Wildcats fall to Vienna in OT

<p class="p1">The Anna-Jonesboro Community High School boys’ basketball team couldn’t recover from a poor shooting first quarter in 70-65 loss in overtime to host Vienna in the Class 2A Regional Wednesday,  Feb. 24.</p><p class="p1">The Wildcats were 1 of 13 in shot attempts in that first quarter and trailed 8-3 after the frame.</p><p class="p1">“We had a bad first quarter,” A-J coach Mike Chamness said. “We couldn’t make a shot. We missed 40 shots and you can’t win like that.”</p><p class="p1">A-J fought back to pull to 25-17 at the half, but was trailing 46-36 headed into the final period. </p><p class="p1">In the final quarter, trailing by 4 with 48 seconds remaining in regulation play, Jake Parr got a rebound on a Hunter Garver 3-point attempt and scored to cut the lead to two. </p><p class="p1">After a timeout by the Eagles, Garver picked off a long pass near midcourt and passed to Parr, who was under the basket and scored to knot the game. Vienna missed a final shot and A-J rebounded and Dakota Earnhart missed a long 3-point attempt at the buzzer.</p><p class="p1">The Wildcats went on a 20-10 run in the final quarter for the 56-56 tie at the end of regulation play.</p><p class="p1">“We were down 11 at one point in the third quarter and we came back in the fourth quarter to tie it up,” Chamness said. “We came out in overtime to take the lead. Our guys just fought hard. But this time of year it comes down to execution and making free throws.”</p><p class="p1">The Eagles took over from the free throw line to make 12 of 14 attempts in the overtime to preserve the win.</p><p class="p1">Parr led the way with 19 points and 5 rebounds for the Wildcats.</p><p class="p1">Sheldon McGrath added 15 points and 4 rebounds. Ryan Stark had 12 points and 3 rebounds. Earnhart had 8 points and 7 rebounds. Garrett Nimmo had 8 points. Garver finished with 3 points and 3 rebounds.</p><p class="p1">The Wildcats were 19 of 37 in shot attempts from the floor, 6 of 30 from 3-point range and 9 of 12 from the free throw line.</p><p class="p1">The Eagles were 19 of 37 in shot attempts from the floor, 4 of 7 from 3-point range and 20 of 23 from the charity stripe.</p><p class="p1">A-J finished the season with a 16-14 overall mark.</p><p class="p1">The Wildcats lose three senior starters to graduation.</p>


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