Walnut Ridge 76 Africentric 70: Top Performers

Walnut Ridge took the inside track to the City Championship with a huge win over rival Africentric on Wednesday

Written by: Jack Diwik

Tucked inside the small gymnasium off Livingston Avenue, a hum of tension filled the air.

Marquis Lucas ripped down a rebound and pushed it ahead to Deon Johnson at the wing.

Johnson glanced up and fired to the volleyball line, where Maurice Hamrick Jr. stood waiting - a sight that deflated the Africentric faithful and lifted the Scott crowd to its feet.

Without hesitation, Hamrick Jr. rose and fired.

The ball hung in the air for what felt like an eternity.

Then it dropped. Bottom of the net.

Game.

Hamrick Jr.’s clutch 3-pointer with 1:02 left in overtime put Walnut Ridge up four and proved to be the dagger as the Scotts defeated fellow East Side foe Africentric 76-70 in a game that embodied City League basketball.

“There’s no better feeling than two city teams going at it,” Walnut Ridge head coach Chuck Jefferson said. “The fouls, the trash talk - it’s all love.”