Third-quarter run enough for Comets

4A-5 BOYS MILLS 54, JOE T. ROBINSON 48

Things were going Joe T. Robinson’s way for more than half of Friday night’s 4A-5 matchup with Mills at Robinson’s gym in Little Rock.

Then suddenly, they were not.

Mills, trailing by six points 1:10 into the second half, outscored Robinson 18-5 over the final 6:50 of the third quarter to take a lead it never relinquished in a hard-fought 5448 victory.

Robinson Coach Anwar Hardin said the Senators did exactly what he wanted them to do in first possession of the third quarter when Mills came out in matchup zone.

Sam Chapin’s basket made it 25-19 for Robinson.

“We did a good job of being patient and waiting until we got what we wanted,” Hardin said, “and then we didn’t do it anymore.

“Sometimes you go down there and try to do more on one possession than you need to.”

Mills Coach Raymond Cooper said the Comets (147, 9-1) overcame cold first-half shooting with tenacious defense in the second half.

“They were driving it right down our throats. and we had to stop it,” Cooper said. “Offensively, we were getting the shots we wanted. We just weren’t making them.”

Mills, led by OJ King’s 16 points and 13 from Jaylin Ento, went up 37-30 after three quarters and increased the advantage to 46-37 before the Senators rallied to make it 49-48 with 1:12 to play.

Robinson had the ball with a chance to take the lead when Chase Nichols (nine points) crumpled to the floor, and the ball went back to Mills.

“He was going to change direction, and when he changed directions he said his shoulder popped out of place and he couldn’t dribble,” Hardin said. “That’s a tough way to lose it.”

King, who missed 6 of his first 7 free throws, went 3 for 3 in the final minute as Mills stayed ahead.

“Luckily we made those last few down the stretch or it would have really got interesting.” Cooper said.

Jaylen Bozeman (12 points), Nichols (9) and Chapin (9) led Robinson (119, 8-4).

The Senators hit 10 of 19 shots in the first half but were 8 of 24 in the second half.

Mills, which was 8 of 25 in the first half, hit 12 of 23 in the second half.

“Everything started with the defense, and defense held us together when we were playing really poor offense,” Cooper said.

GIRLS ROBINSON 47, MILLS 20

AJ Mason scored 15 points, and the Lady Senators defeated winless Mills (0-15, 0-9).

Jolie Rivera led Mills with 11 points.