SUBIACO – The Heber Springs Lady Panthers didn’t go away without a fight against Dardanelle in Tuesday’s quarterfinal game at the 4-4A Conference Basketball Tournament.
Dardanelle (8-10) went on a 13-3 scoring run, beginning with one minute left in the third quarter to 3:45 remaining in the game, and defeated the Lady Panthers 46-36.
Heber Springs, which lost its 12 consecutive game, finished the season at 10-15. The Lady Panthers’ last win came against Nemo Vista at the Mount Vernon-Enola Holiday Tournament in late December.
Jaylea Hooten and Addison Hudspeth led Heber Springs each with eight points. Hudspeth and Savannah Stout each made two 3-pointers. Hope Turney and Madison Clemons each had a 3-pointer.
Karlie Cursh scored a game high 17 points for Dardanelle. Bethani Walter contributed nine points.
The Lady Sand Lizards led throughout the first half with a 4-2 lead after the first quarter and 17-12 at halftime.
But momentum shifted to the Lady Panthers early during the third quarter. Stroud hit back-to-back 3-pointers for an 18-17 lead. Dardanelle regained the lead on two free throws by Cursh. Heber Springs then recaptured the lead on Hudspeth’s 3-pointer.
The Lady Sand Lizards pulled within one and later took the lead for good on Grace McIntyre’s 3-pointer with one minute to go in the third quarter.
Savannah Williams scored during closing seconds for a 29-25 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Dardanelle put the game away by completing the 13-3 scoring run and led by as much as 15 points, 46-31, with 48 seconds left.
Heber Springs 2 10 13 11 –36 Dardanelle 4 13 12 17–46 HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (36): Jaylea Hooten 8, Addison Hudspeth 8, Savannah Stout 6, Molly Smith 4, Sophie Stone 4, Madison Clemons 3, Hope Turney 3. DARDANELLE SCORING (46): Karlie Cursh 17, Bethani Walter 9, Grace McIntyre 6, Jayden Vazquez 6, Savannah Williams 4, Audry Rowan 2, Elizabeth Earnest 2.
Heber Springs’ Molly Smith and Pottsville’s Rylie Boley wait for the officials call after a tie-ball situation during Monday’s 4-4A senior girls contest at the Panther Den. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
HEBER SPRINGS – Pottsville blew open a close game in the third quarter to down Heber Springs, 45-27, in 4-4A senior girls action Monday night at the Panther Den.
Heber Springs (10-11 overall) remains winless in 4-4A play (0-7) and have not won a game since a 45-39 victory over Nemo Vista on Dec. 28 at the Mount Vernon-Enola tournament.
For Pottsville, the Apaches improved to 13-6 overall and more importantly kept pace with Morrilton for a share a of the conference lead at 6-1 in the 4-4A.
Monday night it was close for two quarters as Pottsville led 7-6 at the end of the first quarter and the Panthers managed to tie things up at 13-all at the half after a Hope Turney 3-pointer.
Pottsville opened the second half with a 5-0 run before Savannah Stout hit a jumper to make it 18-15 with 5:23 left in the third quarter.
A 10-0 run by the Apaches made it 28-15 at the 3:00 mark of the third quarter. A pair of Molly Smith free throws stopped the bleeding, but Pottsville would manage a 31-17 advantage at the end of three quarters.
Heber Springs returns to action Tuesday when they host Dardanelle (5-10, 4-4) at the Panther Den.
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (27): Hope Turney 3, Jaylea Hooten 8, Addison Hudspeth 3, Molly Smith 5, Savannah Stout 2, Madison Clemons 3, Sophia Stone 3.
POTTSVILLE SCORING (45): Rilee Underwood 11, Rylie Boley 6, Lindsey Aday 13, Layla Stroud 11, Tori Daniel 2, Annleigh Pennington 2
Heber Springs’ Hope Turney goes up for a shot during second-half action against Morrilton Tuesday night at the Panther Den. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
HEBER SPRINGS – Heber Springs was held to five points in the first and four quarters and fell to Morrilton, 46-24, in 4-4A senior girls action.
The Panthers were held scoreless in the first quarter but was able to hold the Devil Dogs to six points in the same time frame.
The two teams battled in the second quarter with 10 points each as Heber Springs got points from four players (Molly Smith, Jaylea Hooten, Hope Turney and Sophie Stone).
Hooten would make the front end of a one-and-one before adding a three-point play to pull the Panthers to within a basket at 16-14 with 4:37 left in the third quarter.
Morrilton would answer with a 7-0 run over the next 1:26 on a pair of baskets by Cheyanne Kemp and a 3-pointer by Grace Brown.
A Hooten field goal and a Madison Clemons 3-pointer would keep Heber Springs close to start the fourth quarter trailing, 29-19.
Morrilton would outscore the Panthers, 17-5, in the fourth quarter to take control.
Morrilton, which has won 12 out of its last 13, improves to 12-3 overall and 2-0 in the 4-4A.
Heber Springs fell to 10-6 overall and 0-2 in conference. The Panthers will travel to Dardanelle (2-9, 1-2) looking for their first conference win. The Sand Lizards have lost four straight.
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (24): Hope Turney 1, Madison Clemons 3, Jaylea Hooten 12, Sophie Stone 6, Molly Smith 2
MORRILTON SCORING (46): Knyah Clemons 2, Cheyanne Kemp 17, Grace Brown 13, Jennifer Hartman 2, Kamryn Reel 8, Johnna Brockman 2, Jeniah Johnson 2.
HASKELL – With Heber Springs’ leading scorer Jaylea Hooten held to four points, a trio of Panthers stepped up finishing in double figures in helping lead Heber Springs to a 49-43 nonconference victory over Benton Harmony Grove.
Addison Hudspeth paced Heber Springs with 16 points as the Panthers were tied at 9-all at the end of the first quarter and led 24-13 at the break.
Savannah Stout finished with 12 and Hope Turney added 11 to round out the trio that scored in double figures.
The Cardinals got back into the contest in the third quarter outscoring Heber Springs 18-8, thanks in part to four 3-pointers in the quarter by senior Kallyn Sussamon.
Sussamon scored a game-high 20 points, including nailing six of the seven 3-pointers made by Harmony Grove on the night.
Heber Springs dropped 11 3-pointers led by Stout with four, Turner and Hudspeth with three and Emily Fuller with one.
The Panthers outscored the Cardinals, 17-12, in the final quarter.
Heber Springs’ Lindsay Southerland dribbles past South Side Bee Branch’s Jewel Walley in senior girls action the Family Activities Center in Conway. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
CONWAY – Heber Springs got 16 points from Addison Hudspeth as the Panthers downed South Side Bee Branch, 47-41, in a consolation contest of the St. Joseph Tournament at the Family Activities Center.
Heber Springs led 14-10 at the end of the first quarter and 23-17 at the break.
The game remained tight throughout the third quarter as a Molly Smith basket gave the Panthers a 29-21 advantage with 5:45 left in the third quarter, before Marli Huddleton field goal capped a 6-0 run that put the score a 29-27 with 2:22 remaining in the stanza.
Hudspeth would go on a 5-0 run with a 3-pointer, one of three on the afternoon, and a short jumper with 59 seconds left pushed the Heber Springs advantage back to seven at 34-27.
Mollie Leonard hit a pair of free throws for the Hornets and Jewel Walley drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it 34-31 heading into the final quarter.
Junior Jaylea Hooten would take over in the fourth quarter scoring seven points, including the only two field goals for Heber Springs in the quarter, to fuel a 7-2 run that saw the Panthers increase their advantage to 41-33 with 4:48 left.
South Side Bee Branch (7-9) would make it a six-point contest with less than a minute to go but Heber Springs would salt the game away from the free-throw line. The Panthers finished the quarter 9-of-15 from the line and 11-of-20 on the afternoon.
“The game was a little closer than I wanted it to be,” Heber Springs coach Spencer Gay said, “but I was proud of the effort and was really proud of the girls fixing some ball-handling problems we’ve had.”
Heber Springs came into the tournament with an undefeated record but suffered their first loss of the season in the pool-play opener to Mayflower.
“That game was tough,” Gay said. “I don’t want to harp on that because winning two out of three (in the tournament) was pretty big time for us. I was proud of that.”
The first-year Panther coach would later add that the loss could benefit Heber Springs when they get into conference play.
“They played us a style that we are going to see later down the road,” Gay said. “I saw a (ball-handling) problem. Our kids saw a problem and they’ve worked every day since to fix it. It’s not going to happen overnight, but a month from now, but you are going to see a different team.”
The win improved Heber Springs to 7-1 on the season.
“I am ecstatic where we are,” Gay said. “I think it says a lot about the kids.”
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (47): Hope Turney 1, Jaylea Hooten 15, Addison Hudspeth 16, Sophie Stone 4, Molly Smith 8, Emily Fuller 3.
SOUTH SIDE BEE BRANCH SCORING (41): Brinkley Smith 2, Marli Huddleston 3, Mollie Leonard 8, Jewel Walley 13, Emily Walley 14, Maggie Bradford 2.
Please consider helping support local and independent journalism by donating today.
CONWAY – Jaylea Hooten and Molly Smith each scored in double figures as Heber Springs held off the host, Conway St. Joseph, 45-44, at the Family Activities Center in a tournament contest.
Hooten finished with a team-high 15 points while Smith added 10 as the Panthers trailed 8-4 at the end of the first quarter, but battled back to take a 20-19 advantage into the break.
Heber Springs would lead 38-29 at the end of the third quarter before the Bulldogs would keep close the rest of the way.
Conway St. Joseph’s Kaitlyn Kordsmeier led all scorers with 17 points, including four 3-pointers.
Hooten was a perfect seven-for-seven from the free-throw line for the Panthers as Heber Springs finished 13 of 18 on the night.
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (45): Hope Turney 3, Jaylea Hooten 15, Addison Hudspeth 9, Sophie Stone 8, Molly Smith 10.
CONWAY ST. JOSEPH SCORING (44): Kaitlyn Kordsmeier 17, Chloe Skinner 3, Ashlynn Vote 8, Presli Webb 4, Olivia Williams 9, Lydia Humphrey 3.
CONWAY – Mayflower knocked down nine 3-pointers and had three players finish in double figures in scoring as they defeated Heber Springs, 61-25, in the St. Joseph tournament at the Family Activities Center.
Hailey Francis finished with 17 points, Kiara Williamson added 12 and Karley Brown with 10 as the Eagles led 22-6 at the end of the first quarter and 42-13 at the break.
Heber Springs was paced by Jaylea Hooten’s 10 points.
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (25): Hope Turney 2, Jaylea Hooten 10, Addison Hudspeth 1, Sophie Stone 5, Emily Fuller 2.
MAYFLOWER SCORING (61): Hailey Francis 17, Karley Brown 10, London Webb 2, Riley Whittington 9, Olivia Patterson 3, Kiara Williamson 12, Ella York 8.
SHIRLEY – Heber Springs raced out to a 25-4 first-quarter advantage and didn’t look back in downing Shirley, 60-20, in nonconference action.
Eleven players scored for the Panthers, paced by Emily Fuller’s 9 points, as Heber Springs led 46-6 at the half and 55-6 at the end of the third quarter.
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (60): Hope Turney 7, Madison Clemons 6, Jaylea Hooten 6, Addison Hudspeth 5, Sophie Stone 5, Savannah Stout 3, Lindsay Southerland 8, Molly Smith 6, Olivia Norton 3, Emily Fuller 9, Ava Little 2.
Heber Springs’ Savannah Stout brings the ball up the court against Guy-Perkins Monday night at the Panther Den. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO
HEBER SPRINGS – Jaylea Hooten finished with a game-high 22 points as Heber Springs downed Guy-Perkins, 55-43, Monday night at the Panther Den.
While Hooten garnered the attention of Thunderbirds and the scoring honors, it was a sophomore for the Lady Panthers that probably saved the night as Savannah Stout knocked down five 3-pointers and finished with 17 points.
“She’s probably the reason we won in all honesty,” Heber Springs coach Spencer Gay said. “It’s nice we have different weapons. It was Addison (Hudspeth) that stepped up for us at Bald Knob and tonight it was Savannah.
“I was really proud of Savannah for that.”
It was a slow start for the Lady Panthers after a Jo’Mia Ealy basket gave Guy-Perkins an 8-1 lead with 2:46 left in the opening quarter.
“I knew we were going to be in a little bit of trouble, because their style (of play) is not one we like,” Gay said. “I just had to find a way to get the girls settled in, and it was not even me. The girls just settled themselves pretty well.”
A Hooten 3-pointer at the 2:32 mark of the first quarter provided the first field goal for Heber Springs.
“Once they scored their first bucket,” Gay said, “we can breath and the rest kind of took care of itself.”
The “rest” was a 9-0 run over the next 1:05 to take a 10-8 advantage, before the two teams ended the quarter at 13-all.
The game would remain a back-and-forth affair throughout most of the second quarter before a Hooten free throw would spark an 8-0 run to close out the first half with Heber Springs on top 28-20.
Hooten, who finished the night 9-of-12 from the free-throw line, had 16 points in the first half.
“Every time she touches the ball, you have to know where she is at,” Gay said of Hooten. “I am just impressed with our kids ability to say, ‘You know what, we’ve got your back Jaylea’.”
The Lady Panthers would push their advantage to 10 points after a Stout 3-pointer with 5:46 left in the third quarter.
Field goals by Julissia Young and Mia James would pull the Thunderbirds to within six at 33-27 with 2:35 to go in the third, but the Lady Panthers would go on a 17-0 run over the next seven minutes of game play to take a commanding 50-27 advantage. Stout would fuel the run with three 3-pointers over that stretch.
James paced Guy-Perkins with 13 points as Heber Springs improved to 4-0 with the win.
“Guy scared the crap out of me because of their style,” Gay said. “I was proud of the girls. It was a good win.”
BALD KNOB – Addison Hudspeth finished with 18 points, including three 3-pointers, to help lead Heber Springs to a 46-33 victory over Bald Knob in senior girls nonconference action.
Jaylea Hooten added 15 points in the win, including hitting 7-of-9 from the free-throw line. As a team, the Panthers shot 11-of-17 from the line on the night.
Hope Turney finished with a pair of 3-points as Heber Springs hit six of them on the night.
The Panthers led 17-11 at the half and 32-22 after the end of three quarters of play.
For Bald Knob, Reigiana Ward tied for game-scoring honors with 18 points, including 6-of-7 from the free-throw line. The Bulldogs hit 11-of-14 from the charity strip on the night.
HEBER SPRINGS SCORING (46): Hope Turney 6, Jaylea Hooten 15, Addison Hudspeth 18, Sophie Stone 1, Savannah Stout 5.
.JPG?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds)
