GRAY, TAYLOR AND MARTIN PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Don’t challenge Siloam Springs’ Dylan Gray to a game of H-O-R-S-E.

Gray’s acrobatic, last-second basket Friday beat Springdale High 60-58 for his second buzzer-beating basket of the season.

With the game tied at 58-58 and Siloam Springs in possession with 1.4 seconds after a Springdale turnover, Avery Benson threw a court-length pass to Gray, who was sprinting down the court. Gray caught up with the long pass just in time to loft a shot over the back of the backboard, which dropped through at the buzzer for the win.

“A couple of the kids told me that they were in the auxiliary gym before the game started; we have a shoot-around, and Dylan was actually shooting that shot,” Siloam Springs coach Tim Stewart said. “It’s a funny circumstance that it’s the shot that wins the game.”

Gray finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds.

Gray also beat Rogers High 53-52 in January with a buzzer-beater. He followed teammate Reece Goddard off a double screen with 2.6 seconds left, caught the inbound pass and banked home the game-winner as time expired.

“Dylan has been one of our hardest workers from early on,” Stewart said. “Now as a senior, he’s taken that next step and been able to hit two game-winners. Not everybody gets to do that. We’re really proud that he’s been able to put the work in and is where he is at today.”

It’s been an exciting season in the conference as far as dramatic finishes. Bentonville’s Malik Monk hit game-winning 3-pointers in successive games the final week of January for wins against Fayetteville and Springdale High.

TAYLOR, MARTIN SCORE BIG

Few teams have a one-two punch like Bentonville’s Peyton Taylor and Jordan Martin.

Taylor scored 26 points Feb. 11 to lift the Lady Tigers to a 56-52 win at Springdale Har-Ber. Martin scored 27 points Friday to propel Bentonville to a 63-46 win at Rogers Heritage.

“It was a nice surprise and one of those games where both of them were feeling pretty good,” Bentonville coach Tom Halbmaier said. “A lot of it had to do with the matchups. Our other players did a great job of knowing that and continued to feed them the ball. We were fortunate enough to get the point totals they had because we needed them.”

Tuesday, Taylor helped Bentonville wipe out a 16-point deficit. Taylor scored eight consecutive points in the third quarter on two conventional three-point plays on successive possessions.

“They were identical on the same type pass,” Halbmaier said. “If you watched both of those scenes, you could not tell which one came first.”

Taylor then added a short jumper to cap the 8-0 run.

“Of her points, she had the big ones that wiped out the deficit,” Halbmaier said. “Our perimeter shooting was not going very well. We did a good job of backing off the perimeter shots and finding ways to get her the ball and get better opportunities in the block areas for some and-ones.”

Taylor finished the quarter with another basket then put Bentonville up 51-50 with a free throw in the fourth quarter.

“She did a great job on the boards,” Halbmaier said. “She was undersized at that position. Her first couple of baskets in the first half got her going and gave her some confidence. She’s had some big games this year, but none of that magnitude.”

Taylor also contributed on the defensive end.

“Defensively, she played big for us, too,” Halbmaier said. “I was equally pleased on the defensive side of the ball as I was on the offensive side.”

Friday, Martin was 11 of 16 from the floor with a pair of 3-pointers.

“Her perimeter shot hadn’t been falling, but she hadn’t taken a whole lot,” Halbmaier said. “She took a couple and knocked them down, and that created some opportunities for her in the open court. She’s so fast with the basketball that that’s her game. She did a fantastic job of attacking the rim.”

Martin, though, had a tremendous all-around game, grabbing nine rebounds and doling out six assists as well.

“Of those boards, I’d say four of those were offensive rebounds,” Halbmaier said. “It created a mismatch for Heritage. She hit a couple of treys, and had four putbacks. One of those was a jump tip. She got herself going. She was definitely motivated.”

It marks the first time since 2002 for two Lady Tigers to score at least 20 points in consecutive conference games since Tara Stephenson scored 20 points in a 43-34 win at Fort Smith Southside and Ashley Wettengel followed up with 21 points at Fayetteville in a 49-44 overtime loss.

Last week’s performances helped Bentonville win consecutive road games.

“This past week, those were big wins for us,” Halbmaier said. “We had that four-game funk or whatever kind of skid we were in.”

Bentonville started the conference schedule with three straight wins before dropping four straight. Now, the Lady Tigers are again on a three-game win streak with those same four games against Rogers, Siloam Springs, Springdale and Fayetteville coming up again in a key stretch.

“Hopefully, our best ball is ahead of us,” Halbmaier said. “That’s one thing we’ve talked about is that the last time we played them, we went 0-4. I think with these back-to-back wins the way we did going on the road, I think we’re more motivated and a little more hungry. That’s what we want this time of the year.”

TWO WITH FOUR TO GO

Springdale High’s loss at Siloam Springs allowed Bentonville to take a two-game lead in the conference standings with four games left.

Bentonville remained undefeated with two road wins last week, beating Har-Ber 56-52 Tuesday and Heritage 68-63 Friday.

Bentonville returns home tonight to host Rogers High before traveling Friday to Siloam Springs.

North Little Rock continues to lead the 7A/6A-Central based on the points rating system despite a loss Friday to Jonesboro.

Bentonville and North Little Rock will be placed on opposite sides of the brackets for the Class 7A state tournament in Conway, provided both teams hang on. Fort Smith Northside has a firm hold on the second seed in the 7A/6A-Central, which would mean a potential semifinal matchup against Bentonville.

The state championship games will be held March 12-14 at Hot Springs’ Summit Arena.

NOT ENOUGH

Sometimes, great individual performances just aren’t enough to lift a team to victory.

Springdale High’s Josiah Wymer scored 20 points and yanked down 14 rebounds in the dramatic 60-58 loss at Siloam Springs on Friday.

Also Friday, Heritage’s Crist Olsen poured in 30 points in a 68-63 loss at Bentonville. Olsen also scored 20 points Tuesday in a 61-59 loss against Springdale for a 50-point week.