Big Fourth Quarter Fuels Lady Mounties

Rogers High’s Taylor Strickland, left, scores on a layup off a steal as Rogers Heritage’s Yalile Johnson defends Friday in War Eagle Arena in Rogers.
Rogers High’s Taylor Strickland, left, scores on a layup off a steal as Rogers Heritage’s Yalile Johnson defends Friday in War Eagle Arena in Rogers.

— Rogers High girls basketball coach Preston Early said it was like the fog finally lifted in the fourth quarter Friday night.

His Lady Mounties had struggled for the past month and trailed heading into the fourth quarter against rival Rogers Heritage.

Rogers then scored more points in the fourth quarter than it did in the previous three combined to snap a five-game losing streak and rally for a big 45-33 win over Heritage in 7A-West Conference play in War Eagle Arena.

“I can’t tell you how relieved I am,” Early said. “That was a long time coming.”

Early said he thought back-to-back steals midway through the fourth quarter, which led to easy baskets, helped turn momentum in his team’s favor.

“We told them at the end of the third quarter, ‘Guys, we’re just two plays from turning the tide,’” Early said. “To their credit they stuck with that.”

The steals by sophomore Taylor Strickland and Madeline Fusillo ignited an 11-1 run, which gave Rogers (16-7, 4-6) its first lead since late in the first quarter. Fusillo’s 3-point play gave the Lady Mounties the lead for good, 32-30, with 4 minutes, 32 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

“At that point, they became the aggressors and I thought for three quarters we had been the aggressor for the most part,” Heritage coach Kevin Ramey said.

Strickland led all scorers with 16 points, while Fusillo and Sarah Grave Groves chipped in 10 each.

Ramey said things snowballed on his team in the fourth quarter.

“We had some defensive breakdowns and allowed some easy baskets, things we didn’t do for three quarters,” Ramey said. “But I don’t fault my kids. I thought we played really well (with) three sophomores and a junior on the floor most of the night.”

Brittany Ward and Yalile Johnson led Heritage (6-17, 2-8) with eight points each.

Heritage won the junior varsity game 32-25. Ali Johnson led Heritage with 10 points, while Paige McCullough had 10 to lead Rogers.

GIRLS Prep Basketball

7A-West Conference

Rogers High 45

Rogers Heritage 33

Rogers 11 5 6 23 — 45

Heritage 11 6 9 7 — 33

Rogers (16-7, 4-6): Strickland 16, Groves 10, Fusillo 10, Wilkerson 8, Scott 1.

Rogers Heritage (6-17, 2-8): B. Ward 8, Johnson 8, A. Ward 6, Murray 6, Wood 3, Whitlow 2.

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