El Dorado uses strong second-half run

Friday, March 7, 2014

JONESBORO - El Dorado allowed Russellville to stay close early, but a big second-half burst helped the Lady Wildcats advance in the Class 6A girls state tournament with a 54-35 victory.

El Dorado (26-3) led 24-20 at halftime but ended the game on a 26-8 run to eliminate the Cyclones (6-18).

“It’s always big to win the first game, because last year we fell short and really weren’t prepared and got sent packing that first game,”El Dorado Coach Stephen Harshaw said. “Basketball is a very long, time-consuming sport and it’s always good to get rewarded in the end by advancing.”

El Dorado had a 36-29 lead after the third quarter, which included an 8-0 run in which Keyanna Smith scored all eight points. The Lady Wildcats opened the fourth quarter with a 12-0 run to stretch the lead to 48-29 with 2:43 left. Taylor McCool scored eight of the 12 points in the run.

Smith led El Dorado with a game-high 17 points, and Mc-Cool had 15.

“Those two have really led us all year,” Harshaw said. “Keyanna, really more than anybody in the second half, sparked us with some big steals and some great defensive plays and then Taylor kind of woke up, started feeling good and playing to her capabilities.”

Kenzie Wiedower led Russellville with 15 points. Shameka Ealy had 10.

Wiedower finished the first half with 12 points on four three-pointers for the Lady Cyclones, including all nine points in the second quarter.

LITTLE ROCK HALL 75, TEXARKANA 48

Little Rock Hall (19-11) led Texarkana (11-15) 17-10 after one quarter before blowing open the game with a 29-8 second quarter for a 46-18 halftime lead.

Hall was led by a combined 35 points from Terralynne Dominick and Shakyla Hill.

Dominick led the way with a game high 18 points, 15 in the first half. Hill scored 11 of her 17 points in the first half.

Morgan Norwood led Texarkana with 18 points.

GREENWOOD 75, LR FAIR 27

Greenwood jumped ahead 37-4 in the first quarter and never was threatened by Little Rock Fair.

Greenwood extended the lead to 53-11 at the half and 70-24 at the conclusion of the third quarter, and the fourth quarter was played with a running clock.

Megan Hartness led Greenwood with a game-high 16 points, which included 14 in the first quarter. Maddie Goodner added 15 points.

Kimora Turner led Fair with nine points.

Sports, Pages 23 on 03/07/2014