Slocum takes Down Milford for Playoff Positioning

By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter

CENTERVILLE – While other teams were at home gearing up for the playoffs, the Slocum Mustangs and Milford Bulldogs had one last game to play to see who would finish as the second seed from District 27-1A and who would be third.

Milford had defeated Slocum on Jan. 20 by a score of 59-57. Slocum returned the favor on Valentine’s Day night by beating Milford by a score of 55-49. The win by Slocum meant the Mustangs and Bulldogs would need a third game to determine who would finish second behind Laneville.

The game tipped off at high noon on Saturday, Feb. 18 and when all was said and done it was the Mustangs who galloped away with the second seed after they defeated Milford by a final score of 63-57.

The Mustangs jumped out to a 14-9 after the first quarter on eight points from Taylor Hunt and six from Alex Maldonado while the Bulldogs were led by Ta’Ron Smith and De’Vonteh Williams with three apiece. Parker High had two and Jarvis Harris converted one of two from the free throw line to close out the first eight minutes of play.

The second was quarter was a reversal of fortunes as Milford scored 15 and Slocum dropped in 10 to knot the score at 24 as the teams headed to the locker room for halftime.

Hunt scored six second quarter points for Slocum while Keet Cockerham added a pair of free throws and Jacob Lane netted a basket.

Milford was paced by Smith with eight points in the second period. He was joined in the scoring column by Harris and High with three apiece while Ricky Pendleton chipped in a free throw to close out the first half.

As the second half got underway, the Bulldogs forged out a two point and led by a score of 42-40 after three periods of play.

Hunt knocked down a trio of 3-pointers in the third for nine points while Travis Neal also d
rained a shot from behind the arc for three. Cockerham and Maldonado both added two to round out the Slocum third quarter point production.

James McIntyre led the way for the Bulldogs with six points in the third while a trio of Milford players – High, Smith and Markavian Thompson – all had three. Pendleton added a two to give the Bulldogs a two-point lead with eight minutes left to play.

The fourth quarter belonged to Maldonado as he knocked 12 of his game high 27 points. Lane and Taylor each had four while Neal added two and Tate Cleveland added a free throw to account for the Mungs’ point production.

The Bulldogs got six points from M. Thompson and four from Smith. Pendleton and D. Thompson had two apiece and McIntyre added one to bring the final score to 63-57, in favor of Slocum.

On the game, the Bulldogs were led by Ta’Ron Smith with 16. Markavian Thompson went for nine, Parker High netted eight and James McIntyre dropped in seven. Ricky Pendleton had five, Jarvis Harris and De’Vonteh Williams both had four and De’Juan Thompson chipped in two.

The Mustangs were led by Taylor Hunt with 27 points and Alex Maldonado with 20. Jacob lane dropped in six, Travis Neal had five, Keet Cockerham netted four and Tate Cleveland added one.

PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE LIMERICK

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].