MCINTOSH RESCUES CENTRAL FROM COLLAPSE

CONWAY -- Rajhon McIntosh took a hard fall during a game a week ago. On Saturday, the Little Rock Central junior hit a hard shot for a game-winner. McIntosh connected on a turnaround 12-footer with 36.7 seconds left and the Tigers held on for a 53-51 victory over the Pine Bluff Zebras in a wild game in the John Stanton Classic at Buzz Bolding Arena. Central (3-4) held a 25-point lead 10 minutes into the contest but Pine Bluff (5-3) scored the first 13 points of the third quarter and eventually grabbed a three-point lead with 2:10 to play. However, a three-pointer by senior guard Henry Dudley and McIntosh's clutch shot allowed the Tigers to escape. Pine Bluff junior Kaleb Higgins was long on a 25-foot attempt in the game's final seconds. McIntosh finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Central Coach Oliver Fitzpatrick said McIntosh's game-winner was exactly the kind of shot he wants out of the 6-3 forward. "McIntosh is a baseline player," Fitzpatrick said. "We're very comfortable with him down on the baseline operating. That's what he is." McIntosh suffered a hard fall in Central's Jammin for Jackets fifth-place game against Little Rock Fair a week ago. Fitzpatrick said he held McIntosh out of any contact the next four days and did not play him in Friday's loss to Bentonville West. "That was frustrating," McIntosh said. "I want to help the team anyway I can, but [Friday] I had to chill on the bench." "He didn't get a concussion, but we held him out for several days just as a precaution," Fitzpatrick said. "He came back and helped us out a lot today." Central hit 9 of its first 13 field-goal attempts and eventually held a 31-6 advantage two minutes into the second quarter. Jakaylyn Jackson scored 13 of his 17 points in the first half as the Tigers held a 37-18 advantage at the half. "We did not come out ready to play," said Pine Bluff Coach Billy Dixon, whose team was 3 of 15 from the floor in the first quarter and 7 of 27 in the first half. "That was not who we are. We're young, but we can't use that as an excuse. We're inexperienced, but we can't use that as an excuse." Higgins sparked the Zebras' comeback. The 5-7 junior point guard hit two three-pointers in the final minutes of the second quarter. He scored eight points and made two steals during the third quarter, and he finished with 20 points. "He's the best scorer on the team. He's the best shooter," Dixon said. "I think I got into his head a little bit in the first half because I told him we wanted to get the ball to the rack, so we weren't looking for his shots. I finally told him 'shoot the ball.' When his shots started to fall, the other guys started being more selective of their shots. We finally got the shots we wanted to take." Pine Bluff finished 20 of 55 from the floor and 5 of 19 on three-pointers. Central attempted only 10 field-goal attempts in the second and was 22 of 34 for the game. Pine Bluff held a 9-1 advantage in steals. Dudley and Jaylin Sasser each finished with nine for Central. Senior Kendrick Thorn scored eight of his 12 points in the second half for Pine Bluff. Central played without starting guard A.J. Williams, who was dealing with a death in his family.

Central High School Athletics

MCINTOSH RESCUES CENTRAL FROM COLLAPSE

Photo Credit: Central Athletics