Slow Start Hurts

Greenville Lions trail early in loss to Paris
November 28, 2010

By David Claybourn
Herald-Banner Sports Editor

A seven-minute scoreless drought hurt the Greenville Lions in a 70-60 non-district basketball loss to Paris on Saturday in the Lions Den.

Dartanon Wilson banked in a putback for the Lions in the opening 10 seconds to give Greenville the first lead. The Lions didn't score again for more than seven minutes as they fell behind 13-2.

"That put us in a deep, deep hole," said Lions coach Marcus Smith.

Ladarrien Davis finally broke the spell with a bucket with 41 seconds left in the quarter but the Lions never could overtake the Wildcats as Greenville remained winless for the season at 0-4. Paris improved to 2-0 with its second victory over a District 10-4A member. The 3A Wildcats also whipped Sulphur Springs 61-39 on Tuesday night.

Greenville made numerous runs at the Wildcats.

"We'd get close and every time we'd get close we'd turn it over," said Smith. "I can't get on my kids' effort but they need to take better care of the ball."

Greenville trailed 15-4 after one quarter and 23-8 early in the second period.

Jaquentin Patt woke up the Lions' sleeping offense, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers and then a third one as the Lions closed to within 27-20 with 1:53 left in the second quarter. Ladarrien Davis scored off a feed from Patt. Wilson and Oshay Carter then hit back-to-back shots to pull the Lions to within 33-27 at halftime.

Sawyer Harmon helped the Lions creep as close as three points twice in the third quarter as he nailed a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws.

But the Wildcats went on an 8-0 run to stretch the lead back up to 46-35.

Blake Taylor scored a couple of buckets in the third quarter and Davis blocked a shot as Greenville stayed within 48-42.

Taylor scored off an assist from Wilson as the Lions closed to within 48-44 early in the fourth quarter.

But Charod Hall answered with a 3-pointer from Paris.

The Lions got as close as four points two more times after Taylor sank two free throws and later set Shay Sellers up for a bucket.

But A.D. Burns fired in back-to-back shots as the Paris lead climbed back up to 59-51 with 3:09 remaining.

Paris answered every Greenville bucket the rest of the game.

Cory Battle pumped in 18 points to lead the Wildcats and Burns added 15.

Davis topped the Lions with 13 points. Patt added 10, while Harmon, Wilson and Taylor all finished with nine each.

That was the Lions' last home game in 2010. Their next scheduled home game is against District 10-4A foe Mount Pleasant on Jan. 4. They'll take on No. 18 state-ranked Frisco on Tuesday night in Frisco.

Varsity boys

Paris 15 18 15 20 --70

Greenville 4 23 15 18 --60

P: J.D. Milton 5, Cory Battle 18, Charod Hall 3, Tyric Williams 8, Tevin Gray 3, Dee Bogan 4, Broderick Reed 8, A.D. Burns 15, Eric Horton 4, Tez Allen 2.

G: Jaquentin Patt 10, Ladarrien Davis 13, Sawyer Harmon 9, Dartanon Wilson 9, Oshay Carter 2, Blake Taylor 9, Shay Sellers 2, Kenneth Neal 6.

Records: P 2-0, G 0-4.

Next game: Greenville at Frisco, 9-B, JV-B, V-B, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Junior varsity boys

Paris 22 23 15 21 --81

Greenville 9 18 23 15 --65

P: Williams 17, McDonald 14, Reynolds 12, Ellis 10.

G: Travis Reed 20, Jamar Clark 16, Derius Mitchell 8.

Freshman boys

Paris 21 21 14 22 --78

Greenville 6 10 14 18 --48

P: Mason 16, Reed 13, Baucom 10, King 10.

G: Collen Wilburn 21, Marlon Mack 7, Jackson Watts 9, Jerry Dickeson 6, Oliver Phelps 5.