ROGERS — Ashley Ward was breathing hard as she jogged to the bench late in the third quarter.
The 5-foot-7 senior had earned a little rest by that time, though.
Ward scored a game-high 19 points and keyed a 14-3 run to help Rogers Heritage pull away en route to a 53-35 7A/6A-West Conference victory Tuesday over Van Buren in War Eagle Arena.
She scored seven points in the big third quarter, but also came up with a pair of steals and was solid on the boards to help Heritage put away the Lady Pointers.
Van Buren’s Kaylee Sheppard, who finished with 18 points on six 3-pointers, drained one from 22 feet to pull her team within 26-22. The Lady War Eagles (18-6, 8-3) then scored 12 consecutive points to take command as Ward went to work.
Lacey Murray hit a pair of 3-pointers, but Ward scored three times on layups — once on a spin move, another on a feed from Ellen Lundy. She closed the run with a layup, after poking the ball away on the press for a 38-22 Heritage lead.
Heritage coach Kevin Ramey said Ward gave his team a much-needed lift in the second half.
“I thought she was a lot more active in the second half, got on the boards, got her hands on stuff,” Ramey said. “She demanded the ball at times. In the first half, we did a lot of watching.
“But we were able to get some easier stuff and right around the basket. Ashley hit a couple tough ones, got the ball up high on the backboard. That gave us some life.”
Ward was the only Heritage player in double figures, but Lacey Murray and Emilie Jobst added nine apiece with three 3-pointers each.
Van Buren coach Merrill Mankin said the Lady Pointers have struggled to handle ball against pressure defense all season and Tuesday was no different. Van Buren committed 20 turnovers.
“It’s hurt us all year,” Mankin said. “We’ve struggled against pressure and they are a good team. If we could ever handle the pressure and get it in a halfcourt game, we could be in every game.
“We’re playing young kids and inexperienced and it shows.”
ROGERS HERITAGE 53, VAN BUREN 35
Van Buren 11 4 10 10 — 35
Heritage 12 9 19 13 — 53
Van Buren (5-16, 1-10): Sheppard 18, Smith 6, Outlaw 4, Santillana 4, Glassco 2, Johnson 1.
Rogers Heritage (18-6, 8-3): A. Ward 19, Murray 9, Jobst 9, Lundy 8, Britton 6, B. Ward 2.
Boys
Van Buren 60, Rogers Heritage 47
Mitchell Smith helped the Pointers build a lead from inside, but Van Buren maintained it from the perimeter Tuesday night.
Smith, a 6-foot-8 freshman, pumped in a team-high 18 points, but three different Pointers made 3-pointers to key a 12-3 fourth-quarter run to help Van Buren (12-12, 5-6) put away Heritage.
The War Eagles (9-14, 0-11) cut a 15-point deficit to 37-31 entering the fourth quarter, but Van Buren had the answer.
Senior Colton Tucker capped a 12-2 run to start the quarter with a four-point play for a 49-33 lead with 4 minutes, 35 seconds left.
Tucker was also in double figures with 14.
Crist Olsen finished with a game-high 19 points, including four 3-pointers for Heritage. The 6-foot junior was the only War Eagle in double figures.
VAN BUREN 60, ROGERS HERITAGE 47
Van Buren 13 15 9 23 — 60
Heritage 10 5 16 16 — 47
Van Buren (12-12, 5-6): Smith 18, Tucker 14, Pearson 9, Ray 8, Harms 6, Gardner 3, Pagel 2.
Rogers Heritage (9-14, 0-11): Olsen 19, Hirsh 8, Greenway 7, Kinnamon 6, Jones 5, Thomas 2.
Junior Varsity Score: Van Buren 41, Rogers Heritage 40.