For more photos from this event by Kevin Nagle, go here
Kalia Walker (Photo by Kevin Nagle)
LITTLE ROCK — Sometimes, all you can do is keep playing.
Coming off a game in which an apparent victory was unceremoniously snatched away by the Mount St. Mary Belles, the Bryant Lady Hornets found themselves trying to bounce back from that disappointment on the road against the Little Rock Central Lady Tigers.
And since Central is not only a contender for a 7A-Central Conference championship but a State title as well, the Lady Hornets weren’t allowed much room to gather momentum or hope.
The Lady Tigers stayed on the heels of league-leading North Little Rock with a 56-20 victory, leaving the Lady Hornets in their wake.
Central rushed to a 13-0 lead in the first quarter. Bryant was unable to break through until, with 1:22 left in the period, senior Kendal Rogers got open inside and scored. A free throw with no time left on the clock by Lania Ratliff made it 13-3 going into the second quarter.
Paige Adams launches a 3-pointer. (Photo by Kevin Nagle)
Central then scored the first 13 points of the second quarter as well.
There was just too much size, quickness and depth for the Lady Hornets to contend with.
Bryant’s first basket of the second quarter came at the 3:18 mark when Kelly Williams knocked down a 3-pointer. A basket by Central’s Ariyanna Hall was offset by Bryant’s Mary Catherine Selig, who drained a 12-foot jumper but a 3-pointer by Abigayle Jackson, one of four players over six-feet tall on the team, made it 31-8 at the half.
An 11-point run started the third quarter for Central. Williams scored off a drive to provide Bryant’s only basket of the period, which ended 50-10.
Bre’Amber Scott led the Lady Tigers with 18 points. Jackson added 12 off the bench.
Selig paced the Lady Hornets with 6 points. Williams had 5.
Central out-rebounded Bryant 31-16 and only four of Bryant’s boards came at the offensive end. It was one-and-done on offense for the Lady Hornets most of the night.
In the final period, Paige Adams came on to knock down a 3. Selig hit a jumper and, after Hall scored for the Lady Tigers, Kalia Walker added a triple. Selig made a steal and got the ball to Adams, who returned the pass for a layup to make it 52-20.
Riley Hill eyes the basket. (Photo by Kevin Nagle)
A pair of late layups set the final score for Central.
The Lady Hornets will have a better opportunity for victory when they return to action on Tuesday at home against Fort Smith Southside. At Southside on Jan. 17, the Lady Mavericks had to scramble to eke out a 38-34 win over Bryant.
LADY TIGERS 56, LADY HORNETS 20
Score by quarters
BRYANT 3 5 2 10 — 20
LR Central 13 18 19 6 — 56
LADY HORNETS (3-19, 0-10) 20
Ratliff 0-3 1-2 1, Williams 2-5 0-0 5, Hill 0-2 0-0 0, Selig 3-5 0-0 6, Rogers 1-3 0-0 2, Loveless 0-2 0-0 0, Walker 1-7 0-0 3, Adams 1-5 0-0 3, Steen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 8-32 1-2 20.
LADY TIGERS (19-3, 8-2) 56
Scott 8-12 0-0 18, Barnum 3-7 0-2 6, Greenwood 2-7 1-2 6, T.Jackson 0-1 0-0 0, Lewis 1-1 0-2 2, Hall 3-6 1-2 7, A.Jackson5-6 1-2 12, Perry 0-0 0-0 0, Peyton 2-6 0-0 6, Woods 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-47 3-10 56.
Three-point field goals: Bryant 3-13 (Adams 1-5, Walker 1-4, Williams 1-2, Hill 0-2), LR Central 5-15 (Scott 2-3, Peyton 1-5, Greenwood 1-3, A.Jackson 1-1, Woods 0-1). Turnovers: Bryant 21, LR Central 13. Rebounds: Bryant 4-12 16 (Ratliff 0-3 3, Selig 0-3 3, Rogers 1-1 2, Walker 0-1 1, Steen 0-1 1, team 3-3 6), LR Central 10-21 31 (Hall 2-6 8, Barnum 4-2 6, Scott 1-3 4, T.Jackson 3-1 4, A.Jackson 0-4 4, Greenwood 0-2 2, Lewis 0-2 2, Peyton 0-1 1). Team fouls: Bryant 7, LR Central 5.
Mary Catherine Selig fires a shot in a crowded lane. (Photo by Kevin Nagle)
