SPRINGDALE — Brad Stamps brought it up to his players at halftime, but the Springdale High boys basketball coach didn’t see much improvement Friday night.
He had more to say after watching Siloam Springs hustle for loose balls and rebounds in its second win over Springdale this season, a 65-53 victory in Bulldog Gymnasium.
“I believe Siloam was the most aggressive team on the floor tonight, and they were maybe more mentally enga ged than we were,” Stamps said.
Stamps said he has continued to stress to his Bulldogs (15-8, 7-3 7A/6A-West Conference) that they must play aggressively. But the Panthers asserted themselves as they outscored Springdale 41-32 in the second half to turn a close game at halftime into a 12-point win.
“We’ve got to find a way to get that back,” Stamps said of his team’s aggressiveness. “And we got to get it back quick.”
PLAY OF THE WEEK: Taylor McPherson was off to a good start against Siloam Springs, and the Springdale senior hit one of her biggest shots of the season when she sank a 3-pointer that cut the Lady Panthers’ lead to 47-45 with 45 seconds remaining.
McPherson’s basket came 54 seconds after Javonda Daniels drained a 3-pointer, sparking a Lady Bulldogs’ comeback that fell just short in a 48-45 loss.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Daniels has emerged as a scoring threat for Springdale, and she has benefited from getting more playing time during the conference schedule. The sophomore led the Lady Bulldogs with 12 points in Tuesday’s loss against Rogers Heritage, then tied for the team high with 11 points against Siloam Springs.
Tereke Eckwood continued to show his growth and prove that he can make plays in pressure situations. The sophomore hit all six of his free-throw attempts over the final three minutes to help Springdale hold on for a 52-35 win over Heritage. He followed it up with a team-high 18 points against Siloam Springs.
NOTABLE: Springdale point guard Brittany Jurgens scored her 500th career point against Heritage, then followed it up with 11 points against Siloam Springs. ... Alex Scharlau hit Springdale’s first 3-pointer of the game against Siloam Springs with 5 minutes, 57 seconds remaining. He fouled out four minutes later, finishing with six points.
THE LINGO: “You see all of our pieces kind of starting to come together. This is where sometimes I wish there was like a district tournament like the smaller schools have at the end because I just believe that we continue to get better.”
Heather Hunsucker
Springdale High girls coach
UP NEXT: Both of Springdale’s teams should have no trouble getting motivated after Friday’s losses to Siloam Springs. They head to crosstown rival Springdale Har-Ber on Tuesday, where they can expect a hostile crowd and physical play.
That Figures
25 — Points scored by Siloam Springs standout Payton Henson in Friday’s win over Springdale
41 — Points scored by Henson in two games against Springdale this season, both wins