The Shreveport Mavericks defeated the defending TBL Champion Enid Outlaws 112-104 on the road on Saturday night and captured the Central Conference Championship.
Enid struggled beyond the arc shooting only 4 for 32 (12.5%) while Shreveport shot 41% in 3-point land. Shreveport utilized the bench efficiently getting 20 points versus the Outlaws 8.
Paul Harrison led the Mavericks with 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Harrison shot 13 for 18 from the field (72%). Paul Parks nailed 28 points and 5 rebounds. Tyrone Jordan scored 14 points and 8 rebounds. Patrick Meyers added 11 points including 5 rebounds and 8 assists. Jamal Montgomery contributed 10 points.
Shreveport struck early in the first quarter triggered by a 13-2 run to push a 10-point lead to 15-4. Parks started a 5-0 run of his own. Evans scored a shot for the Outlaws. The Mavericks pounced with a three from Jordan followed by a layup from Harrison and another three by Parks. Artis scored but Parks made them pay with his third three of the first quarter. Cummings was fouled and hit both threes giving Shreveport another 5-0 run to push the lead to 21-6. Enid went on their own 5-0 run to close with Moore scoring a layup and three within a 27-16. Shreveport took a 41-27 lead into the second quarter.
Enid put the pressure on in the second period starting with a 10-2 run. Artis started the drive with the first 4 points. Harrison made a basket for the Mavs in the middle. Johnson buried the next six points for the Outlaws to close the lead to 43-37 with 9:14 remaining. Parks and Jordan made the lead double digits once again at 48-37. Shreveport broke away late in the second with a 15-0 run to take the lead of 21 points with 1:14 remaining. The Mavericks took a 68-49 at halftime.
Neither team could get an advantage on the other much until late in the third quarter. Enid chipped away at the Mavericks’ lead on an 11-3 run starting with 2:19 remaining. The Outlaws used the charity stripe to close in making all four free throws within the run. Evan added a jump shot and Moore added a splash from 3-point land. Parks interrupted the run with a three of his own. Artis made two free throws to close the gap to 91-78 with 44 seconds left. Shreveport had a 94-80 lead after three periods.
Enid made a further push to close the lead in the fourth with a 9-0 run started by Moore’s three. Guy scored and followed with a steal and pass to Moore for another layup. Jordan fouled Guy sending him to the line hitting both free throws. Shreveport’s lead was cut to 96-91 with 8:52 remaining. The Maverick rolled back to a double-digit lead behind a 6-0 run by McIntyre and Harrison shots and Parks free throws to 102-91 with 5:47 remaining. The Outlaws came right back with another 7-0 run closing the lead to 102-98 with 4:18 remaining. The defense kept each team scoreless for the next two minutes. Parks ended that scoring drought with a three with less than two minutes left. Moore made a basket but Jordan countered with a layup. The score was 107-100 with 1:27 remaining. The two countered trips to the free-throw line and each scored both shots closing the game at 109-102 with 29 seconds left. Shreveport held on to head to the TBL Final Four.
The Mavericks continue their pursuit of the Lillie when they face the Western Conference Champions. The Western Conference will go to a game three on Sunday as the series is split 1-1 between California Sea-Kings and the Socal Moguls.
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