Defense Lifts Bentonville To Sweep Over Van Buren

Bentonville’s basketball teams began the second half of 7A/6A-West Conference action the same way they opened league play.

That Figures

3 — Bentonville players to finish in double-digit scoring in each game Friday

5 — Opponents the Lady Tigers have held below 30 points this season

9 — Field goals Bentonville’s girls allowed Friday

The only difference was the location Friday night. Bentonville traveled to Van Buren and came away with a sweep, winning the girls game by a 48-22 margin while the boys claimed a 58-43 decision in Bates Arena.

Stingy defensive play, particularly in early stages, played a vital role in both contests. The Lady Tigers (19-2, 7-1) overcame a sluggish offensive start by holding Van Buren to just three field goals in the first half en route to a 17-8 halftime cushion.

Bentonville’s boys, who had already survived a pair of close calls against Van Buren earlier this season, used their defense to make sure it didn’t happen again. The Tigers (15-6, 5-3) built a 25-18 halftime cushion by holding the Pointers to just seven field goals in the first half, then used to a 19-8 second-half run to pull away.

PLAY OF THE WEEK: Junior guard Kindal Coleman helped the Lady Tigers put their lead out of reach, hitting consecutive 3-pointers to spark a 14-1 run and extending their lead to a 41-21 margin.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Austin Haggard, a 5-foot-11 senior guard, scored 12 points and played a vital defensive role. He held Ryan Pearson to just six points after Van Buren’s leading scorer had scored 32 in the two previous meetings.

Julia Garrard, a 6-1 senior post, scored six of her eight points in the first half, when Bentonville was struggling with its offense. Garrard also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds and had three blocked shots.

NOTABLE: Bentonville’s boys snapped a three-game losing streak with their win. ... A mark of consistency — the Tigers scored 58, 57 and 58 points in their three games against the Pointers. ... Bentonville’s girls picked up their shooting pace in the second half, when they hit 12 of 19 field goals. ... The 22 points by Van Buren marked the fifth time this season the Lady Tigers have held their opponents under 30 points, and the first time since conference play began.

THE LINGO: “I felt like our defense was excellent. We made Van Buren work hard to get clean looks, and they were out of rhythm for most of the night. When they did get a shot off, they were always a step or two back and farther away from the basket than they like to be.”

JASON McMAHAN

Bentonville boys coach

UP NEXT: Bentonville gets the opportunity to defend its home court for its next two playing dates. Springdale Har-Ber makes its way to Tiger Arena for a pair of games Tuesday night, then Rogers Heritage will be the guests for Friday’s contests.

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