Lady Hornets pass sternest test on the way to finals
EDITOR’S NOTE: Because the look back at each day in Bryant athletic history has been so favorably received during the time when there was no sports during the COVID-19 shutdown, BryantDaily.com will continueposting past stories of Bryant athletics either posted on BryantDaily.com (from 2009 to the present) or published in the Bryant Times (from 1998 to 2008).
By ROB PATRICK
BRYANT TIMES
NORTH LITTLE ROCK — When the chips are down, the Bryant Lady Hornets can still count on Jennifer Slack.
Slack, the team’s leading scorer last season, hadn’t been producing the numbers she did last year. But then, she hasn’t had to, the Lady Hornets have a few more weapons offensively. To her credit, the senior, who can and has played any of the five spots on the floor, hasn’t tried to force things.
And the Lady Hornets had won their first four games with balanced scoring including some firepower off the bench.
But when the team ran into its most toughest challenge to date against the Lonoke Lady Jackrabbits in the semifinals of the CAC/OrthoArkansas Invitational Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 5, the Lady Hornets needed Slack to step up. She came through with 17 points and six rebounds to lead the way to a 45-40 victory and a berth in the tourney championship game.
Slack and senior guard Rachel Blakley each hit 3-pointers to help the Lady Hornets get off to a fast start. They had an 11-4 lead after a layup by Slack with 2:13 left in the opening period, forcing a Lonoke timeout.
The Lady Jackrabbits regrouped, however, and put together a 14-0 run after that. Bryant didn’t score again until Ashley Grappe drove for a layup with 4:09 left in the half. Slack added a pair of free throws, Grappe penetrated for another hoop and Slack grabbed an offensive rebound and scored and suddenly, Bryant led 19-18. Grappe added a 15-foot jumper to make it an 8-0 run and a 3-point lead before a late basket by Lonoke’s Whitley Elam made it 21-20, Bryant, at the end of the half.
And Slack got the Lady Hornets going again in the third quarter. Another stickback made it 23-20 and started a stretch in which the Lady Hornets intensified their defensive play, holding Lonoke to just two free throws over the first 6:38 of the quarter.
By the time Sara Bransford hit the Lady Jacks’ first field goal of the half with 1:22 left in the period, Bryant had built a double-digit lead. It was 25-21 after a layup by Amanda Grappe. Yousra Elhagemoussa posted up and hit a turnaround jay then Slack hit the offensive glass for a bucket that made it 29-21 and forced a Lonoke timeout.
After the break, the Lady Hornets jumped into a press and forced a turnover. Slack made an eye-popping feed to Amanda Grappe for another layup and, after a Lonoke free throw, Elhagemoussa got loose inside again to make it 33-22.
Lonoke would not go away, however. The margin was cut to 2 with 5:16 left in the game. Ashley Grappe broke a dryspell for the Lady Hornets with a pair of free throws and, after another Lonoke turnover, Slack hit a driving layup to keep Lonoke at bay for the moment.
Bryant led 39-32 with 1:36 to go but Lonoke’s star forward Tommie Riddick drilled a 3.
Amanda Grappe, who had struggled at the free throw line came through with two in the clutch at that point. Moments later, she would absorb a knee in the back during a scramble for a loose ball in the lane. She had to come out of the game but the injury wound up to be less serious than it originally appeared.
The game entered the final minute with Bryant clinging to a 41-36 lead and on an 0-for-3 slump at the line. But Lonoke could get no closer than 3. Blakley and Slack both stepped to the line under the gun in the final 30 seconds and knocked down free throws to preserve the win.
