Hornets get Cats back
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
This time, they held on.
Bryant coaches Mark Smith and Chad Withers still shake their heads about their team’s game at Conway on Jan. 15. The Hornets led almost the entire game but missed some chances to expand their lead late. Conway tied it in the final seconds and won in overtime, 62-59.
The scenario at the Hornets Nest in the rematch on Friday, Feb. 8, was eerily similar. Bryant led most of the way but Conway made a charge at the end.
This time, however, the Hornets made enough plays defensively and just enough free throws to hold on for a 54-52 win that officially clinched a spot in the Class 7A-State Tournament and moved them up into a tie for fourth place in the 7A-Central Conference, just a game — remember Jan. 15? — behind third-place Conway.
Still, the Hornets appear to be on a roll at the right time. The victory was their third in a row and fourth in the last five games starting with their 55-54 win over league-leading Little Rock Central on Jan. 26.
Typical of the surge, the Hornets found a way to get to the free-throw line. They were 22 of 30, though six of their misses came in the fourth quarter when they were trying to protect their lead.
“It was a similar game,” acknowledged Withers. “The difference was we made some free throws down the stretch when we had to. Up there we didn’t and that really cost us.
“We’re starting to play pretty good,” he added. “We’ve just got to keep pushing. There’s not any doubt that anytime we get on the floor, I feel like we can win. It’s just about executing.”
Zach Lewis, who had two bonus opportunities rim out in the late going at Conway, stepped up with four free throws. He hit two at the 1:05 mark that expanded the lead to 6. Moments later, Chad Knight hit one to make it 49-42 and it looked like the Hornets were on their way.
But Conway’s Preston Purifoy hit a pair from the line and, after Lewis made one of two, the Cats’ Austin Mitchell was fouled on a 3-point attempt. And not only did Mitchell get to step to the line with the clock stopped to knock down three, the foul was the fifth on Bryant point guard Brandon Cowart, one of the team’s best free-throw shooters and best ball-handler.
Mitchell cut the margin to 50-47 but with :27.5 to go, Lewis added a free throw to make it a two-possession game. A quick drive for a layup by Conway’s Kenyon McNeill trimmed the lead to 2, however.
Knight was fouled again with :17.9 left and the senior, who went 10 for 10 from the line in the Hornets’ win at Russellville earlier in the week, managed to connect on just one this time, leaving the door open for a tying 3-pointer for Conway.
But McNeill couldn’t get the 3 to go and, with :05 left, Tim Floyd was fouled. Wrapping up the victory and a 22-point performance, the junior forward converted twice to make it 54-49, leaving Mitchell’s game ending 3 little more than window-dressing.
Although, if the Hornets wind up tied with Conway in the standings, that 3 could be big. The tiebreaker between the two teams would be margin of victory and it made Bryant’s just 2 over Conway as opposed to the 3-point margin the Cats finished with in the previous meeting.
That notwithstanding, the Hornets turned in one of their best halves of basketball to start the game. Sparked by Taylor Masters who scored 6 points in the first five minutes and was key to getting Mitchell in foul trouble, the Hornets built a 9-3 advantage that held the entire half.
Conway managed to trim it to 11-10 at the end of the first period but Floyd scored 8 quick points including two 3’s in the first three minutes of the second quarter to re-establish the Hornets’ advantage.
Conway closed to within 19-15 but Cowart hit two free throws and, after a Wampus Cat turnover, senior Andrew Tilley came off the bench and knocked down a 3 to make it 24-15. Another Conway turnover gave Bryant a chance to extend the margin before the half but Cowart’s fall-away jumper refused to fall.
And the Hornets had a chance again to start the second half but suffered a turnover. Cowart took a charge to get them another chance but another missed shot seemed to turn the momentum Conway’s way.
The Cats responded with a 12-2 run to take the lead, 27-26, their first since it was 3-0.
Dijon Benton hit three free throws in the final two minutes of the period to push the Hornets back up, 29-27, going into the final eight minutes.
“We responded and that’s what good teams do,” Withers noted.
Mitchell tied it again to start the fourth quarter and the Cats surged to a 34-31 lead when Floyd scored and was fouled. His free throw tied it with 5:54 left and when Knight followed up with a 3-pointer the Hornets were ahead to stay.
At the 3:26 mark, Floyd drained another trey. After McNeill converted twice at the line, Floyd got the ball on the right wing at about the same spot he’d just delivered on the 3. This time, Conway’s defense came out on him but he pump-faked, put the ball on the floor and took it to the rack, finishing with a thunderous one-handed dunk to make it 42-36.
But the Hornets came up empty on two trips to the line after a Conway miss and McNeill’s driving jumper at the 2:09 mark kept the Cats alive. Cowart hit two free throws but Mitchell hit a 3 to make it 44-41 with 1:49 to play.
After a Conway timeout, the Hornets spread the floor and, with 1:20 left, Lewis rifled a pass to Knight behind the defense for a layup to set up the final sequence of events.
The Hornets were set to take on the two teams with which they are tied in their subsequent games. On Tuesday, Feb. 12, they were to visit Cabot before playing North Little Rock in the final home game of the season on Friday, Feb. 15. A game at Central will finish the regular season on Tuesday, Feb. 19.
