PARKVIEW SURVIVES FAIR A FOURTH TIME

Little Rock Parkview Coach Al Flanigan said he knew going in to Thursday night's game that there was at least one disadvantage to playing a team the Patriots had already defeated three times this season by at least 12 points. So he wasn't surprised that it took a fourth-quarter comeback for Parkview to earn a 48-40 semifinal victory over Little Rock Fair in the 5A-Central Conference Tournament at Hornet Gymnasium in Maumelle. Behind brothers Kris and Deaveon Bankston and junior point guard Kameron Stafford, Fair led 23-21 at halftime, 31-25 midway through the third quarter and 38-32 after a free throw by senior Kris Bankston with 6:48 left in the fourth quarter. "Like I told somebody last night, you can play a team too many times," Flanigan said. "They'll figure you out. I was scared. I was scared to play them." Bankston's point would be the last for Fair over most of the next five minutes, and Parkview took control behind senior forward Javon Franklin. Franklin had scored 6 points through the first three quarters, but he scored 7 over 4 fourth-quarter minutes, and Parkview (24-5) took a 42-38 lead on his slam dunk with 2:48 left in the game. Franklin led Parkview with 13 points. Senior forward Khalil Garland scored 12. Junior Deaveon Bankston scored 12 points to lead Fair. Kris Bankston added 11. As Parkview built its late lead, Fair (16-11) failed to score on 10 consecutive possessions, a run of futility that included 5 missed shots, 5 turnovers, and 2 missed free throws. Fair Coach Charlie Johnson said his team's lack of depth crippled it late. "We just got tired," Johnson said. "We ran out of gas. They got us running, which is their game plan, and we were just too tired."

Parkview Magnet High School Athletics

PARKVIEW SURVIVES FAIR A FOURTH TIME

Photo Credit: Parkview High School Athletics