Southern
Sports & Travel
Madison-Ridgeland
Academy used a 12-3 second quarter run to break open what had been a close
contest en-route to a 57-42 Class AAA Division I semi-final win over Parklane
last night at MRA.
Senior
point guard Jordan Hubbard scored 20 points in leading the Patriots who will now
take on top ranked and defending Overall Champion Jackson Prep. Prep defeated
Jackson Academy 53-36 in the late semi-final game last night.
MRA
started their matchup with Parklane sluggishly as both teams attempted to
establish a rhythm offensively but the Patriots would ultimately overcome a
first quarter that included five turnovers and difficulty defending the
Pioneers in the paint.
Parklane
would grab a brief lead at 2-1 less than two minutes into the contest on Tyler
Stutzman’s basket in the paint but MRA would control the remaining six minutes
of the quarter.
Jordan
Hubbard would get a driving lay-in and convert on two free throws to give the
Patriots a 5-3 lead with 3:33 remaining in the quarter.
(Above) Clinton Moses (#24) of MRA goes strong to the basket for 2 of his 15 points
Clinton
Moses canned a jumper from the elbow at the 3:02 mark to extend the MRA lead to
7-3.
Parklane
grabbed some much needed momentum after MRA’s Caleb Scufelt nailed a 17 foot
jumper as MRA maintained a four point edge at 9-5.
Justin
Brent served up an assist to Tyler Stuzman following an MRA turnover and Brent
would connect on one of two free throws to narrow the deficit to one point at
9-8 to end the quarter.
Parklane
would regain the lead at 10-9 to open the second quarter as Tyler Stutzman hit
two free throws and a Zach Stutzman free throw at the 6:59 mark would give
Parklane their biggest and last lead of the night at 11-9.
MRA
knotted the game at 11-11 on a Caleb Shufelt jumper from the baseline and took
the lead for good at the 4:59 mark on two Sean Rawlings free throws.
A
Clinton Moses offensive rebound and put back with 2:06 left in the half
extended the lead to 16-11.
After
a Parklane free throw Jordan Hubbard drained a 3-pointer from the wing and
Hubbard followed up with a fast break basket to wrap up a 12-3 run and give the
Patriots their biggest lead of the half at 21-12 with 1:10 left.
Parklane
would get a Justin Brent lay-in to close the half looking at a 21-14 deficit.
Third
ranked MRA show little signs of sluggishness to open the third quarter.
Caleb
Shufelt hit a 3-pointer from the wing less than twenty seconds into the half to
push the Patriot lead to ten points at 24-14 and MRA would tack on another six
points to finish off a 9-2 run and grab their biggest lead at 30-16 with 4:16
remaining in the third quarter.
(Above) Parklane's Zach Stutzman (#24) with a baseline drive in the second half
Brady
Lea’s baseline drive stopped the bleeding for Parklane and the Pioneers would
pull to within nine points at 34-25 on a Lea jumper from the elbow with 1:46
left in the quarter.
Two
Jordan Hubbard free throws pushed the MRA lead back to double digits at 36-25
to end the quarter.
Parklane
would pull to within nine points once more at 36-27 on a Justin Brent basket to
start the final quarter of play but MRA began pulling away.
A
Jordan Hubbard bucket was followed by a 3-pointer from Matt Porter at the 6:23
mark to extend the MRA lead back out to 41-27.
After
Parklane battled back to close the gap to ten points at 50-40 MRA answered with
seven straight points to take a 57-40 lead with 38 seconds remaining.
MRA
improves to 23-13 on the season while Parklane falls to 20-8.
Jordan
Hubbard led the Patriots with a game high 20 points, Clinton Moses added 15,
Caleb Shufelt 12, Sean Rawlings 7 and Matt Porter 3.
Parklane
was led by Tyler Stutzman and Brady Lea who each had 10 points, Spencer Remley
and Justin Brent added 6 each, Zach Stutzman 5 and Philip Strawn 4.
The
Pioneers will take on Jackson Academy this evening in the consolation game.
