File photo by Kevin Nagle
The Bryant High School basketball teams finish off their three-Friday’s-in-a-row canine tour in the 7A/6A-Central Conference when they travel to Alma to take on the Airedales. On previous Friday’s the Hornets and Lady Hornets played the Pointers at Van Buren and the Bulldogs at Greenwood.
Both teams are seeking much-needed wins. After winning their first two conference games, the Hornets have suffered back-to-back setbacks including Tuesday’s home game against Russellville.
In Alma (14-2 overall, 3-1 in the 7A/6A-Central), the Hornets face the top scoring team in conference play so far. The Airedales have beaten Russellville 55-54 in overtime (though the Cyclones were without Andy Campell who hit Bryant for 20), lost to Van Buren 48-35, edged Little Rock Catholic 78-73, and whipped Greenwood 70-50.
Bryant (8-9, 2-2) has played the same four opponents with wins over Catholic, 45-36, and Greenwood, 48-35.
The Airedales feature two of the top five scorers in league play. Austin Lee, a 6-2 guard, leads the conference with a 20.5 average in four games. Jake Folkerts, a 6-5 forward, is fourth at 15.3. Folkers hit 10 of 12 from 3-point range against Greenwood. Lee finished with 23 points. Alma shot 55 percent from the field.
The Hornets’ top scorer in conference play is sophomore Romen Martin at 12.3 (sixth in the league) but they’ve were without junior Kevin Hunt who was the team’s top scorer prior to missing two games with illness. He returned Tuesday and had 18. Sophomore Calvin Allen and junior Wesley Peters have helped pick up some of the scoring load in Hunt’s absence when the Hornets started five freshmen in the win at Greenwood and four against Russellville.
While the Hornets have struggled offensively, they’re third in the conference in points allowed on defense (50.3 a game). Alma is seventh in that category (56.3) among league teams so far.
Meanwhile, the Lady Hornets are also coming off back-to-back losses as well including a gut-wrenching 61-57 loss to Russellville on Tuesday.
Both Bryant and Alma are 1-3 in league play with their lone wins coming over Mount St. Mary Academy of Little Rock (Bryant by 10, Alma by 11).
The Airedalettes appear to have balanced scoring, according to stats provided courtesy of Leland Barclay of the Fort Smith Times-Record. Their top scorer in league play is Hailey Ostrander at 9.5 but Lania Wright and Bailey Jones are right behind her at 8.8 apiece.
The Lady Hornets have the league’s second-leading scorer (tied with Russellville’s Shameka Ealy) in senior Jakeria Otey, who has averaged 16.5 a game. Greenwood’s Megan Hartness leads the conference at 23.8. Senior Lauren Carroll is scoring 10.3 a game in the league, 12th overall.
Both teams are guard-oriented and are near the middle of the pack as far as points scored and allowed.
Alma is a Class 6A school so the games will not count for Bryant’s bid to reach the Class 7A State Tournament, which will be at Springdale Har-Ber in early March. Both Bryant teams are 1-1 in games against 7A schools. They’ll complete their first run through the league against the third 7A opponent on Tuesday when they travel to Conway.
BryantDaily.com will post live quarter-by-quarter updates at the game.
7A/6A-CENTRAL CONFERENCE STANDINGS
BOYS
Team Conf Ovl
Van Buren 4-0 13-5
Alma 3-1 14-2
Conway 3-1 12-4
Siloam Springs 2-2 10-7
Bryant 2-2 8-9
Russellville 1-3 7-10
LR Catholic 1-3 2-13
Greenwood 0-4 3-10
Friday, Jan. 9
Bryant 48, Greenwood 35
Alma 55, Russellville 54, OT
Van Buren 52, Conway 45
LR Catholic 53, Siloam Springs 50
Tuesday, Jan. 13
Bryant 45, LR Catholic 36
Van Buren 48, Alma 35
Conway 47, Russellville 37
Siloam Springs 60, Greenwood 57, OT
Friday, Jan. 16
Van Buren 60, Bryant 38
Alma 78, LR Catholic 73
Conway 64, Greenwood 47
Siloam Springs 49, Russellville 48
Tuesday, Jan. 20
Russellville 70, Bryant 57
Alma 70, Greenwood 50
Conway 50, LR Catholic 38
Van Buren 50, Siloam Springs 38
Friday, Jan. 23
Bryant at Alma
Conway at Siloam Springs
Greenwood at Russellville
Van Buren at LR Catholic
Tuesday, Jan. 27
Bryant at Conway
Alma at Siloam Springs
Greenwood at Van Buren
Russellville at LR Catholic
Friday, Feb. 6
Greenwood at Bryant
Russellville at Alma
Van Buren at Conway
LR Catholic at Siloam Springs
Tuesday, Feb. 10
Bryant at LR Catholic
Alma at Van Buren
Conway at Russellville
Siloam Springs at Greenwood
Friday, Feb. 13
Van Buren at Bryant
LR Catholic at Alma
Greenwood at Conway
Russellville at Siloam Springs
Tuesday, Feb. 17
Bryant at Russellville
Greenwood at Alma
Conway at LR Catholic
Van Buren at Siloam Springs
Friday, Feb. 20
Bryant at Alma
Siloam Springs at Conway
Russellville at Greenwood
LR Catholic at Van Buren
Tuesday, Feb. 24
Conway at Bryant
Siloam Springs at Alma
Van Buren at Greenwood
LR Catholic at Russellville
Friday, Feb. 27
Bryant at Siloam Springs
Alma at Conway
Greenwood at LR Catholic
Russellville at Van Buren
7A/6A-CENTRAL CONFERENCE STANDINGS
GIRLS
Team Conf Ovl Class
Greenwood 4-0 17-1
Conway 3-1 13-5
Van Buren 3-1 10-7
Russellville 3-1 7-10
Siloam Springs 1-3 11-6
Alma 1-3 9-7
Bryant 1-3 9-8
Mount St. Mary 0-4 4-13
Friday, Jan. 9
Greenwood 71, Bryant 42
Russellville 47, Alma 40
Conway 66, Van Buren 28
Siloam Springs 51, Mount St. Mary 30
Tuesday, Jan. 13
Bryant 46, Mount St. Mary 36
Van Buren 54, Alma 33
Conway 76, Russellville 55
Greenwood 69, Siloam Springs 39
Friday, Jan. 16
Van Buren 51, Bryant 37
Alma 71, Mount St. Mary 60
Greenwood 64, Conway 63
Russellville 44, Siloam Springs 38
Tuesday, Jan. 20
Russellville 61, Bryant 57, OT
Greenwood 74, Alma 44
Conway 76, Mount St. Mary 26
Van Buren 50, Siloam Springs 41
Friday, Jan. 23
Bryant at Alma
Conway at Siloam Springs
Greenwood at Russellville
Van Buren at Mount St. Mary
Tuesday, Jan. 27
Bryant at Conway
Alma at Siloam Springs
Greenwood at Van Buren
Russellville at Mount St. Mary
Friday, Feb. 6
Greenwood at Bryant
Russellville at Alma
Van Buren at Conway
Mount St. Mary at Siloam Springs
Tuesday, Feb. 10
Bryant at Mount St. Mary
Alma at Van Buren
Conway at Russellville
Siloam Springs at Greenwood
Friday, Feb. 13
Van Buren at Bryant
Mount St. Mary at Alma
Greenwood at Conway
Russellville at Siloam Springs
Tuesday, Feb. 17
Bryant at Russellville
Greenwood at Alma
Conway at Mount St. Mary
Van Buren at Siloam Springs
Friday, Feb. 20
Bryant at Alma
Siloam Springs at Conway
Russellville at Greenwood
Mount St. Mary at Van Buren
Tuesday, Feb. 24
Conway at Bryant
Siloam Springs at Alma
Van Buren at Greenwood
Mount St. Mary at Russellville
Friday, Feb. 27
Bryant at Siloam Springs
Alma at Conway
Greenwood at Mount St. Mary
Russellville at Van Buren
