Spencer Gay Archives - Marked Time

Heber Springs holds off South Side Bee Branch

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.

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HEBER SPRINGS SENIOR GIRLS
2021-2022
(Click on a game for previous details)
(Record: 7-1, 4-4A Conference: 0-0)
Nov. 09   Heber Springs 53, Mount St. Mary 42
Nov. 15   Heber Springs 59, Newport 44
Nov. 18   Heber Springs 46, Bald Knob 33
Nov. 22   Heber Springs 55, Guy-Perkins 43
Nov. 23   Heber Springs 60, Shirley 20
Nov. 29   Mayflower 61, Heber Springs 25 +
Dec. 02   Heber Springs 45, Conway St. Joseph 44 +
Dec. 04   Heber Springs 47, South Side Bee Branch 41 +
Dec. 07   at Benton Harmony Grove (JG, SG, SB), 5 p.m.
Dec. 14   South Side Bee Branch (JG, SG, SB), 5 p.m.
Dec. 17   at Ozark (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m. *
Dec. 20   at Lonoke (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m. 
Dec. 21   at Des Arc (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m.
Dec. 28-30 at Mount Vernon-Enola Tournament (SG, SB)
Jan. 04   Morrilton (SGJV, SBJV, SG, SB), 6 p.m. *
Jan. 07   at Dardanelle (JG, JB. SG, SB), 4 p.m. *
Jan. 11   at Clarksville (SBJV, SG, SB), 5 p.m. *
Jan. 14   Pottsville (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m. *
Jan. 21   Ozark (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m. *
Jan. 25   at Morrilton (SGJB, SBJB, SG, SB), 6 p.m. *
Feb. 01   Dardanelle (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m.
Feb. 03   Clarksville (SBJV, SG, SB), 5 p.m. *
Feb. 08   at Pottsville (SGJV, SG, SB), 6 p.m. *
Feb. 14   District Tournament at Subiaco Academy

(+ - Conway St. Joseph Tournament)

Heber Springs remains unbeaten with win over Guy-Perkins

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.”

Guy-Perkins                  13   7   7  16 - 43
Heber Springs (4-0)          13  15  10  17 - 55
Guy-Perkins (43): Paityn Morris 2, Julissia Young 8, McKenna Bradford 1, Alexis Passmore 4, Trinity Kussmaul 5, Anaya Strickland 2, Mia James 13, Jo'Mia Ealy 8.
Heber Springs (59): Hope Turney 4, Kylie Carr 2, Jaylea Hooten 22, Addison Hudspeth 6, Savannah Stout 17, Molly Smith 4

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HEBER SPRINGS SENIOR GIRLS
2021-2022
(Click on a game for previous details)
(Record: 4-0, 4-4A Conference: 0-0)
Nov. 09   Heber Springs 53, Mount St. Mary 42
Nov. 15   Heber Springs 59, Newport 44
Nov. 18   Heber Springs 46, Bald Knob 33
Nov. 22   Heber Springs 55, Guy-Perkins 43
Nov. 23   at Shirley (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m.
Nov. 29-Dec. 4 at Conway St. Joseph Tournament (SG, SB)
Dec. 07   at Benton Harmony Grove (JG, SG, SB), 5 p.m.
Dec. 14   South Side Bee Branch (JG, SG, SB), 5 p.m.
Dec. 17   at Ozark (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m. *
Dec. 20   at Lonoke (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m. 
Dec. 21   at Des Arc (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m.
Dec. 28-30 at Mount Vernon-Enola Tournament (SG, SB)
Jan. 04   Morrilton (SGJV, SBJV, SG, SB), 6 p.m. *
Jan. 07   at Dardanelle (JG, JB. SG, SB), 4 p.m. *
Jan. 11   at Clarksville (SBJV, SG, SB), 5 p.m. *
Jan. 14   Pottsville (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m. *
Jan. 21   Ozark (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m. *
Jan. 25   at Morrilton (SGJB, SBJB, SG, SB), 6 p.m. *
Feb. 01   Dardanelle (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m.
Feb. 03   Clarksville (SBJV, SG, SB), 5 p.m. *
Feb. 08   at Pottsville (SGJV, SG, SB), 6 p.m. *
Feb. 14   District Tournament at Subiaco Academy

Hooten, Heber Springs hold off Head, Newport

Heber Springs junior Jaylea Hooten battles for position early in the first quarter against Newport Monday night at the Panther Den. Hooten finished with 35 points in the win. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO

HEBER SPRINGS – Raigan Head won the scoring battle, but Jaylee Hooten’s team won the game as Heber Springs downed Newport, 59-44, Monday night in senior girls action at the Panther Den.

The two juniors combined to score 71 of the game’s 103 points with Head leading the way with 36 points followed by Hooten with 35.

It would be near the end of the third quarter before another Greyhound scored a point besides Head, a transfer from Tuckerman.

“I had some kids try to guard her so I could hide Jaylea,” first-year Heber Springs coach Spencer Gay said. “I didn’t want Jaylea to pick-up some silly fouls. When I had to put some smaller kids on her, she kind of took over.

“I am used to collapsing, and not letting one kid beat us, but I haven’t had a chance to instill that in these girls. So we’ve got some work to do, but man, she is hard to stop.”

While the duo was busy scoring points, it was Hooten who was getting more help from her teammates.

A Hope Turney field goal with 3:06 left in the first quarter help capped a 6-0 run to give Heber Springs an 8-2 advantage. The junior would later add a 3-pointer with five seconds left in the quarter to finish off another 12-3 run to give the Panthers a 20-7 lead after the first quarter.

Heber Springs seemed to be in control at that point, but cooled off in the second quarter, allowing Newport (0-1) to close the gap to 10 points at the half, 26-16.

“We started off hot, but we cooled off,” Gay said. “The shots weren’t falling, but we still took any shot we could get instead of waiting for the right shot.”

Baskets by sophomores Savannah Stout and Addison Hudspeth pushed the Panthers advantage back to 14 at 30-16 with 6:58 to play in the third quarter, but the Greyhounds were able to get within 10 late in the quarter at 36-26.

Heber Springs would go on 6-0 run to start the fourth, but the Panthers couldn’t stop Head as she scored seven straight to make it a 46-35 contest with 5:53 left.

A 3-pointer by Olivia Norton and a Hooten field goal with 5:04 to play expanded the Heber Springs advantage and Newport would not get any closer.

Hooten scored 20 of her 35 points in the second half and was a perfect eight-of-eight from the free-throw line over that period — she was 13-of-15 from the line on the night.

“Jaylea sees everything as a blur,” Gay said. “She is so fast.”

It had a been a week since the Panthers opened their season with a win over Mount St. Mary.

“I did see some things we improved on,” Gay said, “but some things are still bothering me. Our transition offense is still an enigma. It still difficult to figure out for us. We just try to get going so fast.”

Heber Springs will get a chance to improve on that Thursday night when they travel to Bald Knob (1-1) for the first road game of the season.

“They have an athlete and a good shooter,” Gay said. “So they have two kids that I am going to have to worry about. We saw them this summer. We are going to see the 2-3 zone and they are going to press us, so we are going to have to be ready.”

Newport (0-1)                 7   9  12  16 - 44
Heber Springs (2-0)          20   6  14  19 - 59
Newport (44): Avery Robinson 2, Raigan Head 36, Lexi Harp 2, Grace Fain 4
Heber Springs (59): Hope Turney 8, Kylie Carr 2, Madison Clemons 2, Jaylea Hooten 35, Addison Hudspeth 3, Sophie Stone 2, Savannah Stout 4, Olivia Norton 3.

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HEBER SPRINGS SENIOR GIRLS
2021-2022
(Click on a game for previous details)
(Record: 2-0, 4-4A Conference: 0-0)
Nov. 09   Heber Springs 53, Mount St. Mary 42
Nov. 15   Heber Springs 59, Newport 44
Nov. 18   at Bald Knob (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m.
Nov. 22   Guy-Perkins (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m.
Nov. 23   at Shirley (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m.
Nov. 29-Dec. 4 at Conway St. Joseph Tournament (SG, SB)
Dec. 07   at Benton Harmony Grove (JG, SG, SB), 5 p.m.
Dec. 14   South Side Bee Branch (JG, SG, SB), 5 p.m.
Dec. 17   at Ozark (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m. *
Dec. 20   at Lonoke (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m. 
Dec. 21   at Des Arc (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m.
Dec. 28-30 at Mount Vernon-Enola Tournament (SG, SB)
Jan. 04   Morrilton (SGJV, SBJV, SG, SB), 6 p.m. *
Jan. 07   at Dardanelle (JG, JB. SG, SB), 4 p.m. *
Jan. 11   at Clarksville (SBJV, SG, SB), 5 p.m. *
Jan. 14   Pottsville (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m. *
Jan. 21   Ozark (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m. *
Jan. 25   at Morrilton (SGJB, SBJB, SG, SB), 6 p.m. *
Feb. 01   Dardanelle (JG, JB, SG, SB), 4 p.m.
Feb. 03   Clarksville (SBJV, SG, SB), 5 p.m. *
Feb. 08   at Pottsville (SGJV, SG, SB), 6 p.m. *
Feb. 14   District Tournament at Subiaco Academy

PHOTO: Mount St. Mary at Heber Springs Junior Girls

Heber Springs coach Spencer Gay. PHILIP SEATON PHOTO

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