Brewer Sparks Offense

FAYETTEVILLE FIGHTS PAST HILLCREST

Lauren Schuldt, left, a Fayetteville sophomore forward, takes a shot in the lane over Springfield sophomore guard Kelsie Cleeton on Thursday during play at Fayetteville.
Lauren Schuldt, left, a Fayetteville sophomore forward, takes a shot in the lane over Springfield sophomore guard Kelsie Cleeton on Thursday during play at Fayetteville.

— By Vernon Tarver

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FAYETTEVILLE — Fayetteville entered Thursday’s first round game at the Lady Bulldog Classic in search of some much-needed offense.

The Lady Bulldogs found it, and needed every point.

Fayetteville had struggled to score in its first five games of the season, but against Springfield (Mo.) Hillcrest, pressure defense and inside rebounding led to quick runs and a season-high point total for the Lady Bulldogs. Still, it almost wasn’t enough as a furious second-half rally by Hillcrest forced Fayetteville to rally in the closing minutes to take a 52-49 decision in Bulldog Arena.

“I told our team, it felt like we won the game, then we lost it, then we had to win it again,” Lady Bulldogs coach Vic Rimmer said. “We got behind there at the end, so we went all defense with our lineup and got some big buckets.

“And if there was a game ball I would have to give it to Brittany Austin off the bench. She was key for us in there with some put backs underneath when they were coming back on us.”

Austin scored eight points and added four rebounds, but two of her field goals came late in the fourth quarter after the Lady Hornets had used a 20-4 second-half run to take a 49-46 lead with 3 minutes, 30 seconds remaining.

While Fayetteville’s offense led to a big lead early in the second half, with the Lady’Dogs out in front by as much as 36-21 in the third quarter, it was defense and rebounding that turned the game around in the end.

“I thought we showed a lot of grit and determination,” Hillcrest coach Jeni Hopkins said. “We’re still a young team and this is just our second game. Fayetteville plays great pressure defense and there’s a lot of particulars in this game you could point to. But when you look and see they had 54 rebounds, that was the difference.”

Mollie Brewer provided the offensive spark for Fayetteville (2-4), scoring a team high 10 points including eight during an 11-0 run in the third quarter.

“Mollie had caught my eye over at the tournament in Nettleton,” Rimmer said. “We started her over there and started her tonight and she hit some big threes.”

Hillcrest (1-1) still had a chance to tie the game at the end of regulation, but Fayetteville senior Aubrey Edie blocked a 3-point attempt at the buzzer to preserve the win.

“I thought we made plays,” Rimmer said. “Maybe we’re just the type of team where we have to force turnovers and turn it back over and go back and forth like that.

“But it was good to get a win.”

Fayetteville plays Little Rock Central in the winner’s bracket at 7 p.m. today.

FAYETTEVILLE 52, SPRINGFIELD, (MO.) HILLCREST 49

Hillcrest 10 11 12 16 — 49 Fayetteville 11 14 17 10 — 52

HILLCREST (1-1): Ke. Cleeton 20, Fisher 12, Painter 11, Beam 4, Gerald 2. FAYETTEVILLE (2-4): Brewer 10, Edie 9, Austin 8, Schuldt 7, Matlock 5, Howard 4, Prude 3, Breden 2, Crockett 2, Moore 2.

LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL 49

PRAIRIE GROVE 34

By the time Prairie Grove got around to playing a solid brand of basketball Thursday, it was way too late.

Little Rock Central built a commanding lead in the fi rst half, taking a 19-point lead into halftime, and coasted the rest of the way.

Taylor Lewis scored a teamhigh 11 points for Central, all in the first half, and Alaysia Ready added nine points.

Prairie Grove for 10 points from Macie Kultgen, nine from Justyne Huber and eight from Whitnee Fitts.

MOUNTAIN HOME 50 WEST FORK 34

West Fork suff ered through a scoring drought it simply couldn’t aff ord.

The Lady Tigers made just four field goals in the first half and went more than fi ve minutes without scoring as Mountain Home built a 21-point halftime lead.

Katie Kaper led all scorers with 21 points, with 18 coming in the first half for the Lady Bombers. Taylor Williams added 12 for Mountain Home.

Sydney Franklin led West Fork with 18 points.

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