City Council. He was appointed by the City Council in 2006 to the 12-member City Charter Review Commission, which extensively rewrote the outmoded document. His writing awards include two first-place awards in statewide competition for feature writing. The most recent was his 2005 story on a Paris doctor’s startling use of leeches in a successful attempt to re-attach a man’s severed ear. Over his career, Richards’ interview subjects include Alabama Gov. George Wallace, President Bill Clinton, President George W. Bush, David Koresh, Arnold Palmer, Muhammad Ali and numerous other political and sports figures. He is an alumnus of Texas Tech, where he was editor of the school newspaper. He lives in Paris with his wife, Barbara, who is retired after 30 years as a teacher and high school counselor.
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