Hornets snag a share of 1st: Yant’s layup at the buzzer kayo’s Cards
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
CAMDEN — Playing at home and, no doubt, surprised to be even in the final minute of their game with the Bryant Hornets Tuesday night, the Camden Fairview Cardinals decided to go for the final shot.
Bryant had tied the game with two clutch free throws by Dwayne Chumley with :48 left. The Cards worked the clock down to :17 then took a timeout to set up that last shot. When play resumed they worked the clock inside of :10 and still had the ball out near the time line. Only Bryant’s Scott Yant was hounding them much but Yant, who came up with a pair of timely steals early in the fourth quarter, was giving them a hard time.
When Fairview’s Anthony Herndon softly tossed the ball to teammate Torey Reed with about :07 to go, Yant’s got a little help. Jaston Carter saw the opening flashed at Reed, poked the ball out of his hands and into the backcourt. Hustling, Carter chased down the loose ball, drew the defense then whipped a pass to the streaking Yant for a layup at the buzzer that gave Bryant a 52-50.
The result, along with El Dorado’s 85-58 win at Lake Hamilton and Pine Bluff’s 60-48 win at Benton, left Bryant and Fairview tied with El Dorado, Lake Hamilton and Pine Bluff atop the AAAAA-South Conference standings, all with 4-2 marks.
Bryant improved to 11-7 overall. Fairview fell to 12-6.
It was the second time in as many games that the Hornets had knocked off a first-place team. They’d knocked Pine Bluff out of first in their previous game (see related story).
It seemed as if everyone that played had a moment when they came through in the clutch for the Hornets in the nip-and-tuck battle. The game was so close, in fact, that Fairview could never get more than 4 up and Bryant led by 5 at the most.
The Hornets were without junior Benny Elder who was home with strep throat. And, although he’s been out of action for awhile after breaking his collarbone, senior Ben Olberts was not on hand, a first this season. Olberts had had surgery earlier in the day, preventing him from making the trip.
If they’d been there, their teammates would’ve made them proud, particularly Kyle Lynch. The junior who has seen very little meaningful varsity action this season, was forced into the fray when senior forward Jeremy Reeves got into some foul trouble. Lynch came through with some quality minutes, doing well defensively to help slow down Fairview’s 6-5 center Luke Russell (who was held to 8 points in the game), getting a couple of rebounds and hitting a timely shot during the third quarter after Fairview had crept ahead 30-27.
Josh Ridge led the Hornets with 13 points including a pair of 3’s. Carter had 11, Reeves and Chumley 10 each and Yant 6.
Herndon had 13 for Fairview and Sterling McBride scored 10.
The game was a seesaw affair much of the way. The Hornets’ first 5-point edge came early in the second quarter. Trailing 12-11, the Hornets gained the lead when Yant fed Ridge for a layup and, after a Fairview miss, Carter popped a jumper in the lane with :04 left in the period to make it 15-12. A lean-in jumper inside by Ridge to start the second quarter made the margin 5.
Fairview managed to tie the game late in the second period, 21-21, but Ridge nailed his second 3 in the final minute and the Hornets held the edge at the break.
Fairview gained its largest lead when Russell broke a 27-27 tie and drew the third foul on Reeves with 3:45 left in the third. Russell completed the three-point play and the Cardinals had two chances to bump that only to fail.
Lynch got his basket inside and, after a Fairview turnover, Yant splashed a trey to put Bryant back on top. Yant and Chumley combined on a steal and Carter cashed in with a 3 to make it 35-30.
But Fairview was determined. The Cardinals tied it at 35 only to have Carter hit a pair of free throws with :02 left to leave Bryant ahead 37-35 going into the fourth quarter.
A steal by Yant and a feed to Chumley for a layup that turned into a three-point play, re-established the 5-point edge early in the fourth quarter.
But the game was tied at 40, 42 and 44 down the stretch. Carter snapped the last of those ties with a couple of free throws at the 2:08 mark but, on the other end, Herndon zeroed in for long range. His 3 put Fairview on top again.
But Reeves was fouled with 1:15 to go. He converted twice to return the edge to Bryant. Herndon answered with another 3, though, with 1:00 left. That led to Chumley’s vital free throws to tie it and the game-ending scenario ensued.
