[wpbvideo id=”957715″]
By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Ryder Blevins heard the preseason chatter and doubts.
With a new coach, new players and not much varsity experience, the Forsyth Panthers could have a difficult season ahead.
“When we started the season, no one really knew who we were,” Blevins said. “We’ve been slowly getting better as a team.
“People weren’t expecting much from us, so we wanted to prove them wrong.”
One month into the season, the Panthers (8-4 overall) are showing how much progress they’ve already made.
Forsyth defeated Sparta 58-51 on Friday afternoon in the championship game of the Walnut Grove Holiday Classic.
Forsyth senior Gage Blevins scored a game-high 17 and joined his younger brother, Ryder, on the all-tournament team.
The Blevins brothers, who previously attended Logan-Rogersville, moved back home to Forsyth late last summer and quickly became vital pieces of a new-look Panthers squad.
“We’ve come a long way from where we were,” said Forsyth first-year coach Kevin Smith, who was at Crane last season. “A new coach, new kids, no varsity experience. New kids moving in who are helping us. Hopefully we’re blending it all together and building some chemistry.”
Forsyth outscored their former Southwest Central League (SWCL) rivals 15-7 in the fourth quarter to prevail.
Ryder Blevins had the play of the day – and maybe the season – when he rose up and flushed a reverse, two-handed alley-oop dunk in the fourth quarter to spark Forsyth.
“It was not expected at all,” said Ryder Blevins, who scored 12 and received tournament MVP honors. “I jumped up, turned backwards and it all worked out. I turned backwards to catch it, but I wasn’t really expecting to dunk it.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
Said Smith: “Ryder’s had a lot of dunks. Athletic dunks. Nothing like that, though: A lob and catch it behind your head. He’s a good talent and even better person.”
Ryder Blevins’ dunk put Forsyth back ahead, 47-46, early in the fourth as the Panthers slowly pulled away.
Forsyth’s Ryder Blevins had one of the dunks of the year yesterday on this reverse alley-oop from Zack Strahan. The Panthers were down one point midway through the fourth quarter and went on to win the Walnut Grove Championship over Sparta 58-51. Video courtesy @ForsythHoops pic.twitter.com/MF5KTlIYUd
— Ozarks Sports Zone (@OzarksOzone) January 2, 2022
Sparta had a chance to tie the game with one minute remaining, but missed a 3-pointer. Forsyth then made two free throws and Sparta committed a turnover on its next possession.
Sparta led 44-43 entering the fourth after trailing by five at halftime.
“We had a stretch there in the fourth quarter where we took some quick shots and didn’t make them,” said Sparta coach Deric Link. “Forsyth had good offense on the other end and did good stuff. That’s the name of the game: The team that makes the most shots usually wins. They just made a few more than us.”
Dexter Loveland led three Sparta players in double figures with 16 points. Jacob Lafferty scored 14, but fouled out with 1:27 remaining.
“We were going to give up the 3, hopefully they were missing and we’d get the long rebound and keep Lafferty off the boards,” Smith said. “They made some shots, which is fine, but Lafferty wasn’t in the flow getting offensive rebounds consistently and that helped us.”
Sparta (6-5 overall) was seeking its first tournament title – regular season or postseason – in at least 10 years.
Like Forsyth, Sparta is also showing signs of improvement. A year ago, the Trojans only had three wins entering January.
“It’s no consolation, but this is the best finish we’ve had in this tournament,” Link said. “We have a group of kids right now who want success and they’re willing to work for it.
“I thought our kids competed well all week. We knocked off Hollister, beat Verona and we competed with Forsyth tonight.”Forsyth returns to action January 4 at Crane. Sparta hosts Conway on January 3 and Fordland on January 4.
Forsyth 58, Sparta 51
Sparta 13 14 17 7 — 51
Forsyth 10 22 11 15 — 58
Sparta (6-5 overall) – Dexter Loveland 16, Jacob Lafferty 14, Kavan Walker 11, Steven Brown 6, Walker Loveland 4
Forsyth (8-4 overall) – Gage Blevins 17, Ryder Blevins 12, Abrieum Kincaid 12, Tanner Baird 8, Zach Strahan 6, Cooper Voliva 3
