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The Drew Central Pirates remain at the top of the 8-3A Conference heading into the final games of the regular season.
The Pirates would begin the week with the Dumas Bobcats coming to the Drew Central Gymnasium on Tuesday, February 3.
The Pirates had defeated the Bobcats on the road back on January 9 with a 54-35 win.
Entering the contest with a 7-1 conference record the Pirates would control the opening tip and would begin the contest on a 6-0 run before the Bobcats got on the board with a free throw.
Drew Central would get five points from Tra’Bennett Fuller and Blake Chandler to help the Pirates outscore the Bobcats 12-6 in the first.
The Pirates would pull away in the second quarter after outscoring the Bobcats 16-8 in the quarter to hold a 28-14 lead at the break.
Dumas would come out of the halftime break to outscore the Pirates, 15-10, to cut the Pirate lead to nine points, 38-29, heading into the fourth quarter.
Dumas would take the fourth quarter 9-8, with the Pirates maintaining the lead, 46-38, for the eight point win.
Leading the way for the Pirates would be Blake Chandler with 15 points followed by Spencer Lowery with 10.
Tra’Bennett Fuller and Zae Bullard each scored eight with Jeremiah Bodiford scoring five.
The Pirates would return to action on Friday night, travelling to McGehee to face the Owls for the second time in conference play.
The Pirates had defeated McGehee at home back on January 13 by 10 points, 63-53, in overtime.
Drew Central would get off to a good start at McGehee, outscoring the Owls 13-1 in the first quarter.
McGehee would come back in the second quarter to outscore the Pirates 17-12 with Drew Central holding a 25-18 lead at the half.
McGehee would cut the lead to five points after outscoring Drew Central 20-18 in the third quarter to trail the Pirates 43-38 heading into the fourth quarter.
Drew Central would pull away from the Owls in the fourth quarter, putting up 30 fourth quarter points with McGehee scoring 16 to improve to 9-1 in conference play after defeating the Owls 73-54.
In the contest, the Pirates would shoot 54.5% from the field with Tra’Bennett Fuller leading the way with 18 points.
Jeremiah Bodiford and Blake Chandler each scored 15 points, Spencer Lowery added 13, and Zae Bullard finished with five.
Jaden Turnage rounded out the scoring for the Pirates with two points.
The Pirates will conclude the regular season on Friday, February 13, on the road at DeWitt to face the Dragons.
The current 8-3A Conference standings have the Pirates leading the field with a 9-1 record followed by Lakeside at two with an 8-2 record.
DeWitt has a 6-5 record, McGehee at 5-4. Dumas with a 4-7 record, Helena at 3-6, and Rison sitting at 0-10.
The Pirates will begin the District Tournament at Lakeside with the tournament beginning on February 16.
Drew Central is set to host the 3A-4a Regional Tournament beginning on February 25.
Drew Central’s final regular season contest at DeWitt is set to begin at 6 pm with two games on the schedule with the Drew Central Lady Pirates set to take the court first.
