NEWS
JOSEPH FONDREN
Blytheville Courier News | 2/28/2018
Blytheville Courier News | 2/28/2018
Photo Credit: Blytheville High School Athletics
CHICKS TO PLAY LR CHRISTIAN IN STATE OPENER
The Blytheville Chickasaws (16-12) will look to extend their season Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. as they play the Little Rock Christian Academy Warriors (20-8) in the 5A State Tournament in Maumelle.
"We play a very good Little Rock Christian team that finished second in the 5A Central. Good ball club. They have a very good point guard who is committed to play for the Arkansas Razorbacks. He is just a junior. They got a good big kid who's about 6'9 and 270. Then they have a couple of kids who can shoot the ball," Chickasaws head coach McKenzie Pierce explained. "The main thing with the state tournament is you know it's special and unique. You talk about offseason, you get in tournament play and you play in different tournaments that are win or go home and now it’s really win or go home. But at the end of the day, you just got to show up and play ball. This is my fourth year in the state tournament and I feel like the team that shows up and is the most aggressive from the get-go, especially in that first game, has a good chance to come out on top."
Pierce said that last year's group didn’t know what to expect because it was Blytheville’s first time in the state tournament in several years. This year’s group is different.
"Kind of a year ago, it was the first time Blytheville had been back in the state tournament in six or seven years. I felt like my guys were kind of timid, they haven't been there. I got four or five guys that were there last year so they kind of know what to expect. Other than that you just have to go out and we are going to be prepared, but just got to go out with focus and play hard," Pierce said.
The Chickasaws are coming off a 59-58 victory over the Wynne YellowJackets in the 5A East third-fourth place game Saturday. The Chicks lost 55-51 in the semifinals matchup to the Valley View Blazers.
Chickasaw senior guard Tremaine Jamison led the way for the Chickasaws against the Yellowjackets with 19 points. Classmate Tony Newmy, Jr. added 14 points.
Joseph Fondren
Blytheville Courier News | 2/28/2018
Blytheville Courier News | 2/28/2018
