The lid was on the basket for the Bryant Lady Hornets freshman team on Tuesday night. Yet, by holding the Hot Springs Junior Lady Trojans to three field goals, they led 15-12 going into the fourth quarter.
Hot Springs, however, outscored the Lady Hornets 10-2 in the final 3:18 to forge at 21-17 victory at the Bryant Invitational Tournament at the high school gym.
The setback dropped the Lady Hornets’ record to 0-3 going into their first Central Arkansas Junior High Conference contest on Monday, Nov. 20, against Cabot North.
Bryant out-rebounded Hot Springs 38-24, which led to 10 more shots. But the Lady Hornets just couldn’t get enough of them to go in.
That figures to be the breakthrough ahead the Lady Hornets need. They just haven’t found their shooting touch yet.
Ashton Inman managed 12 of her team’s 17 points. Ryleigh Laughlin and Kaitlyn Weng each had 2 points and Abbey Inman had a point to go with a game-high nine rebounds.
The Lady Hornets didn’t get to the free-throw line as often as the Lady Trojans either. Hot Springs converted 11 of 15 at the line while Bryant converted 4 of 7.
Baskets by Ashton Inman and Laughlin had the Lady Hornets ahead 4-0 as they held the Lady Trojans scoreless in the first quarter. Abbey Inman’s free throw made it 5-0 before Hot Springs rallied to take a 7-5 lead. Weng’s drive tied it then Ashton Inman’s layup made it 9-7 at the half.
Hot Springs tied it with the first basket of the second half but then Ashton Inman nailed a 3 and followed up with a free throw to make it 13-9.
Bryant led 15-12 going into the fourth quarter.
The frustration built for the Lady Hornets as the quarter went on. They’d force turnovers but couldn’t capitalize. Hot Springs surged into the lead at 19-15 with :48 left. Ashton Inman finally broke the ice with a pair of free throws with :33.6 to go but Hot Springs answered at the line with :24.2 left, setting the final score.
LADY TROJANS 21, LADY HORNETS 17
Score by quarters
Hot Springs 0 7 5 10 — 21
BRYANT 4 5 6 2 — 17
HOT SPRINGS 21
Hudson 0-2 0-0 0, Reed 0-4 4-4 4, Hedron 0-4 2-2 2, Ross 0-0 0-0 0, West 0-2 0-0 0, Valrie 0-1 2-2 2, Hicks 3-9 0-1 6, Frazier 0-0 0-0 0, Tracey 0-0 2-4 2, Scott 1-3 1-2 3, Dalls 1-4 0-0 3. Totals 5-29 11-15 22.
BRYANT 17
Ka.Weng 1-6 0-0 2, Kr.Weng 0-5 0-0 0, As.Inman 4-12 3-5 12, Ab.Inman 0-7 1-2 1, Laughlin 1-5 0-0 2, Jackson 0-2 0-0 0, Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Buck 0-1 0-0 0, Taylor 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 6-39 4-7 17.
Three-point field goals: Bryant 1-9 (As.Inman 1-3, Ka.Weng 0-3, Kr.Weng 0-1, Ab.Inman 0-1, Buck 0-1), Hot Springs 1-6 (Dalls 1-1, Hicks 0-3, Reed 0-1, West 0-1). Turnovers: Bryant 15, Hot Springs 13. Rebounds: Bryant 18-20 38 (Ab.Inman 2-7 9, Kr.Weng 5-3 8, Ka.Weng 3-3 6, Laughlin 2-4 6, As.Inman 1-2 3, Jackson 1-1 2, Taylor 1-0 1, team 3-0 3), Hot Springs 7-17 24 (Hedron 3-5 8, Hicks 0-5 5, Reed 1-2 3, Dalls 0-3 3, Valrie 0-2 2, Frazier 1-0 1, Tracey 1-0 1, team 1-0 1). Team fouls: Bryant 16, Hot Springs 13.
