FAYETTEVILLE — Talk about a big confidence booster to cap off the nonconference basketball schedule.
Springdale had already faced its fair share of close calls even before its showdown with Fayetteville in the third-place game of the Bank of Fayetteville Bulldog Classic on Saturday. But after a late fourth-quarter rally forced overtime the Lady Red’Dogs capped off a successful tournament with a perfect finish to nonconference play, beating Fayetteville on its own Bulldog Arena court in a 44-43 overtime win.
“I’m very proud of our fight and our effort,” Springdale girls basketball coach Heather Hunsucker said. “Fayetteville is a great program and they have a great team, but I thought our kids really bowed their neck and made some plays when we needed to.
AT A GLANCE
BANK OF FAYETTEVILLE BULLDOG CLASSIC
BOYS
THURSDAY
Fort Smith Northside 73, Tulsa McClain 59
Springdale High 75, Liberty, Mo. 61
Springfi eld (Mo.) Kickapoo 39, Fayetteville 32
FRIDAY
Fort Smith Northside 49, Springdale High 48
Springfi eld Kickapoo 55, Tulsa McClain 33
Liberty, Mo. 64, Fayetteville 59 (OT)
SATURDAY
Fort Smith Northside 61, Liberty, Mo. 50
Springfi eld (Mo.) Kickapoo 57, Springdale 55
Fayetteville 54, Tulsa McClain 47
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
MVP — Joe Dye, Fort Smith Northside
Jason Richardson, Fort Smith Northside
Jack Simpson, Kickapoo
D.J. Evans, Springdale
Luke Renner, Fayetteville
Kellan Turner, Liberty
Deandre Jones, Tulsa McLain
GIRLS
THURSDAY
Little Rock Hall 59, Lake Hamilton 40
Springdale 51, Harrison 48
Fayetteville 50, Mountain Home 26
Little Rock Central 50, Greene County Tech 40
FRIDAY
Lake Hamilton 53, Mountain Home 46
Harrison 49, Greene County Tech 39
Little Rock Hall 61, Fayetteville 42
Little Rock Central 49, Springdale 40
SATURDAY
Mountain Home 41, Greene County Tech 39
Harrison def. Lake Hamilton
Springdale 44, Fayetteville 43 (OT)
Little Rock Central 68, Little Rock Hall 54
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
MVP — Kiera Williams, LR Central
Kamry Orr, LR Central
Shucolla Hill, LR Hall
Chasidee Owens, Springdale
Sydney Crockett, Fayetteville
Emily Poyner, Harrison
Kori Ballard, Lake Hamilton
Breelyn Arms, Mountain Home
Blair Metheny, Greene County Tech
“We got some stops, and I thought the momentum change was we got some stops and then we hit some shots. The stops we got at the end of the fourth quarter were very, very timely to keep us in the game.”
Fayetteville (7-4) appeared to be in a bit of trouble, down 32-26 after three quarters. But a 12-0 run to open the fourth quarter looked to put the Lady Purple’Dogs in control. Then in the final minute of regulation, Springdale made the necessary plays to turn the game back in its favor.
Javonda Daniels led the late comeback, breaking Springdale’s fourth quarter scoring drought with a 3-pointer with 45.2 seconds left. After a Fayetteville turnover, another Springdale three-pointer forced overtime with 28 seconds remaining.
In the extra period, Fayetteville again took the early punch and built a 43-40 lead with 1:47 remaining. But two Springdale field goals in the final minute turned the tables one final time.
For Springdale (6-5), the tournament as a whole was a big step forward for the young and talented program. On Thursday, the Lady Bulldogs rallied from a double-digit deficit to defeat Harrison at the buzzer, 51-48, Friday they play eventual tournament champion Little Rock Central about as well as anyone in the three-day event.
Then Saturday, Springdale finished it off with the ideal capper heading into 7A/6A-West Conference play.
“After playing two games, back to back, like we battled against Little Rock Central and Harrison, to have the legs to pull it out against Fayetteville, I’m very proud,” Hunsucker said. “Our schedule has been brutal. There has not been one easy game and that was on purpose to grow this team.”
Springdale 44, Fayetteville 43 (OT)
Springdale 4 14 14 6 6 — 44
Fayetteville 5 17 4 12 5 — 43
Springdale (6-5): Daniels 12, Lang 9, Goodsell 8, Owens 8, Mack 4, Dederich 3.
Fayetteville (7-4): Crockett 10, P. Jones 9, Howard 8, Schuldt 6, Morgan 3, Prude 3, Krissman 2, Robinson 2.
BOYS
Springfield (Mo.) Kickapoo 57, Springdale High 55
For the second straight day at the Bulldog Classic, Springdale’s biggest problem turned out to be itself.
After struggling with free throws in a one-point loss on Friday against Fort Smith Northside, the Red’Dogs again couldn’t take advantage at the charity stripe on Saturday — hitting just 9 of 18 free throws — in a 57-55 loss to Springfield (Mo.) Kickapoo.
Springdale (7-3) led by seven after one quarter, but finished just 20 of 53 from the field and six of 20 from three-point range as Kickapoo (9-1) slowly chipped away.
All-Tournament selection D.J. Evans finished with 12 points and Chris Owens also added 14 for the Bulldogs.
Springfield (Mo.) Kickapoo 57, Springdale High 55
Springdale 17 12 7 19 — 55
Kickapoo 10 19 13 15 — 57
Springdale (7-3): Owens 14, Evans 12, Eckwood 11, Cook 10, J. Wymer 6, D. Wymer 2.
Kickapoo (9-1): Dean 11, Simpson 11, Ridder 11, Campbell 10, Batiste 8, Burland 4, Johnson 2.
Fayetteville 54, Tulsa McLain 47
The Purple’Dogs avoided an 0-3 finish at their own tournament, building a big lead right from the start.
Payton Willis hit 4 of 5 field goals and finished with 13 points and All-Tournament pick Luke Renner added 10 points, including 2-for-4 from three-point range.
The Bulldogs shot 52.6 percent as a team from the field and finished with 14 assists in the win.
Fayetteville returns to action Friday at Rogers Heritage to begin 7A/6A-West Conference action.
Fayetteville 54, Tulsa McLain 47
McLain 8 14 7 18 — 47
Fayetteville 16 11 14 13 — 54
McLain: K. Jones 18, Patterson 14, Nails 9, T. Jones 4, McMahon 2.
Fayetteville (7-6): P. Willis 13, Renner 10, Murphy 8, Adams 6, O’Grady 6, Matthews 6, Young 3, Conley 2.