Heber Springs’ Ashley Spanel launches a 3-pointer against DeWitt Thursday night at the Panther Den. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
December 26, 2019
BY LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY
The Heber Springs Lady Panthers dominated from the opening tip-off to the final buzzer and defeated DeWitt 70-34 in the quarterfinals of the Steve Landers Cowboy Chevorlet-Heber Springs Holiday Basketball Classic Thursday.
Heber Springs scored the game’s first 14 points and finished the opening quarter on a 15-7 scoring run. The Lady Panthers led 29-8 going into the second quarter and built their lead to 47-22 by halftime.
Heber Springs took a 64-32 lead into the fourth quarter.
Game MVP Heber Springs’ Claudia Newberry
Hailey Bresnahan came off the bench and scored 16 points for the Lady Panthers. Claudia Newberry and Jillian Herring each had 14 points.
Carrington Holliman led DeWitt with 12 points and Abby Noblin had 10 points.
“I told them before the opening tip not to do more than expected,” Heber Springs coach Jamey Riddle said. “They ran hard, played hard and let the game come to them and settled in. We got a good lead, but we didn’t want to play soft and did what was needed by playing good defense and making shots.” Riddle said he liked how the players came off the bench and contributed.
Game Hustle Award DeWitt’s Carrington Holliman
“The girls played well,” he said. “Hailey made shots and Mary (Shearer) got some rebound. It was good to see any rest from the time off.”
Heber Springs (10-2) will meet Pea Ridge in the semifinals at 6:30 p.m. today.
“Pea Ridge will be a tough game and one of the best teams we played so far,” Riddle said. “The five starters are capable of being the leading scorer in any game. We need to play good defense and shoot well to win.”
Heber Springs’ Dalton McCollum attempts to get the ball away from Rose Bud’s Caden Heck during action Thursday night at the Panther Den. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
December 26, 2019
BY LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY
Rose Bud’s Keaton Bates inflicted the final dagger into the side of the Heber Springs Panthers in the quarterfinals of the Steve Landers Cowboy Chevorlet-Heber Springs Holiday Basketball Classic.
Bates made a 3-pointer to put the Ramblers ahead with 20 seconds remaining in overtime and Kayden Sherwood hit 1-of-2 free throws in Rose Bud’s 68-65 win at the Panther Den Thursday.
The Ramblers (3-10) advanced to play DeWitt at 7:45 p.m. today in the semifinals. Heber Springs (1-9) was scheduled to play Batesvile at 2:45 p.m. today in the consolation bracket.
Rose Bud’s Robbie Reedy attempts to drive past Heber Springs’ Ryan Crocker. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
Adam Martin, who fouled out in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter, led Heber Springs with a game-high 26 points. Dalton McCollum scored 15 points and Garrett Hudspeth had 13 points.
Bates, who made six 3-pointers, scored 22 points for Rose Bud. Ian Bomar contributed 17 points and Avery Orman had 10 points.
Game MVP Rose Bud’s Keaton Bates.
“We switched our defenses throughout the game and tried to make him feel off-balanced,” Heber Springs coach Chad Johnson said. “No. 21 (Bates) is an outstanding 3-point shooter. We tried and play box-in-one on him, put a hand in his face, but he played outstanding.”
Rose Bud led 14-12 at the end of the first quarter. Heber Springs assumed control with a 17-10 second-quarter scoring run and held a 31-22 halftime lead. The Panthers led 41-35 going into the fourth quarter.
“Our defensive intenity helped us to get the lead early in the game,” Johnson said. “We stuggled in our halfcourt offense during the game. After Adam fouled out, Logan Monahan came into the game and contributed, but it’s hard for any player to fill Adam’s shoes.”
Bomar hit 2-of-4 free throws to give Rose Bud a 57-55 lead. Hudspeth made a jumper with 27 seconds remaining to tie the game at 57-57 to force overtime.
Hustle Award Heber Springs’ Adam Martin
Rose Bud rallied for a 55-54 lead with less than two minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Martin made 1-of-2 free throws to tie the game at 55-55.
The Ramblers regained the lead at the start of overtime on Bates’ 3-point. Bates and Dalton McCollum exchanged field goals. The Panthers answered on field goals from McCollum and Hudspeth for a 65-62 lead.
Orman’s field goal pulled Rose Bud within one point before Bates’ final 3-pointer.
“We had the lead late in overtime,” Johnson said. “We let No. 21 (Bates) get open and that shot tilted the game to Rose Bud.”
Rose Bud 14 8 13 22 11 - 68
Heber Springs 12 19 10 16 8 - 65
ROSE BUD SCORING (68): Keaton Bates 22, Ian Bomar 17, Avery Orman 10, Stetson Nix 8, Caden Heck 5, Kayden Sherwood 4, Dalton Gorham 2
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (65): Adam Martin 26, Dalton McCollum 15, Garrett Hudspeth 13, Ryan Crocker 5, Logan Monahan 4, Wyatt Sanders 2
Pea Ridge’s Blakelee Winn looks to get around Rose Bud’s Emily Norris in first-round action from the Heber Springs Holiday Classic on Thursday. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
A scheduling-conflict with the Arkansas Activities Association “dead-day” period during the Christmas break forced Batesville to miss the first day of the Cowboy Chevrolet Holiday Classic at Heber Springs.
In the Pioneers place, the Sheridan junior varsity team filled in for the first-round match-up with DeWitt and behind 12-point performance from Peyton Hill defeated DeWitt, 48-27.
The two teams played two, 20-minute periods, as Johnta Wright paced the Dragons with 9 points.
Despite the loss, DeWitt will move into the semifinals and play the winner of the Rose Bud/Heber Springs contest at 7:45 p.m. on Friday.
Batesville will play its first game of the tournament at 2:45 p.m. in the consolation bracket against the loser of Rose Bud and Heber Springs.
DeWitt (3-4) 11 16 - 27
Sheridan JV 21 27 - 48
DEWITT SCORING (27): Johnta Wright 9, Seth Courtney 7, Caleb Brown 5, Dax Courtney 3, Jamarian Kennedy 3
SHERIDAN JV SCORING (48): Peyton Hill 12, Caleb Patrick 10, Chris Crew 9, Chris Rowe 6, Wyatt Register 4, Ashton Branson 4, Ethan Odom 3
GAME 5 – SENIOR GIRLS
Pea Ridge 56, Rose Bud 45
Pea Ridge used a second-quarter run and 26 points from Blakelee Winn to advance to the semifinals of the Steve Landers Cowboy Chevrolet Holiday Classic at Heber Springs.
Pea Ridge (11-2) will face the winner of Heber Springs and DeWitt at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Rose Bud will face the loser of Heber Springs/DeWitt at 1:30 p.m.
Against the Blackhawks, Rose Bud trailed 13-8 after the first quarter but rallied to take an 18-17 lead midway through the second quarter before Pea Ridge closed the quarter with a 17-1 run as Winn scored 11 points in the quarter.
The Ramblers closed the gap in the third quarter as Kyndal Rooks scored 10 in the quarter, but Pea Ridge stopped any chance at a Rose Bud comeback by hitting 11 of 18 free throws, lead by Winn going 9-of-12 at the line. Winn was 15 of 19 on the night from the line.
Josey Goldberg and Lauren Wright also finished in double figures with 11 and 10 points each. Rooks paced Rose Bud with 24 points.
Rose Bud (8-5) 8 11 14 12 - 45
Pea Ridge (11-2) 13 21 9 13 - 56
ROSE BUD SCORING (45): Kyndal Rooks 24, Kyanna Poole 10, Hope Hartle 6, Skylar Wise 3, Caitlyn Waggoner 2
PEA RIDGE SCORING (56): Blakelee Winn 26, Josey Goldberg 11, Lauren Wright 10, Allisa Short 8, Aidan Dayberry 1
GAME 4 – SENIOR BOYS
Sheridan 46, Mayflower 44
Sheridan’s Tyler Cacciatori finished with 31 points as the Yellowjackets downed Mayflower, 46-44, to advance to the semifinals of the Cowboy Chevrolet Holiday Classic on Thursday.
Sheridan will face Greene County Tech at 5:15 p.m. Friday. Mayflower falls into the consolation bracket and play Southside Batesville at 12:15 p.m.
Cacciatori hit a pair of free throws with just over a minute to play to give Sheridan a 4-point lead at 46-42, but a basket by Zak Fugatt cut the deficit to 2.
Cacciatori missed a pair of free throws with under 10 seconds to play giving Mayflower a final shot attempt of the buzzer to tie the game, but that shot hit the side of the rim spoiling the Eagles’ attempts to send the game into overtime.
Sheridan led 25-21 at the half but needed a Cacciatori putback with under a minute to play in the third quarter to take a 38-36 lead. Mayflower’s Braxtyn McCuin responded with a 3-pointer at the third quarter buzzer to give the Eagles a 39-38 advantage.
The score would remain that way until Seth Alexander’s bucket with 4:52 to play gave Sheridan a 40-39 lead.
The Yellowjackets increased their advantage to five at 44-39 before McCuin scored, drew a foul and converted the free throw to make a one-possession game with 3:02 left.
Mayflower had a chance to tie the game after a pair of missed free throws by Sheridan, but the Eagles were called for a charge and the Yellowjackets milked the clock setting up Cacciatori’s free throws.
Jenna McMillen hit six 3-pointers and finished with 26 points as Mayflower downed Sheridan, 53-37, to advance at the Cowboy Chevrolet Holiday Classic in Heber Springs.
Mayflower led 20-13 at the half and 32-23 after three.
The Eagles (8-2) will face Southside Batesville at 4 p.m. on Friday in a semifinal contest.
Sheridan (3-5) was lead by Cassidy Henry 26 points. The Yellowjackets will face Greene County Tech at 11 a.m. on Friday in a consolation contest.
Greene County Tech’s Dawson Greer goes up for a lay-up against Southside Batesville on Friday at the Cowboy Chevrolet Heber Springs Holiday Classic. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
Greene County Tech 53, Southside Batesville 46
Zane Butler finished with 21 points as the Eagles overcame a fourth-quarter deficit to down Southside Batesville, 53-46.
Greene County Tech (9-1) had defeated Southside Batesville, 68-42, on Nov. 12, but this contest would be close throughout.
The Eagles led 12-11 at the end of the first quarter and 26-22 at the half, but they couldn’t shake the Southerners.
Greene County Tech led 34-33 at the end of three quarters before a jumper by Southside Batesville’s Jonathan Shane gave the Southerners a 35-34 lead with 7:01 to play. A pair of free throws by Shane pushed the lead to 37-34 with 6:16, but from there the Eagles took control.
Game 2 MVP – Greene County Tech’s Zane Butler
A basket by Cade Cancilla, who finished with 17 points, pulled the Eagles to within a point a 37-36 with 6:01 left. A steal by Greene County Tech on the ensuing Southerners possession led to a three-point play by Cancilla and lead the Eagles wouldn’t relinquish.
Devan Halford paced the Southerners with 18 points. Southside Batesville will play the loser of Mayflower/Sheridan at 12:15 on Friday in a consolation contest. Greene County Tech gets the winner of Mayflower/Sheridan 5:15 p.m.
Reese Gardner and London Cuzzort each finished in double figures in helping lead Southside Batesville to a 54-38 victory over Greene County Tech in the opening game of the Steve Landers Cowboy Chevrolet Holiday Classic at the Panther Den in Heber Springs.
Game 1 MVP – Southside Batesville’s Reese Gardner
Reese Gardner led the way with 14 points as the Southerners led 20-12 at the end of the first quarter and 32-22 at the break.
Cuzzort finished with 13 points as Southside Batesville improved to 10-2 on the season and will advance in the winner’s bracket to face the winner of Sheridan-Mayflower Friday at 4 p.m.
Greene County Tech (2-7) had three players with 7 points each. (Emma Bates, Brooke Barnes and Carleigh Hollis). The Eagles will face the loser of Sheridan-Mayflower at 11 a.m. Friday in a consolation contest.
