DEC. 11 CORRECTION: A different team was listed as playing against Jonesboro in the Dec. 10 basketball game. Jonesboro played the West Memphis Blue Devils. JonesboroRightNow apologizes for the error.

Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Dec. 11, 2024 – The Jonesboro Hurricanes varsity boys’ basketball team cruised to a 7-0 overall record after defeating the West Memphis Blue Devils on Tuesday at the Don Riggs Hurricane Gym.

The Hurricanes got the better of a lopsided scoreline, as the game ended 72-43. For the Blue Devils, the loss demoted them to a 6-3 overall record on the year.

The game got off to a compelling pace from tipoff. West Memphis’s Ladarrius Brown drained a 3-point shot coming off a crossover dribble to open up the scoring. Without hesitation, the hosts quickly got the ball back in play and up the front court to Brian Knowlton, who caught Brown out and swiftly got the layup to go plus the foul.

Knowlton’s conversion from the line tied it up. After a stop, Jonesboro came back with another 3-point possession when Knowlton swung the ball out to Dejavius Johnson, who buried the shot.

Both teams hunkered down on defense for a few possessions until Jonesboro’s CJ Larry crossed over his defender, took it straight into the interior defense, and finished through contact. The score was 8-3. 

West Memphis’s DeCambren Holmes hit a pair of free throws. Then, Deangelo Craig found Daveyun Glenn for a 3-point make in the corner, tying the game 8-8.

The Blue Devils gained some early momentum in the quarter when their two consecutive 3-point shots went down, forcing Jonesboro head coach Wes Swift to call a timeout. The Blue Devils held a 14-10 lead.

Coming out of the break, Larry looked for the open man, finding teammates on back-to-back possessions and claiming assists. Rutherford commanded attention from multiple Blue Devils defenders to set up his teammates for easy baskets. The efficient offense saw the home team end the first quarter up 21-16. 

Jonesboro carried this success with them into the next quarter. While West Memphis landed the first blow of the quarter scoring on the fast break, Larry continued to orchestrate the offense and found teammates on back-to-back possessions for two more assists. After another score, the Hurricanes had doubled the lead, with the score 28-18.

West Memphis’s Craig ended what became a 9-0 run when he made good on both shots from the line. Points were rarer for the Blue Devils in this quarter, as their opponents went on a 6-0 run which ended when Holmes’ score made it 35-22. Later in the quarter, Kelen Smith broke free in transition and amazed the home crowd with a ferocious dunk. When the quarter ended, Jonesboro was ahead 39-23.

The second half opened up to a frantic sequence. The teams collectively forced five turnovers in a row, and both offenses were stalled out. The Blue Devils struck first when Glenn finished near the basket despite the foul.

Moments later, Holmes got the shot to go after losing footing on his drive to the basket. His shot narrowed the deficit to just 13 points, but Jonesboro quickly regained its leeway by going on an 11-5 run.  Coach Swift opted to call timeout when Craig’s 3-point shot made the score 52-36. Swift and the Hurricanes approached the fourth quarter holding tightly to the large lead of 55-36. 

The Blue Devils found it difficult to create scoring opportunities, while the hosts’ long ball remained effective. Jonesboro’s ever-present effort was encouraged by the home crowd, whose chants of “defense” could be heard nearly until the final whistle.

Junior TJ Brown of Jonesboro registered a score late in the ball game which gave his team a 30-point lead. When the final whistle sounded, the Hurricanes had beaten the Blue Devils 72-43. 

Jonesboro will try to maintain their unbeaten record when they square off with PURE Academy on Friday.