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Mules open Showdown with win over Forrest City
POPLAR BLUFF — Leading by 11 late in the first half, the Poplar Bluff boys basketball team found itself down seven early in the third quarter Monday night.
The Mules answered with nine straight points then gave up just three buckets in the fourth quarter to beat Forrest City (Ark.) 74-66 to open the 34th Poplar Bluff Showdown.
“I think we got up and we kind of went away from what was successful,” Mules coach William Durden said. “Forrest City, they play hard. They got a rebound and pushed out on us, we didn’t get back.”
Once the Mules were able to slow down the Mustangs, Poplar Bluff was able to regain control.
“Tonight wasn’t our best game,” said Poplar Bluff senior Darian Webb, who had a game-high 21 points.
“I know what we’re capable of, so I know we can come back and do what we do.”
Webb hit 5 of 10 shots from the field and 9 of 11 free throws to go with four assists and three steals. Darius Graham had 14 points off the bench on 7 of 11 shooting while Gage Rivers had 13 points and seven assists for the Mules (7-2).
Poplar Bluff faces Haywood (Tenn.) at 7 p.m. Tuesday night after the Tomcats suffered their first loss of the season Monday. The Mules close the tournament against Fayetteville (Ark.), which beat Haywood 75-52.
“Moving forward we’ve got to be a lot better than that,” Durden said. “Haywood is going to be tough, Fayetteville is going to be tough. Every team we’re going to play down the road is going to be tough.”
The Mustangs (5-4) used an 18-3 run to end the first half to take a 43-39 lead into the break.
Kesean Washington’s 17 points led Forrest City while Robert Echols added 12 and Marcus Britt chipped in 11 off the bench.
“We’ve got to capitalize on other team’s mistakes,” Mustangs coach Marucs Britt said.
Forrest City scored 29 points off turnovers but couldn’t overcome a 6 of 22 shooting performance from the field in the second half.
Down 48-41 two minutes into the third quarter, the Mules answered when Torrence Williams scored off a pass from Gavin Rivers and later off a pass from Webb, who sank a free throw after a steal by Rivers. MarLon Hickman-Roberson tied it at 48-all off a pass from Webb, who later set up Williams in the paint to cap a 9-0 run.
Poplar Bluff took a 58-57 lead into the fourth and after the teams traded baskets and the lead, the Mules were able to pull away with defense.
“The fourth quarter I thought we guarded a lot better starting out,” Durden said.
Webb’s steal led to a pair of free throws for a 62-59 advantage before the senior drew a charge. He later sank a pair of one-and-one chances at the line to help push Poplar Bluff’s lead to six.
The Mustangs ended a field goal drought after four minutes but missed a chance to pull closer.
Graham scored off a pass from Webb who later scored off a pass from Gage Rivers with two minutes left to push the margin back to six.
Forrest City didn’t get a field goal over the final 3:09 as the Mules finished the game on a 8-4 swing.
“We trusted coach’s plan, he told us to stay calm and do what we do,” Webb said.
“We weren’t doing good on transition defense, so we had to buckle down and communicate some.”
Poplar Bluff’s Jeridon Young scored eight points on 4 of 5 shooting in the first half before leaving the game with an injury. The junior who missed the second half of last season with a knee injury had ice on the same leg at halftime.
“He was playing well,” Durden said. “Hopefully it’s nothing serious. We kind of missed him in the second half.”
The Mules led 21-15 heading into the second quarter after jumping out to an 11-4 lead to start.
Washington’s 3-pointer pulled the Mustangs within 29-25 but Gage Rivers answered with a drive and Gavin Rivers scored seconds later. Webb later sank a 3-pointer, Poplar Bluff’s last of the game, for a 36-25 lead with 2:57 left in the half.
Forrest City got steals from Echols and Britt to cut into the lead and also forced three more turnovers during an 18-3 run. The Mustangs sank 8 of 10 free throws in that span and finished 24 of 32 at the line.
“I thought we gave up a lot of free throws in the first half and didn’t shoot many,” Durden said. “They kept attacking the basket and we were settling for jump shots. I thought in the second half we did a lot better job of attacking the paint.”
In a matchup of the two smallest rosters in the tournament, Poplar Bluff finished plus-2 on rebounds while Forrest City had eight second-chance points.
The Mules had seven players with multiple rebounds led by five each from Gavin Rivers and Graham.
Forrest City was led by Randle’s six as seven players finished with multiple rebounds.
“It’s got to be together as a team,” Britt said of rebounding. “My tallest guy is 6-2, 6-3. We’ve got to box out as a team.”
The Mustangs face South Side of Jackson, Tennessee, at 4 p.m. Tuesday before wrapping up against Memphis Overton at the same time Wednesday.