CONWAY — When the Bryant Lady Hornets freshman team scores 29 points or more, they’re 3-4 with all four losses by less than six points.
But there have been times this season with scoring close to 29 has been a chore. It has a lot to do with what team they’re playing and how well they play defense but they’ve also had nights where, even from close range, it’s been a struggle to get the ball to fall.
So, when they shoot well, they give themselves a chance to win. When they don’t, it’s not only a loss but usually a lopsided one.
Upon their return to Central Arkansas Junior High Conference play and coming off three games in which they scored 33 points (in each), the Lady Hornets got some good shots but few of them — just 7 of 37 — found the bottom of the net. The result was a 44-22 loss to the Conway White Lady Cats at Buzz Bolding Arena.
The Lady Hornets fell behind 7-0 at the outset and never quite recovered. Jaiyah Jackson, who led Bryant with 8 points in the game, had two baskets to cut it to 8-4 but then Conway White scored 14 more points before the Lady Hornets could add to their total again.
It was 20-4 at the end of the first quarter, 22-4 before Abbey Inman’s driving jumper went in at the 4:54 mark of the second stanza.
After a Lady Cat hoop, Ashton Inman canned an 8-foot jumper to make it 24-8 but that 16-point deficit was as close as the Lady Hornets would get until a surge in the fourth quarter trimmed the margin to 15.
Conway White led 28-8 at the half. Their largest lead was 25 at 35-10 going into the final minute of the third quarter.
At that point, the Lady Hornets had only turned the ball over 11 times in the game and, though they wound up with 16, they actually out-rebounded the Lady Cats 36-33. Abbey Inman led Bryant with seven caroms.
Once the margin reached 25, the Lady Hornets went on an 11-1 run. Ashton Inman hit two free throws and Kaitlyn Weng hit a 12-footer to make it 35-14 going into the fourth quarter.
Weng started the scoring in the final stanza and Jackson followed up with a basket to make it 35-18. After a Conway free throw, Jackson converted twice at the line and Kristyn Weng added a free throw to make it a 15-point difference with 2:20 left.
After that, only Katrina Johnson’s free throw with :49 left added the Bryant’s total.
Kaitlyn Weng finished with 6 points for Bryant, Ashton Inman had 4.
The Lady Hornets return home for their next game. They’ll host the rival Benton Lady Panthers, whom they defeated 33-26 during the Kameron Hale Invitational between Christmas and New Year.
