Mena Bearcats Look to Re-Group in Regionals

The Mena Bearcats lost a couple of heartbreakers in the 7-4A Conference Tournament last week at the Union Bank Center. The regular season conference champions will enter this week’s regional tournament as the fourth seed from the 7-4A Conference. Mena dropped a 59-57 decision to Nashville in Thursday’s semi-finals. Then the Bearcats came out flat against Arkadelphia in Saturday’s third place consolation contest, as the Badgers escaped with a 65-59 overtime victory.

As the conference regular season champs, Mena drew a bye until Thursday night’s semi-finals. The Bearcats were leading late in the first half 31-27 when Nashville’s De’Vay Ragland banked in a wild 26 footer at the buzzer to send the Scrappers to the locker room with all the momentum.

Nashville led at the end of the third quarter 44-35, and extended the lead to 12 before the Bearcats responded to the hometown crowd’s backing. Playing without leading scorer Connor Harvey, the Bearcats battled back to cut the Nashville lead to 57-55 on a follow shot by Zeb Wilson. But a potential game-winning shot by Daniel Davis missed the mark and the Scrappers squeaked out the 59-57 win. Nashville went on to win the tournament by beating Bauxite 60-55 Saturday night.

Zane Stephens led Mena with 16 points, including three – three point baskets. Nick Myers also had 16 for the Bearcats. Wilson pitched in 10, and Brock Strother added eight.

The Bearcats were obviously still feeling the affects of Thursday night’s tough loss when they took the court in the third place consolation contest Saturday afternoon against Arkadelphia in action heard live on KQOR 105.3..

Mena had easily defeated the Badgers on three different occasions during the regular season but the Bearcats struggled in this important consolation contest.  Mena led 10-9 at the end of the opening quarter as Brock Strother had seven points. Arkadelphia led 26-23 at the half, and extended the lead to 40-31 at the end of the third quarter.

After the Badgers went up by double digits at 42-31, the Bearcats came to life. Mena cut the lead to 50-44 with two minutes to play. Daniel Davis and Connor Harvey hit three point baskets on back-to-back possessions to tie the game at 50.

Arkadelphia went up 55-52 before Harvey knocked down a trey with six seconds to go in regulation to send the game to overtime.

By this time, Nick Myers and Davis had fouled out of the contest leaving Mena short-handed in the extra period. Arkadelphia outscored the Bearcats 10-4 in overtime to escape with the 65-59 upset victory.

The Bearcats, now 19-8 on the season, open up the 4A-South Regional Tournament against Magnolia, the top seed from the 8-4A Conference. The Panthers are 18-4 on the year. Mena and Magnolia will tip it off at approximately 8:30 Wednesday night at the Union Bank Center. Phillip Wilson and Todd Aynes will have the play-by-play action on KQOR 105.3.

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Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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