Supporting Cast Carries The Day

CARDS OVERCOME STAR’S FOUL TROUBLE

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Farmington senior guard Matt Wilson, a 6-feet-2 Delta State signee, squeezes past S.J. Shittu, a 6-feet-9 UCA signee, on the baseline for a layup during the Cardinals’ 54-47 win over Providence Academy Jan. 31.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Farmington senior guard Matt Wilson, a 6-feet-2 Delta State signee, squeezes past S.J. Shittu, a 6-feet-9 UCA signee, on the baseline for a layup during the Cardinals’ 54-47 win over Providence Academy Jan. 31.

FARMINGTON -- With leading scorer Matt Wilson on the bench, his supporting cast asserted themselves, outscoring Providence Academy 18-10 over an 8:13 span on the way to Farmington's 54-47 victory Jan. 31.

"We probably grew up more this game with our players having to learn to play without Matthew Wilson," said Farmington coach Beau Thompson. "The four juniors we play got a little glimpse of what we're going to have to do without him next year. We grew up a lot. Every game we see something a little different as far as defenses go. We're a lot different without Wilson than we are with him. We're a lot more motion when he's on in there. When he's on the court we run a lot of isolation."

Wilson drew three ticky-tack fouls in 1:08 of the four personals he was called for in the third quarter, the first came contesting a shot by Providence's towering 6-feet-9 Nigerian-born S.J. Shittu, who has signed with UCA, at the 6:44 mark. Shittu's free throws pushed Providence ahead, 24-20. Forty seconds later Wilson challenged the Patriots' big man and missed a driving layup, then was whistled for his second foul trying to get a hand on the rebound. On Farmington's next offensive possession, Wilson was called for his third foul, trying to create room to dribble with a defender crowding him. The charging call generated a Cardinal turnover with 5:36 remaining in the third.

Ten seconds past that, another referee broke the trend by awarding a foul to somebody else -- Farmington's Xavier Staten, but the Cardinals knuckled down on defense. Jacob Gray's steal led to a fast-break with Wilson getting to the hoop past Shittu for a layup. The two then traded baskets. Shittu had a catch and score in front of the rim, then Wilson, who signed with Delta State in November, tipped in his own miss after driving to the rack. Shittu threw down a two-handed dunk off an alley-oop pass only to have Wilson answer by switching the ball from his right to left hand while hanging in the air to finish at the other end.

The scoring duel went no further, however, when Wilson was called for his fourth personal foul while rotating over to help defend Shittu. Thompson took time-out and substituted for Wilson with 3:16 to go in the third and Farmington trailing, 28-26.

Shittu put in his own miss while pushing away a defender to put Providence ahead, 30-28. Then Wilson's supporting cast took over. They closed out the last 2:30 of the period on a 10-0 run. Skylar Montez sank four straight free-throws to tie the game. Gray scored a layup on the low block. Taylor Carbonel stole the ball and found Staten, who dribbled down-court and pulled up to nail an 18-feet jumper.

With Providence in-bounding under their own basket, Carbonel caused a turnover by jumping in front of a pass intended for Shittu in the lane. Shittu was called for a foul sending Carbonel to shoot a 1-and-1. He made both and Farmington led 36-30. Braden Thomas broke the run with a 3-pointer to keep Providence within three, at 36-33, as the third quarter ended.

"I don't think we ever gave up an offensive rebound in the second half," Thompson said. "We had a collective effort from five or six kids. There were four different people with buckets. That got us the lead. We scored enough to hold on."

Farmington extended their advantage to nine points with a 9-2 to start the fourth quarter. Montez cashed in on a pair of free throws, Conner Hill made a left-handed layup versus Shittu and Staten twice knocked down pull-up jumpers. Farmington led 44-35 with just under five-and-a-half minutes to play.

Providence guard Braden Thomas, who hit a buzzer-beater to hand Pea Ridge their only loss thus far, hit a 3-pointer, then blocked a Cardinal shot, but Peyton Maxwell made a determined effort and secured the rebound with Farmington leading 45-38. Thompson called time with 3:03 to go to insert Wilson back into the lineup. Carbonel grabbed the rebound of an airball 3-point attempt by Providence and Wilson twice sank 2 of 2 free throws in the stretch run. Farmington claimed a 54-47 win.

Providence led 16-4 after the first quarter, but Farmington narrowed the gap to 20-16 at halftime.

"We got real spread out in the first half, S.K. affected every shot we took down low," Thompson said. "The kids got regrouped at halftime."

Farmington 54, Providence Academy 47

Providence Academy^16^4^13^14^--^47

Farmington^5^11^20^18^--^54

Providence (17-9): Braden Thomas 14, S.K. Shittu 12, Loveless 6, Taylor Weber 6, Sivina 4, Adam Philip 3, Riley Fox 2.

Farmington (17-5): Matt Wilson 22, Xavier Staten 10, Skylar Montez 9, Taylor Carbonel 4, Conner Hill 4, Jacob Gray 4, Peyton Maxwell 1.

Farmington 63, Greenwood 56

Matt Wilson (24) and Skylar Montez (21) combined for 45 points to propel Farmington to a home-court 63-56 win over 6A Greenwood Friday at Cardinal Arena.

Farmington 63, Greenwood 56

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Greenwood (6-16): Jordan Sheppard 29, Zane Harmon 10, Peyton Holt 7, Alec Armstrong 4, Barrett Easton 2, Devin Gilbert 2, Ronin Stewart 2.

Farmington (18-5): Matt Wilson 24, Skylar Montez 21, Xavier Staten 8, Cade Fenton 6, Jacob Gray 2, Conner Hill 2.

Sports on 02/08/2017