BENTONVILLE — The only things left for Bentonville’s girls to do during the regular season are add to their win total and their current eight-game winning streak.
That Figures
5 — consecutive victories by Bentonville’s boys
8 — consecutive victories by Bentonville’s girls
201 — victories at Bentonville for girls coach Tom Halbmaier
The Lady Tigers took care of the rest Friday night.
Bentonville’s 64-42 victory over Siloam Springs, coupled with Rogers Heritage’s loss to Springdale Har-Ber, gave the Lady Tigers (23-2, 11-1) the outright 7A/6A-West Conference title and a top seed — as well as a first-round bye — in the upcoming Class 7A State Tournament with two games remaining.
It marks the first conference championship for Bentonville since 1988 — when it was a member of the 3A-1 Conference with Harrison, Mountain Home and Siloam Springs — and the first for the Lady Tigers since they became part of Arkansas’ largest classification.
Bentonville’s boys also made a substantial move in the 7A/6A-West standings Friday night. The Tigers’ 55-44 victory over Siloam Springs, coupled with Springdale High’s loss to Fayetteville, moves Bentonville (19-6, 9-3) into sole possession of second place.
The Tigers, who have won five straight games, can clinch second place — and a first-round bye in the Class 7A State Tournament — with a win Tuesday over Springdale.
PLAY OF THE WEEK: Austin Heard’s 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter put Bentonville back on track and helped the Tigers avoid a total second-half collapse. Bentonville led by as many as 17 points in the third quarter, but Siloam Springs cut it to 38-35 before Heard connected.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Heard, a 6-foot-1 senior guard, scored a combined 34 points in Bentonville’s victories over Rogers High and Siloam Springs. That included six 3-pointers against Siloam Springs, two of them coming in the fourth quarter to end the Panthers’ rally attempt.
Brooke Mabeus, a three-year starter at guard, had become more of a defensive stopper this season but provided an offensive punch Friday night. The 5-foot-4 senior hit four 3-pointers, two of them coming after Siloam Springs cut the lead to eight, and finished with a season-high 14 points.
NOTABLE: Bentonville’s defense held Siloam Springs to two free throws for the rest of the first half after Payton Henson picked up his third personal foul and was forced to sit. ... Bentonville’s girls recorded 17 assists on their 24 field goals, with Taylor Lee and Kindal Coleman having six apiece. ... Lee scored a game-high 15 points Friday after being sick and scoring only two points in the first meeting against Siloam Springs.
THE LINGO: “I would love to be able to take this recipe of these kids we’ve got, be able to manufacture it and have it carry over for the future. They do understand the total team chemistry and understand how totally unselfish they are.”
Tom Halbmaier, Bentonville girls basketball coach
UP NEXT: Bentonville closes out the final week of the regular season with games Tuesday night at Springdale before the final home games Friday night against Fayetteville.