Slidell moves out of region with 68-57 win over Graford

BRIDGEPORT – For the past four years, Graford had made it to the regional finals … and lost every time in its attempt go to State.

Make it five.

Slidell, which beat Graford in OT in the season opener back in November, and the Jackrabbits played a knock down drag out battle for more than three quarters Friday night here. The Greyhounds hit key shots down the stretch, both from the floor and the free throw line, and will be the Region III representative at the State level with a closer than it looked 68-57 win.

Graford ends its year at 26-4 with Slidell moving on at 28-3. Graford Coach Jeff Bell said Slidell simply played tougher than his Rabbits did.

“That’s been a problem for us,” Bell said. “We’ve (Graford has) gone to four of the last five regional finals and have lost.”

Graford led 45-43 heading into the final quarter. Brock Harrell and Jarrell McCasland buried fall away threes to go up four. Levi Butler ended the run with a three for Graford.

The three-point barrage for Slidell continued as the Greyhounds went up 58-51 with 3:20 left on treys from Harrell and Dillon Stone. Slidell went up nine before Marc Matthews bucket and free throw cut the lead to 60-54 with 2:25 left.

The Jackrabbits were forced to foul down the stretch, missing five in a row at one point while Slidell went 10-12 from the stripe in the last two minutes and change. For the game, Slidell was 22-39 from the field (56 percent) and 14-17 from the stripe (82 percent).

Graford was 17-35 in the first three quarters from the field, or 47 percent, while going 4-14 in the fourth.

Slidell led 31-28 at the half and built the lead to six before baskets by Cody Lemley and Matthews’ three-pointer tied the game at 38 mid quarter. Still it was a pair of Butler free throws in the final seconds that gave the Rabbits a 45-43 lead into the fourth.

Butler tossed in 22 points and Matthews 14 for Graford. Harrell had 22 to pace four in double figures for the Greyhounds.