By Rob Patrick
CABOT — After scoring just 13 points in a loss at home to Conway White on Thursday (snapping a three-game win streak), the Bryant Lady Hornets responded with a splendid performance on Monday night,[more] pinning a 40-28 loss on the Cabot South Lady Panthers.
The Lady Hornets forced 21 Cabot turnovers and out-rebounded the Lady Panthers by 42-28 with 20 of their rebounds coming on the offensive end.
The Lady Hornets include Aubree Allen, Jessica Alliston, Andrea Buford, Ashlee Caton, Caylin Choate, Dezarea Duckworth, Kaitlyn Greer, Keedy Harrison, Taylor Matthews, Dee-Dee Mosby, Melinda Murdock, Amber Newman, Destiny Nichols, Brittany Privett, Erica Smith, Rori Whittaker and Alex Wright.
“Our effort was a lot better than it was last week against Conway White,” acknowledged Bryant coach Nathan Castaldi. “That’s the thing, we just didn’t play very hard. We didn’t play well but we didn’t play hard either and that’s a major problem if we don’t do that.
“But I’m going to throw out last week,” he added. “Because we’ve been averaging about 36 points a game and we scored 13. Something’s wrong with that. I know we played a better team but we didn’t play very well either.
“Tonight we did a great job, including people coming in off the bench, pressuring the basketball,” the coach asserted. “Every basket that (Cabot South) scored, they really had to work for. Defensively, I thought we played very well.”
The Lady Hornets were sparked early by Allen who scored half of her game-high 14 points in the first quarter before being sidelined with foul trouble. Allen finished with four rebounds, all on the offensive end, three steals and a blocked shot. Duckworth added 11 points, five steals and seven rebounds, matching Smith and Cabot South’s Katy Wise for game-high honors. Whittaker pitched in with 8 points and five boards for Bryant.
The Lady Hornets broke the game open with a 17-1 run that finished the second quarter and carried on into the third.
Cabot South led early, 6-3 but a driving jumper by Allen was followed by Duckworth’s first steal. She fed Allen for another basket and, moments later, Allen grabbed an offensive rebound and scored to make it a 9-6 Bryant lead.
Buford made a steal but Duckworth missed a shot. She stole it back, however, and drove for a layup to make it 11-6.
Cabot’s Ryan Wilson interrupted with a free throw but Buford knocked down an 8-foot jumper and Bryant led 13-7 going into the second quarter.
The Lady Panthers scored the first two buckets of the second quarter then didn’t manage a field goal until midway through the third. They had two chances to tie the game but missed a shot then turned the ball over. Whittaker canned a 15-footer and the Lady Hornets began their spree.
Harrison made a steal that led to another Duckworth bucket. In the final 30 seconds, Duckworth made another steal and layup to make it 19-11.
Cabot’s Lakyn Crumbley hit a free throw with :09.2 showing but the Lady Hornets rushed downcourt and Allen grabbed an offensive rebound and scored at the buzzer to make it 21-12.
The Lady Hornets turned the ball over to start the third quarter but Allen blocked a shot, Smith rebounded and fed Duckworth, who drove the hoop, scored and was fouled. Her free throw completed the three-point play.
Whittaker fed Caylin Choate, who drained a running jumper. Bryant forced a turnover and Choate couldn’t get another shot to go but Duckworth was there for the stickback to make it 28-12. Allen capped off the blitz with a 12-foot jumper and Bryant led 30-12.
Duckworth was a big part of the run with her ball-handling, passing, shooting and defense. For a while, she took the game over.
“She can and she knows that,” Castaldi commented. “She does a great job. Sometimes she’s too unselfish too. She does a great job of involving all her teammates.”
Demi Kelley finally ended Cabot South’s drought with 3:34 left in the third quarter. A drive by Whittaker countered that basket. Bryant led 33-19 going into the fourth quarter.
A basket by Greer started the fourth quarter then Cabot South reeled off a 5-0 surge to get within 35-24. The Bryant starters returned and finished the game, allowing just one field goal by Cabot South as the lead grew to 42-26.
Allen and Whittaker hit free throws down the stretch and Duckworth fed Allen for Bryant’s last points, with 2:13 left to play.
In the final minute, Kelley hit 2 of 4 free throws to set the final score.
Now 5-3, the Lady Hornets host North Little Rock on Thursday.
LADY HORNETS 42, LADY PANTHERS 28
Score by quarters
BRYANT 13 8 12 9 — 42
Cabot South 7 5 7 9 — 28
LADY HORNETS 42
Choate 1-7 0-0 2, Whittaker 2-4 4-4 8, Allen 6-10 2-4 14, Duckworth 5-11 1-2 11, Smith 1-3 0-0 2, Buford 1-5 0-0 2, Nichols 0-2 0-0 0, Newman 0-1 0-2 0, Harrison 0-2 0-0 0, Alliston 0-0 0-0 0, Greer 1-3 1-2 3, Caton 0-0 0-0 0, Matthews 0-0 0-0 0, Murdock 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-48 8-14 42.
LADY PANTHERS 28
Wood 3-3 0-0 6, Wilson 2-6 1-4 5, Crumbley 2-4 2-6 6, Gonzales 1-5 1-2 3, Wise 2-6 0-0 4, Kelley 1-2 2-4 4, Brucks 0-0 0-0 0, Backus 0-0 0-0 0, Powell 0-3 0-0 0, Ramey 0-0 0-0 0, Bettger 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 11-29 6-16 28.
Three-point field goals: Bryant 0-1 (Harrison 0-1), Cabot South 0-3 (Wilson 0-1, Gonzales 0-1, Powell 0-1). Rebounds: Bryant 35 (Smith, Duckworth 7, Whittaker 5), Cabot South 24 (Wise 7). Turnovers: Bryant 16, Cabot South 24. Team fouls: Bryant 17, Cabot South 14. Fouled out: Cabot South, Wilson.
