CABOT PICKS UP A 6A-CENTRAL CONFERENCE VICTORY OVER LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL

Cabot has experienced its share of growing pains this season, but the Panthers showed enough maturity to pick up a 6A-Central Conference victory over Little Rock Central on Tuesday. Junior forward Jacob Hudson scored 17 points and hauled in 15 rebounds as Cabot beat Central 57-45 at Oliver Fitzpatrick Fieldhouse in Little Rock. "We've been in so many close games and lost," Cabot Coach Chris Meseke said. "The more times you lose, the less confidence you have. But the more times you get there, the more experience you have. Eventually, you'll get over that hump." Four of the Panthers' seven losses have come by seven points or less, including a 47-45 setback to Conway on a last-second shot. But with a roster stacked with sophomores and juniors, beating a senior-laden Central team on the road may be the jolt Cabot needed. "Every time we go into a new environment, it's a new experience for this team," Meseke explained. "These guys were JV players last year, and they've never played at Central. So this is big for them. "Now we tried to give it away there in the third and fourth quarters by panicking, but they held on, and that's what it's all about at this time of the year." Junior center Weston Vaught had 11 points, and junior guard Jackson Muse finished with 8 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds for Cabot (17-7, 5-6 6A-Central), which led 28-19 at halftime and 37-24 midway through the third quarter before the Tigers fought back. Back-to-back jumpers from senior guard A.J. Williams fueled a 7-0 run to get Central (14-9, 4-7) within 37-31 with 22 seconds to go in the quarter, but a three-pointer from junior guard Kairo Rudolph just before the buzzer put the Panthers up by nine. Cabot extended its lead to 44-31 with 6:11 showing until three consecutive turnovers led to seven points for the Tigers. A three-point play from junior guard Jeremiah Jones cut the Panthers' lead to 44-38 with 4:05 remaining, but Cabot went to Hudson, who easily scored inside to start a 10-2 run that put a cap on Central's comeback. "A credit to our guys because we've been in so many close games," Meseke said. "It's a part of the process for us, though. It's taken a little bit longer than the guys and I wanted, but we're getting there." Williams scored 16 of his game-high 19 points in the second half for Central.

Central High School Athletics

CABOT PICKS UP A 6A-CENTRAL CONFERENCE VICTORY OVER LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL

Photo Credit: Central High School Athletics