Blue Devils come away with big road win in Jonesboro

Blue Devils come away with big road win in Jonesboro

West Memphis ’ Moore misses last nine minutes after hard fall By Billy Woods

WM School District JONESBORO – The thud could be heard all over Don Riggs Hurricane Gym.

You could argue that at the moment it could have been heard all the way back to West Memphis.

Because when Blue Devil star Chris Moore banged his head on the floor after taking a vicious charge with 55.7 seconds left in the third quarter here on Tuesday with West Memphis clinging to a precarious lead, the prospects of the Blue Devils winning without him the rest of the game would have had to be considered slim.

But without Moore for the remaining 8 minutes and 55 seconds, the Blue Devils proved to themselves that they can win without Moore on the floor against the fourth-ranked team in the state.

Senior transfer Terry Burgess scored all 14 of his points in the second half to key a 54-46 West Memphis win over Jonesboro.

“We needed that one bad, points win Blue Devil win at

to be honest with you,” Blue Devil head coach Marcus Brown said with an exhale. “We had to get back on track, and then to do it the way we did it with Chris on the bench…that was sweet.”

Faced with the possibility of falling further back in the 5A-East Conference standings in the early going, the Blue Devils (14-5 overall, 2-2 in league play) wiped out memories of a 39-37 loss last Friday night at home to Nettleton.

Moore, the Blue Devils’ leading scorer and rebounder, already had team-leading totals of 19 points and 11 rebounds when he decided to step in front of Jonesboro’s Jonesboro.

Marcedus Leech on his way to the basket in the third quarter.

Although Moore got the call from the refs, he paid a high price for his heroics.

He lay on the floor clutch- ing his head for a few min- utes before he was escorted to the Blue Devil locker room, where he remained until the midway point of the fourth quarter. When he returned, he held a bag of ice on top of his head and did not return to the game due to concussion protocol.

“I was just wanting to sacrifice my body for the team, and I’m kind of glad I did because the rest of the guys responded,” said better players goes down With Blue Devil fans fully it’s gotta be next guy up.” expecting Jonesboro head The next guy was Bur- coach Wes Swift to employ gess, who was held score- a heavy double-team on less through the first half. Moore, as he did in last It didn’t take the 6-4 for- year’s 6A state championward long to step up. ship game when Jonesboro Burgess sank a layup with held the Blue Devil star to 38 seconds left in the third just 6 field-goal attempts, quarter to give the Blue the Hurricane defense Devils a 36-32 lead. Then didn’t resemble the swarmhe opened the fourth quar- ing method that teams are ter with a key three-point- starting to use on the 6-6 er, which ignited a 7-0 run standout, by the visitors. Moore hit most of his Burgess hit 10 points in 19 points in the paint, but the fourth quarter. stepped out to sink a pair “The last couple of games of mid-range jumpers, have been hard for us,” “We knew we were a bet-Burgess explained. “All ter team than we should the of our guys played good last few games,” Brown tonight, though, not just pointed out. “To be honest, me.”

we’re a better road team Also receiving kudos than we are at home. There from Brown for the effort are less distractions. Chris were 5-7 junior Deon Wil- was really good before liams for his defense and he got hurt, but I thought senior point guard Cavin Deon and Burgess played Paige, who only scored 2 really strong for us.”

points, but he “ran a good West Memphis openedup floor game,” according a pair of nine-point leads to Brown on his way to 4 in the fourth quarter thanks assists.

to Paige’s deft vision when With a well-disguised Brown decided to spread match-up zone to open the Jonesboro defense, the game, the Blue Devil Paige found Corliss Brewer defense confounded the with a no-look 25-foot pass Hurricane (12-5, 3-1) and with 4:50 to play to give mixed with some straight the Blue Devils a 43-34 man-to-man in the second lead, half the visitors held Jones- “Big Daddy played an boro to a 7 of 21 shooting outstanding floor game,” performance in the first Brown said, half and just 11 of 37 for Later, Burgess swished the game (.297 percent- a pair of free throws with age).

1:15 to play to give West Meanwhile, the Blue Memphis a 53-43 lead.

Devils shook off a 7 of 25 It was West Memphis’ effort from the floor in the second straight win at first half and used a spread Hurricane Gym, where attack in the second half to last year the Blue Devils go 12 of 21 from the field. snapped the Hurricane’s With just 6.6 seconds left home winning streak at 69 before halftime and the games.

Blue Devils looking to Brewer added 9 points for take a 22-21 lead into the the winners while Jamal locker room, Jonesboro Macklin tallied 7.

sophomore Kelyn McBride McBride paced Jonesboro took the ball the length with 12 points, all coming of the floor and sank a on three-pointers, while three-pointer at the buzzer Leech contributed 8.

to get the Hurricane crowd The Blue Devils return to into it and momentum action Friday night at home heading into the second against Paragould.

half.

Jamal Macklin (4) scored 7

Photo by Billy Woods