DECATUR -- The junior Decatur Bulldogs split a pair of games at home as they opened the 2016-17 basketball season by posting a loss to the Eureka Springs Highlanders on Nov. 10 and a victory against the NWA Classical Academy Nov. 11.
As the Highlanders and Bulldogs tipped off, it became apparent that the junior boys suffered from opening-game jitters. The Bulldogs fell behind quickly as Eureka Springs' fast-paced style overwhelmed them during the first quarter. Once Decatur calmed down in the second quarter, they kept pace with the Highlanders but never took the lead, giving the Highlanders the victory, 39 to 10.
One practice session later and the Decatur junior Bulldogs were ready for action in their next game against the Northwest Arkansas Classical Academy Spartans from Rogers.
The Bulldogs were a completely different team from the night before and quickly gained control of the first quarter, building a 23-3 lead by the end of the quarter. Joseph Armstrong led the scoring in the opening quarter with 10 points.
Decatur continued to dominate in the second, only allowing the NWA Classical Academy a single point. Tafari James led the scoring in this quarter with 6 points, followed by Kevin Garcia with 4.
The second half was all Bulldogs as the defense held the Spartans to only 5 points in the entire half. The junior Bulldogs took their first victory of the 2016-17 basketball season, 56 to 9.
Leading scorer was Joseph Armstrong with 14, followed by Tafari James with 10 and Kevin Garcia with 8. Other Bulldogs scoring included Bryson Funk and Cesar Flores, each with 4; Kelvin Moreno, Royer Hernandez, Paul Ehrhart, Salvador Garcia, each with 2.
The Decatur junior- and senior-high boys were to travel south to take on the West Fork Tigers in the Tiger Dome in West Fork on Tuesday, after press time.
For a complete Bulldog basketball schedule, go to decatursd.com/athletics.
Sports on 11/16/2016