What was supposed to have been a basketball game turned into a track meet as the fourth- and fifth-grade Razorbacks and Blue Devils of the Hoopsters clashed Tuesday at Langston Hughes Elementary.

After a back-and-forth first half, the Razorbacks’ speed wore down the Blue Devils for the 29-11 victory.

“We battled with them for a while, but I think we just got a little tired as the game wore on,” Blue Devil assistant coach James Bush said.

The Razorbacks had just the right combination of size and speed to overwhelm the Blue Devils. The Razorbacks were led by the play of their center, Matt Baker, who stood a couple of inches taller than anyone on the Blue Devils. Baker was able to clean up on the boards, tallying a double-digit total in rebounds. Baker set the tone early for the Razorbacks with a soft turnaround jumper. Defensively, Baker kept the Blue Devils from attacking the paint, using his size to block people and pick up the boards.

At point guard, quick-footed Shane Willoughby led the Razorbacks. Willoughby used his speed and good handles to attack the hoop. Not only was Willoughby a reliable scoring threat for the Razorbacks, but he also shined as a playmaker. Willoughby was able to set up his teammates with crisp passing and a knack for finding the open man.

Facing a deficit, Blue Devils head coach Steve Scratte attempted to rally his team at the half.

“This is one of those moments in athletics where you can choose to step up and keep fighting or call it quits,” Scratte said.

With a boost of momentum, the Blue Devils looked to cut into the Razorback lead. Blue Devil guard Blake Meyers looked to push the ball. Meyers attacked the basket looking for an easy bucket or to draw a foul.

Center Matt Baker practices his rebounding in warm-ups against his Razorback teammates Tuesday at Langston Hughes Elementary.

Defensively, James Bush Jr. led the Blue Devils. Bush’s tenacious defense stalled the Razorback attack as the Blue Devils attempted the comeback.

Despite the strong play of Bush and Meyers, the Razorback offense was too much to handle. Gavin Kirk gave the Razorbacks a boost coming off the bench in the second half by controlling the offense the remainder of the game. Kirk limited the amount of turnovers for the Razorbacks with his sure-handed dribbling and smart play.