For more photos of this event by Kevin Nagle, go here
Ashton Inman gets past a Benton defender for a basket. (Photo by Kevin Nagle)
With 3:08 left in the third quarter, the Bryant Lady Hornets’ Kaitlyn Weng hit a layup off a steal to tie the Benton Lady Panthers at 18. With 2:46 left in the period, Abbey Inman drove for a layup to give the Lady Hornets a 20-18 lead.
But that proved to be the last field goal of the game for the Bryant freshmen. Free throws in the fourth quarter helped them stay close but, in the end, the Lady Panthers held on for a 27-24 win in Central Arkansas Junior High Conference play.
Kaitlyn Weng and Ashton Inman each scored 10 points to lead the Lady Hornets. Kristyn Weng and Abbey Inman added 2 each.
Benton’s largest lead came early in the second quarter. Bryant led 6-5 on a basket by Ashton Inman, two free throws and a basket by Kaitlyn Weng. But Benton went on a 6-0 run. The Lady Panthers led 9-6 at the end of the first quarter then 11-6 before Kaitlyn Weng hit a 3 to get the Lady Hornets back on track.
The Lady Panthers hit a free throw but Ashton Inman, who was 6 for 10 at the line in the game, converted 5 of 6 over the final 2:51 of the half.
Bryant led 13-12 with :38.5 left. Benton scored to take the lead then Inman added another free throw and the game was locked up 14-14 at the break.
Jaiyah Jackson (21) drives to the basket in a crowd of Lady Panthers. (Photo by Kevin Nagle)
When Ashton Inman drove for a basket to start the scoring in the third quarter, Bryant held a 16-14 edge. Benton rallied for the 18-16 lead that the Lady Hornets erased to produce the 20-18 lead.
While the Lady Hornets slumped offensively, Benton pushed out to a 24-20 lead by the end of the quarter. A free throw to start the fourth made it a 5-point game.
Bryant had opportunities at the line but converted just 1 of 4 shots over the next 1:30. The Lady Panthers didn’t fare much better as they went scoreless from the free throw at 5:30 to two free throws with just :15.3 left.
It was a frustrating stretch for both teams.
Kristyn Weng converted twice at the line with :10.9 showing. Benton missed the front end of a one-and-one on a foul before the inbounds pass and the Lady Hornets still had a chance for a tie.
Jaiyah Jackson rebounded the missed free throw and got it ahead to Ashton Inman, who got a look from near the top of the key but the shot rimmed out. It came out long to Kaitlyn Weng. She tried to pitch it to Kristyn Weng but before Kristyn could get a shot off, time ran out.
The Lady Hornets had defeated Benton 33-26 at the annual Kameron Hale Invitational Tournament on Dec. 29. They’ll try to get back on the winning track on Thursday when they travel to Cabot North.
LADY PANTHERS 27, LADY HORNETS 24
Freshman
Score by quarters
Benton 9 5 10 3 — 27
BRYANT 6 8 6 4 — 24
LADY PANTHERS 27
Miller 0-3 0-0 0, Brewer 1-3 1-2 3, Faulkner 1-14 0-2 2, Childress 5-7 5-8 15, Melton 1-3 2-2 4, Winters 0-0 0-0 0, Harris 1-3 1-4 3. Totals 9-33 (27%) 9-18 (50%) 27.
LADY HORNETS 24
Ka.Weng 3-10 3-4 10, Kr.Weng 0-3 2-2 2, Ab.Inman 1-4 0-0 2, As.Inman 2-11 6-10 10, Laughlin 0-1 0-0 0, Funk 0-1 0-0 0, Jackson 0-1 0-0 0, Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Buck 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 6-31 (19%) 11-16 (69%) 24.
Three-point field goals: Bryant 1-11 (Ka.Weng 1-5, As.Inman 0-4, Kr.Weng 0-1, Ab.Inman 0-1), Benton 0-3 (Miller 0-2, Faulkner 0-1). Turnovers: Bryant 9, Benton 11. Rebounds: Bryant 7-17 24 (As.Inman 3-5 8, Ka.Weng 2-2 4, Funk 1-2 3, Ab.Inman 0-2, Laughlin 1-1 2, Brown 0-2 2, Jackson 0-1 1, team 0-2 2), Benton 12-20 32 (Faulkner 5-6 11, Brewer 3-3 6, Melton 2-3 5, Harris 1-1 2, Miller 0-1 1, Childress 0-1 1, Winters 0-1 1, team 1-4 5). Team fouls: Bryant 14, Benton 12. Fouled out: Bryant, Ab.Inman.
