Springdale High coach Brad Stamps has stopped bringing up the Bulldogs’ recent free-throw struggles to his players.
But he knows the issues at the line were arguably the main culprit in two losses as Springdale (8-3) dropped three of its last four games, albeit against tough competition. The Bulldogs shot just 53 percent (21 of 40) from the line in losses to Fort Smith Northside and Springfield (Mo.) Kickapoo — games that were decided by a combined three points.
“If we’re shooting 60 to 65 percent as a team for the year, we would be 10-1 and there’s a good chance we’re 11-0,” Stamps said. “Free throw shooting has defi nitely prevented us winning two games.”
Stamps has opted to steer clear of repeatedly bringing the struggles up to his team, which started the season 7-0, including an impressive 64-50 win over Northside.
“I think it’s more mental now,” Stamps said. “And there’s a fine line between stressing it and talking about it and just saying, ‘Hey, take some ownership.’ I’m not going to bring it up and keep beating it. … There’s only one way to fix it. Get your butt in the gym and rep it.”
Springdale had its Tuesday game with Bentonville postponed to Jan. 28 because of weather, but will get an opportunity to bounce back from adversity and break its first losing streak of the season in the 7A/6A-West Conference opener Friday at Rogers High.
“The best way to look at it is to pick something out you can learn from,” Stamps said. “For us, it’s two things. We’ve got to be able to execute offensively and get a good shot. And then move on to the next play and not get caught up in what just happened.”
SPRINGDALE HAR-BER
Har-Ber Can Equal Mark
Tonight’s game between Fort Smith Southside and Springdale Har-Ber at Wildcat Arena is more than just another nonconference matchup.
If Har-Ber wins, the Wildcats will equal their win total from last year when they finished 9-20. The poor record prompted the resignation of Adam Simmons and led to the hiring of Scott Bowlin, who won two state championships at Greene County Tech.
“We’ve got to get a whole lot better and learn how to grind,” Bowlin said. “On the fl ip side, these kids come to work every day. They’re listening and learning.”
Junior guard Mason Cline has had the hot hand lately for Har-Ber, which is 8-4 on the young season. Cline, 6-foot-4, scored 22 points and made six 3-pointers in a victory last Saturday over Malven.
“Mason’s a scorer,” Bowlin said. “Every time time he shoots the ball, I think it’s going in. He’s a very sound and fundamental player.”
Har-Ber’s matchup with Class 7A Southside will serve as a springboard for the Wildcats, who open 7A-6A-West Conference at home Friday against Siloam Springs.
“Coach (Charlie) Cooper and I wanted this game because we both need to play,” Bowlin said. “It’ll be a good experience for our kids against another 7A school.”
— RICK FIRES
• @NWARICK
BENTONVILLE
Tigers Tired Of Waiting To Play
Bentonville coach Jason McMahan isn’t too fond of what the winter weather has done to his team this season.
The Tigers (6-3) had already lost three games from their schedule before the holiday break, and now they have to wait to open 7A/6A-West Conference play until Friday after Tuesday’s game at Springdale High was postponed.
“I feel like we are behind in games right now,” McMahan said. “It’s hard to build a rhythm like that, and we needed to get into the swing of playing a couple games a week. It’s definitely going to have an effect on us.”
McMahan is fearful the weather may put Bentonville in a situation that it faced in 2011, when it had a number of postponements and was forced to play several games in a short span of time. That was one of the reasons why the Springdale game was moved up, but Tuesday’s postponement puts it back into the normal playing date.
“Who knows what the weather will be like, but it has that same feeling that we had three years ago,” McMahan said. “It’s possible we could have to play four games in six days or fi ve games in a sevenday span because of it.
“I spoke to our players about it, and we’ll have to be focused if it happens. We can’t be wasting a lot of motion or time if we have to go from one game to another. We’ll have to turn our focus, and it might cause us to have 1-hour practices instead of 2 hours because we don’t want to be tired.”
— HENRY APPLE
• @NWAHENRY
SILOAM SPRINGS
Panthers fi ghting back
SILOAM SPRINGS — A close game finally went the Siloam Springs boys basketball team’s way.
After close losses to Carl Junction (Mo.) and Tulsa NOAH in December, things looked bleak for the the Panthers (6-5) in the fourth quarter against Charleston on Saturday in the finals of the Siloam Springs Holiday Classic.
The Tigers led by seven points and Siloam Springs was without its primary ballhandler after freshman Avery Benson fouled out.
Instead of folding, the Panthers got tough in the fi nal minutes and pulled out a 52-47 win to extend their winning streak to three games.
“We’ve been battling adversity for 10 games now,” said senior Reece Goddard, who led with 23 points. “I think we took a big step. Those chippy practices are finally paying off . I think this was a huge step for us all.”
Dylan Gray added 14 points in the win.
Siloam Springs coach Tim Stewart credited Brandon Johnson and Gray on defense for using their long arms to get some tips. Goddard and junior guard Roman Lambert handled the point guard duties with Benson out.
“That’s the adversity where earlier in the season I don’t if we overcome that,” Stewart said. “Brandon Johnson stepped up and got huge tips and rebounds late. Reece took over the ball-handling with Roman. Guys stepping up. Dylan was hurt the whole game and battled, got some tips late. That’s what wins games. All the guys have to come together and fill the void.”
Goddard leads the Panthers in scoring at 17.2 points per game, while Gray is averaging 16. Benson is averaging 11 points per game.
— GRAHAM THOMAS
ROGERS HERITAGE
War Eagles Learn Lesson
Rogers Heritage boys basketball coach Tom Olsen acknowledged an easier nonconference schedule may have hurt his team in preparation for 7A/6A-West Conference play a year ago.
He’s worked to correct that this year with more challenging opponents, but the War Eagles are still off to an impressive 10-3 start, after a big 70-47 win over Class 6A El Dorado on Friday.
“We felt like that was the most dift cult nonconference schedule we’ve ever had,” Olsen said. “None of those games were easy in Oklahoma City. After last season when we thought the nonconference schedule was a little light and there was such a difference and never really recovered.”
Heritage went 9-3 in the nonconference a year ago, but came up winless in 14 league games and fi nished 9-17.
The War Eagles have leaned on the trio of seniors Crist Olsen and Wyatt Kinnamon and junior Connor Hirsch, who all average in double figures in scoring. But Olsen said his team has gotten scoring from a variety of sources lately.
“Other kids are chipping in more than just a bucket or two,” Olsen said. “I feel pretty good playing about nine guys right now and they have all contributed.”
Heritage opens conference play by hosting Fayetteville on Friday.
— PAUL BOYD
• @NWAPAULB
FAYETTEVILLE
’Dogs Fight Through Growing Pains
As 7A/6A-West Conference basketball play begins, Fayetteville has already been tested in a number of close ball games. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, many of those close games have gone the wrong way.
Fayetteville had already lost on two buzzer-beaters and in another overtime game before play began in the Bank of Fayetteville Bulldog Classic. Then in the fi rst two games of the weekend tournament at Bulldog Arena, the Purple’Dogs continued the trend of being unable to come away with nip-and-tuck wins down the stretch.
A loss to Springfi eld (Mo.) Kickapoo, 39-32 on Thursday, was followed by Fayetteville’s second overtime loss of the year, coming against Liberty, Mo., on Friday.
Like most of the close losses already this season, the two defeats in the Bulldog Classic came down to Fayetteville not making key plays at the end.
“I really feel like we’re getting better,” Fayetteville coach Kyle Adams said, following the loss to Liberty. “We’ve just got to keep working.
“We’re just not making enough plays.”
Fayetteville travels to Rogers Heritage to begin 7A/6A-West Conference action on Friday.
— VERNON TARVER
• @NWAVERNON
ROGERS HIGH
Hill leads Mounties
The Mounties will open 7A/6A-West Conference play against Springdale High at home Friday night. Rogers (6-5) will enter the game after an impressive 50-38 win at Webb City, Mo., last weekend.
Hunter Hill scored 19 points and Zach Street added 17 points and the Mounties hit eight 3-pointers in the win against the Cardinals. Edgar Martinez has also had a solid start for the Mounties, averaging 10 points and fi ve rebounds a game.
“Zach is getting better, and he is shooting just about as well as he has ever shot it,” said Rogers coach Wayne Herren. “He is playing a lot of positions for us. He is a versatile player for us that is capable of scoring a lot of points.
“We have high expectations from Edgar. Edgar has done a good job rebounding.”
Herren said the Mounties must rebound well Friday to have a chance to upset Springdale.
“Springdale is my preseason pick to win conference,” Herren said. “Springdale is real athletic and it will be a tremendous challenge.”
Senior Brett Gentz returned from an ankle injury to play against Webb City and will play Friday.
“Brett is like another coach on the floor for us,” Herren said. “It was big having Brett back from a rebounding standpoint.”
— PAUL NIELSEN
• @NWAPAUL