Hard Work Pays Off

Howard Returns From Achillies Heel Injury

Alexa Howard of Fayetteville, a junior, leads the Lady Bulldogs into today’s Class 7A State Tournament in Fayetteville against North Little Rock.
Alexa Howard of Fayetteville, a junior, leads the Lady Bulldogs into today’s Class 7A State Tournament in Fayetteville against North Little Rock.

— Sidelined with an Achilles heel injury for most of her sophomore season, Alexa Howard was determined to come back stronger this year.

Thanks to her work ethic, getting back on the basketball court proved to be no problem for Howard.

“I’ve always had that (work ethic),” Howard said. “My dad has always put that in me.”

Howard, the daughter of former Arkansas football player Dexter Howard, has seen her strong desire to return to top form pay off this season.

With Fayetteville in search of consistency, the 5-foot-8 junior forward has been a constant in the Lady Bulldogs’ lineup this year.

Class 7A State Tournament

at Fayetteville

GIRLS

Wednesday’s Games

GAME 1: C4 North Little Rock vs. W5 Fayetteville, 1 p.m.

GAME 2: W3 Rogers High vs. C4 Cabot, 4 p.m.

GAME 3: W4 Rogers Heritage vs. C5 Fort Smith Southside, 7 p.m.

Thursday’s Games

GAME 4: C3 West Memphis vs. W6 Bryant, 1 p.m.

GAME 5: W1 Bentonville vs. Winner Game 1, 4 p.m.

GAME 6: C2 Fort Smith Northside vs. Winner Game 2, 7 p.m.

Friday’s Games

GAME 7: C1 Little Rock Central vs. Winner Game 3, 4 p.m.

GAME 8: W2 Springdale Har-Ber vs. Winner Game 4, 7 p.m.

Saturday’s Games

GAME 9: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, noon

GAME 10: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 6 p.m.

Championship

at Barton Coliseum, Little Rock

GAME 11: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10, date and time TBA

“She is one who plays consistently hard, and that’s why she gets so much time on the court,” Fayetteville girls basketball coach Vic Rimmer said. “Lex probably would have worked her way into a starting spot as a sophomore, but she got hurt the first weekend of December last season.

“But one of the things she does every day, she gives good effort in practice every day and she really defends well.”

Scoring takes a back seat at this stage in Howard’s career, although she has shown flashes with the ball in her hands. Instead, her ability to defend and rebound are what makes her most valuable to the Lady Bulldogs.

“We’re trying to develop more ways for her to score,” Rimmer said. “She’s got the ability to get to the hoop, and she really does a good job of getting to the offensive glass. She’s picked up some cheap buckets that way, too.

“I’m not sure Alexa will be a good outside shooter, but she can keep improving her shot off the dribble. And her relentlessness in rebounding has really created some opportunities to get on the board as far as scoring goes. And anybody who can create their own offense, that’s a big deal.”

Howard is the first to admit her rehabilitation from last year’s injury was a tough process, and it’s a process that isn’t fully complete. But the progress made this season has her excited about the future.

“I was really ready to get back this year,” Howard said. “I hated being on the bench, and I wanted to be in there playing. So I worked really hard this summer in rehab to be able to play to my full capability.

“I haven’t gotten there yet. I’m still working hard at it, and hopefully by next year I’ll be fully all the way back.”

Fayetteville (11-16) opens the Class 7A State Tournament today as the No. 5 seed from the 7A/6A-West Conference. The Lady Bulldogs face North Little Rock, the No. 4 seed from the 7A/6A-Central, at 1 p.m. in Bulldog Arena.

“We’re going to do what we do. We have to play good defense, and we have to rebound well. That’s what we do well,” Rimmer said. “We have to keep the other team out of their comfort zone and not let them get the shots that they want. And we feel like we’ve played better offense over the last couple of weeks.

“So being at home and being in the scenario where it’s a do-or-die situation, we feel like we’ll be in as good a situation as anyone to win this game.”

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