Concord’s Junior Boys continue to dominate as they defeated Quitman 59-24 on Tuesday evening in Concord, giving them an unblemished 20-0 record for the season, which includes the Greers Ferry Lake Classic championship and Julian Martin Classic title.
On the Junior Pirates’ first possession, Ryan Cornelison ripped a 3-pointer from right corner but Quitman responded with four straight as Chase Stewart drove the left side for a layup and Hunter Martin got a stick back.
With Quitman leading by one, Concord closed the first quarter on a 13-0 run as Jacob Roark drove left baseline and dished to Ethan Hebert for two and Hebert added a free throw before Cornelison got a stick back, plus contact.
After Cornelison completed the 3-point play, Roark nailed a 3-pointer from right corner then he swiped a steal and scored as Quitman called timeout with 1:36 left in the first period.
Already leading by 10, Cornelison pulled down a tough offensive rebound and scored in traffic, giving the Jr. Pirates a 16-4 lead entering the second quarter.
Quitman’s Chase Freeman opened the second with a jumper in the lane but Concord scored four straight as Hebert made a pair of free throws and A.J. Cannon scored on a breakaway layup off an assist from Roark.
Freeman fired back with a runner from left baseline but Roark drilled a 3-pointer from left corner before Sawyer Johnson canned a jump shot from right elbow off an inbounds play.
The Junior Pirates scored four consecutive as Hebert hit a short jumper over three Junior Bulldog defenders and Roark made a basket underneath off an inbounds play but Fremman sank a free throw before Cornelison hit two from the line following a steal by Hebert.
Stewart and Dakota Bohannan each made a free throw for Quitman before Concord closed the first half with a 6-0 spurt as Luke Cornett buried a pull up jumper from left wing, Cornelison turned a steal into a free throw and Cameron Reesor drained a 3-pointer from right corner off an assist from Cornelison, giving the Jr. Pirates a 35-13 lead at halftime.
Roark slashed down left baseline and finished with a double-clutch shot in the lane to begin the third quarter but Freeman made a free throw and Stewart drove the lane and used a finger roll for two.
Concord fired back with four consecutive as Hebert used a power dribble for a bucket inside and Cannon got a stick back but Trey Jackson turned an offensive rebound into two free throws for Quitman, leaving the Jr. Pirates ahead 41-18.
Roark grabbed a defensive rebound and cruised coast-to-coast for a layup then Cornett found Roark in the open floor for another bucket before Freeman scored in transition. Concord scored the next seven as Hanse Bowman made a bucket from left block off an assist from Cornelison then Roark ripped a 3-pointer from left elbow before he swiped a steal and hit Cornett, who lobbed back to Roark for an amazing alley-oop finish, which extended the Jr. Pirates’ lead to 32. Quitman’s Hunter Bridges connected on two from the line late in the third quarter, leaving the Jr. Bulldogs behind 52-22.
With the clock running continuously, Concord outscored Quitman 7-2 in the final six minutes of play as Bowman popped a 3-pointer from right wing and Jaylynn Bradford made a free throw before Caleb Freeman hit an off-balance jumper from left baseline. Reesor fired back with a 3-pointer from left corner, setting the final at 59-24.
Chase Freeman scored six points to lead Quitman and Stewart added five. Roark poured in a game-high 21 points for Concord while Cornelison followed with 11, Hebert had nine and Reesor added six.
Concord, Ark. —
