Panthers Maul Pointers

Siloam Springs Starts Slowly, Runs Past Van Buren

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

— After a close start, Siloam Springs blew open the game with a big second quarter run to pull away to an easy, 60-38, 7A/6A-West girls victory over Van Buren on Tuesday at Clair Bates Arena.

The Lady Panthers (9-8, 2-4 7A/6A-West) used a 20-2 run second-quarter run, including 17-0 over the final 6 minutes, 49 seconds of the first half, turning a three-point lead into a commanding 37-17 halftime advantage.

“We just looked more relaxed on offense in the second quarter,” Siloam Springs coach Brett Sanders said. “Our shots and follow through looked better and we executed better on the offensive end. We had some people come off the bench like Bailee Owens and played well.”

Baily Cameron and Owens each scored 15 to lead the Lady Panthers, while Morgan Miller added 12.

Siloam Springs 60, Van Buren 38

Siloam Springs 15 22 15 8 — 60

Van Buren 12 5 14 7 — 38

Siloam Springs (9-8, 2-4): Cameron 15, Owens 15, Miller 12, Pippen 5, Stock 5, Lopez 3, Gay 3, Jones 2.

Van Buren (4-11, 0-6): Santillana 18, Sheppard 9, Burgos 6, Glassco 3, Johnson 2.

After a Maria Burgos basket got the Lady Pointers to within 20-17 with 6:49 left in the first half, the Lady Panther began their game-clinching run. Miller scored six points during the run while Owens and Ashlin Stock each added five.

Also keying the run was eight second-quarter turnovers that Siloam Springs, employing a full-court press, used to get several easy baskets.

“Our pressure gave them some problems, but we needed to do that against them,” Sanders said. “We were not playing intense until we did that. We were lackadaisical in the first quarter. We looked like we not ready to play and allowed a lot of post-entry passes that made it easy for (Santillana) inside.”

About the only player Siloam Springs did not have an answer for was Van Buren post Maria Santillana, who finished with 18 points. But she was saddled with two fouls early in the game, and when she left the game in the second quarter (after scoring 9 first-quarter points), the Lady Panthers took full advantage.

In the second half, Van Buren could only get as close as 18 points as Siloam cruised to the victory.