CONWAY — The Bryant Lady Hornets freshman team is at its best when, on offense, they’re slashing to the basket and, on defense, they’re creating turnovers. But, on Thursday night, they faced a Conway Blue Lady Cats team with a back-line as big and tall as any freshman team in memory. And the biggest and tallest, Savannah Scott, was an eighth-grader, who led her team with 12 points.
When the Lady Hornets managed to drive into the lane, their shots were often blocked or, at best, altered and it developed into a frustrating and intimidating situation.
That and perhaps suffering through a bit of a letdown after an intense, thrilling victory on Monday over the arch-rival Benton Lady Panthers, the Lady Hornets just couldn’t get anything going.
Their defense was still pretty good early but, in the end, Conway Blue wound up with a 30-8 victory, forcing the Lady Hornets into 37 turnovers. Bryant finished the game with just three field goals.
Daria Greer who wound up with 5 of her team’s 10 points, had the lone Bryant basket in the first half. Conway Blue had run up a 9-0 lead but, with 2:50 left in the half, it was still 9-2.
That’s when the Lady Cats blew it up, finishing the half on a 16-0 blitz over the last 2:21.
The Lady Hornets’ second basket came with 5:23 left in the third quarter. It was provided by Parris Atkins.
Bryant wound up attempting just six free throws in the game, despite the contact inside.
It was 30-4 before V’Mya Palmer hit a free throw for the Lady Hornets with 1:38 left in the third quarter. Conway Blue’s Shelsea Clark hit two free throws then Greer drove for a basket in the final seconds to make it 32-7 going into the fourth quarter.
Greer would add a free throw in the final period, but the Lady Hornets didn’t crack double digits until just a second was left in the contest on free throws by Christine Mefford.
Bryant head coach Nathan Castaldi used the opportunity to get everybody playing time.
The game marked the end of the Lady Hornets’ pre-Christmas schedule. They’ll return to action in the annual Kameron Hale Invitational Tournament at Lake Hamilton on Thursday, Dec. 27.
LADY CATS 38, LADY HORNETS 10
Freshmen
Score by quarters
BRYANT 2 0 5 3 — 10
Conway Blue 9 16 7 6 — 38
LADY HORNETS 10
Hancock 0-2 0-0 0, Greer 2-6 1-2 5, LaCerra 0-1 0-0 0, Atkins 1-9 0-0 2, Chappell 0-0 0-0 0, Jordan 0-1 0-0 0, Palmer 0-0 1-2 1, H.Hartz 0-0 0-0 0, Purifoy 0-3 0-0 0, S.Hartz 0-1 0-0 0, Strickland0-0 0-0 0, Turner 0-0 0-0 0, Mefford 0-0 2-2 2, Cicero 0-0 0-0 0, Sanders 0-1 0-0 0, Hammett 0-0 0-0 0. Totals3-24 (13%) 4-6 (67%) 10.
LADY CATS 38
Beckwith 0-4 0-0 0, Roach 3-7 3-5 9, Kam.Brown 1-5 1-2 3, Hill 2-3 0-6 4, Scott 6-10 0-0 12, Ingraham 1-3 1-2 4, J.Johnson 2-4 0-0 4, Clark 0-3 2-2 2, Tyler 0-2 0-0 0, J.Brown 0-1 0-0 0, Corley 0-2 0-0 0, N.Johnson 0-0 0-0 0, Kal.Brown 0-2 0-0 0. Totals15-46 (33%) 7-17 (41%) 38.
Three-point field goals:Bryant 0-4 (Greer 0-2, LaCerra 0-1, Purifoy 0-1), Conway Blue 1-10 (Ingraham 1-2, Roach 0-3, Corley 0-2, Beckwith 0-1, Tyler 0-1, Kal.Brown 0-1). Turnovers:Bryant 37, Conway Blue 19. Rebounds:Bryant 5-24 29 (Atkins 0-10 10, Hancock 0-4 4, Jordan 1-2 3, Palmer 1-2 3, Palmer 0-2 2, Chappell 0-1 1, Mefford 0-1 1, team 4-4 8), Conway Blue 15-15 30 (Hill 2-3 5, Scott 3-2 5, Beckwith 1-3 4, J.Johnson 2-2 4, Kam.Brown 2-1 3, Roach 1-1 2, Clark 1-1 2, Ingraham 1-0 1, Tyler 1-0 1, N.Johnson 0-1 1, team 1-1 2). Team fouls:Bryant 12, Conway Blue 7.
