Making plays when they need them, freshman boys prevail

Photos courtesy of Paul Dotson; for more photos of this event by Kevin Nagle, go here

Braden Godwin (14) pulls up for a jumper. (Photo by Kevin Nagle)

Nine players got in the game and all nine scored as the Bryant Hornets freshman team opened play in the Central Arkansas Junior High Conference with a convincing 41-29 win over the Cabot North Panthers on Monday night at the Bryant Middle School gym.

Aiden Adams hit a trio of 3’s including back-to-back midway through the fourth quarter after Cabot North ad cut the Bryant’s lead to 30-24.

After that, the Panthers were unable to get the lead under double digits as Hayden Schrader and Myles Aldridge added 6 points each, Braylon Walker and Jalen Montgomery 5 apiece and Ryan Riggs and Gavin Brunson 4 each.

Brunson also accounted for 10 rebounds, six of which came at the offensive end.

“We got off playing really good defense and made them take some bad shots,” noted Hornets head coach Tyler Posey, whose team opened the game with a 13-3 run. “We really contested every single shot and, after the contest, we rebounded well.

“We try to attack off the rebound,” he said. “We have quick guards. We got down the floor and made some plays after that.”

Jalen Montgomery gets fouled after releasing a floating jumper. (Photo by Kevin Nagle)

Montgomery got 4 of his points in the opening salvo. Along with a free throw by Riggs, it was 5-0 before Cabot North’s Hogan Ralston hit a 3. But Riggs answered with a triple and Adams drained a trey to make it 11-3 and force a Cabot North timeout.

In the final minute of the half, Aldridge scored off a drive to make it a 10-point lead.

Tyler Parks scored the last basket of the first quarter and the first of the second as the lead dwindled to 6 but Aldridge started a 7-0 run that included a pair of baskets and a free throw by Walker. Montgomery assisted on his layup that made it 20-7 before Parks hit a 3 to finish the half.

A free throw by Braden Godwin and a basket inside by Schrader off a feed from Adams extended the margin to 13 again.

Ryan Riggs flies toward the basket. (Photo by Kevin Nagle)

With a spark from guard Van Ezell, Cabot North hung around. It was 26-18 going into the fourth quarter.

Ezell hit a driving jumper to start the fourth quarter, cutting the margin to 6. Schrader took a feed from Austin Schroeder for a basket but Ezell answered with a 10-foot jumper from the baseline.

This time, Aldridge popped a 15-footer in response but a layup by Ezell had it 30-24. That’s when Adams got back-to-back looks from deep to push the lead to 36-24.

The Panthers took a timeout but, when play resumed, Montgomery was fouled. His free throw made it 37-24.

When Brunson followed up a missed free throw by Cabot North with a basket inside off the offensive glass with 2:09 left, the Hornets had their largest lead of the game at 39-24.

The win improved Bryant to 4-1 on the season and 1-0 in league play. They’ll return to action on Monday, Nov. 27, at home against league rival Lake Hamilton.

Braylon Walker goes up for a shot inside. (Photo by Kevin Nagle)

HORNETS 41, PANTHERS 29

Freshman

Score by quarters

Cabot North 5 5 8 11 — 29

BRYANT 13 7 6 15 — 41

PANTHERS 29

Ezell 6-11 3-3 15, Cooper 0-1 0-0 0, Parks 4-7 0-1 9, Ralston 0-1 0-0 0, Olegario 1-3 0-0 3, Hill 0-3 2-2 2, Williams 0-2 0-0 0, Spencer 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 11-29 5-6 29.

HORNETS 41

Riggs 1-6 1-2 4, Montgomery 1-3 3-5 5, Godwin 0-1 1-2 1, Adams 3-9 0-0 9, Brunson 2-4 0-0 4, Schrader 3-5 0-2 6, Schroeder 0-2 1-2 1, Aldridge 3-7 0-0 6, Walker 2-2 1-2 5. Totals 15-39 7-15 41.

Three-point field goal: Bryant 4-15 (Adams 3-8, Riggs 1-5, Schroeder 0-2), Cabot North 2-8 (Olegario 1-2, Parks 1-1, Hill 0-3, Ezell 0-2). Turnovers: Bryant 8, Cabot North 13. Rebounds: Bryant 11-16 27 (Brunson 6-4 10, Schrader 2-2 4, Godwin 1-2 3, Aldridge 0-3 3, Adams 0-2 2, Walker 1-1 2, Riggs 1-0 1, Montgomery 0-1 1, Schroeder 0-1 1), Cabot North 4-18 22 (Parks 1-5 6, Cooper 0-4 4, Ralston 0-4 4, Ezell 1-2 3, Hill 0-1 1, team 2-2 4). Team fouls: Bryant 11, Cabot North 12.