Zi Crawford and Tyrell Markray have competed against each other already this season. Last time, it was on the football field and Markray’s North Webster side upset Crawford’s Tide in The Pit.
On Wednesday night at The Palace, Crawford got a small taste of revenge as Minden beat North webster 73-52 in the first round of the Holiday Classic on Wednesday night in Minden.
“Our scoring was balanced and that’s always a good sign for our team,” Minden head coach Rennie Bailey said.
Cedric Emerson and Curtis Carter both led Minden with 15 points. Crawford had 11 of his own and Kendrick Crawford also had 11 points.
“Kendrick did a great job on the interior for us, rebounding the ball and and defending inside,” Bailey said. “Our scouting report instructed the guys to body up their big guys and keep their hands straight up. He followed the plan well.”
The win improves Minden’s record to 7-5. The Tide will have to wait for a result from Thursday’s game between Mansfield and Homer to see who they play next.
Regardless, the Tide will play on Friday night at 8 p.m. in The Pit with a shot at playing in the finals of the tournament if they win.
Elsewhere in the first round, Lakeside fell to Homer, 76-67.
“We just didn’t do enough to win,” Lakeside head coach Marlon McDaniel said. “We did too many small things wrong and not enough big things right.”
Austin Sims set a new career high with 26 points, but it wasn’t enough to lift the Warriors on into the second round.
“We’re going to work toward being more consistent,” McDaniel said.
Lakeside (6-6) moves into the consolation bracket and will play today at 5:20 p.m. against Gibsland-Coleman.
Holiday Classic scores:
Lakeview 78 –
Red River 70,
Camden, Ar. 69 –
Union Parish 49,
Mansfield 52 –
Gibsland-Coleman 37,
Calvary 49 –
Northwood 46