PANTHERS HAVE GOOD WEEK
Last week wasn't just a good week for the Siloam Springs Panthers, it may have been a season-defining week.
Standings
7A/6A-CENTRAL
BOYS
Van Buren 3-0 12-4
Bryant 2-1 8-8
Alma 2-1 13-2
Conway 2-1 10-4
Siloam Springs2-1 9-6
LR Catholic 1-2 3-11
Russellville 0-3 6-10
Greenwood 0-3 3-9
FRIDAY’S SCORES
Alma 78, LR Catholic 73
Van Buren 60, Bryant 38
Conway 64, Greenwood 47
Siloam Springs 49, Russellville 48
GIRLS
Greenwood 3-0 16-1
Conway 2-1 12-5
Russellville 2-1 8-8
Van Buren 2-1 9-7
Siloam Springs 1-2 11-5
Bryant 1-2 9-7
Alma 1-2 9-6
Mount Saint Mary 0-3 4-12
FRIDAY’S SCORES
Alma 71, Mount St. Mary 60
Van Buren 51, Bryant 37
Greenwood 64, Conway 63
Russellville 44, Siloam Springs 38
7A-WEST^(CONFERENCE^GAMES^ONLY)^(THROUGH^FRIDAY’S^GAMES)
BOYS
TEAM^OFFENSE^G^PTS^AVG
Bentonville^2^145^72.5
Springdale Har-Ber^2^128^64.0
Fayetteville^3^171^57.0
Springdale High^3^159^53.0
Fort Smith Northside^3^157^52.3
Rogers Heritage^3^156^52.0
Fort Smith Southside^3^138^46.0
Rogers High^3^134^44.7
TEAM^DEFENSE^G^PTS^AVG
Bentonville^2^94^47.0
Springdale High^3^149^49.7
Rogers Heritage^3^150^50.0
Fayetteville^3^154^51.3
Springdale^Har-Ber^2^104^52.0
Fort Smith Southside^3^164^54.7
Rogers High^3^168^56.0
Fort Smith Northside^3^205^68.3
LEADING^SCORERS
BOYS^G^PTS^AVG
Malik^Monk, Bentonville^2^75^37.5
Chris^Owens, Springdale High^3^61^20.3
Tereke^Eckwood, Springdale^Har-Ber^2^37^18.5
Milacio^Freeland, Rogers High^3^50^16.7
Seth^Hawley, Fort Smith Southside^3^47^15.7
Connor^Hirsch, Rogers Heritage^3^47^15.7
Mason^Cline, Springdale^Har-Ber^2^29^14.5
Lexus^Hobbs, Rogers Heritage^3^40^13.3
Shakari^Jones, Fort Smith Northside^3^38^12.7
Payton^Willis, Fayetteville^3^38^12.7
TreShawn^Gause, Springdale High^3^38^12.7
Alex^Foree, Fort Smith Southside^3^36^12.0
Avery^Benson, Springdale^Har-Ber^2^23^11.5
Josh^Breathitt, Fayetteville^3^32^10.7
Dedric^Patterson, Fort Smith Northside^3^29^9.7
Ben^Smith, Bentonville^2^18^9.0
Mason^McNee, Springdale^Har-Ber^2^17^8.5
Tyler^Robinson, Bentonville^2^17^8.5
Kayshawn^Dorsey, Fort Smith Northside^1^8^8.0
Darrian^Mays, Fort Smith Southside^3^24^8.0
Jake^Benninghoff, Rogers High^3^24^8.0
Tevin^Brewer, Fort Smith Northside^3^23^7.7
Harrison^Heffley, Rogers High^3^21^7.0
Jordan^Hemphill, Bentonville^2^14^7.0
Stephon^Barren, Fort Smith Northside^3^20^6.7
Kade^Scott, Fayetteville^3^20^6.7
Tyler^Tutt, Springdale High^3^19^6.3
Tyler^Triplett, Fort Smith Northside^3^18^6.0
August^Carlson, Fayetteville^3^18^6.0
Drew^Paslay, Fayetteville^3^18^6.0
Kyler^Mahar, Springdale High^3^18^6.0
Crist^Olsen, Rogers Heritage^3^18^6.0
Julian^Jensen, Rogers Heritage^3^18^6.0
J.P.^Brandon, Springdale^Har-Ber^2^11^5.5
Drake^Wymer, Fayetteville^3^15^5.0
GIRLS
TEAM^OFFENSE^G^PTS^AVG
Fort Smith Northside^3^168^56.0
Bentonville^3^166^55.3
Springdale^Har-Ber^3^164^54.7
Fayetteville^3^150^50.0
Fort Smith Southside^3^147^49.0
Springdale High^3^135^45.0
Rogers High^3^126^42.0
Rogers Heritage^3^109^36.3
TEAM^DEFENSE^G^PTS^AVG
Fayetteville^3^129^43.0
Rogers Heritage^3^129^43.0
Springdale High^3^134^44.7
Fort Smith Northside^3^138^46.0
Springdale^Har-Ber^3^150^50.0
Fort Smith Southside^3^158^52.7
Rogers High^3^159^53.0
Bentonville^3^168^56.0
LEADING^SCORERS
GIRLS^G^PTS^AVG
Jordan Martin, Bentonville^3^54^18.0
Brooke Sagely, Rogers High^3^49^16.3
Kira Shepard, Fort Smith Northside^3^47^15.7
Allison Stone, Fort Smith Southside^3^44^14.7
Peyton Taylor, Bentonville^3^40^13.3
Tiarra McDonald, Fort Smith Northside^3^38^12.7
Emilie Jobst, Rogers Heritage^3^38^12.7
Bailey Schalk, Springdale^Har-Ber^3^37^12.3
Paige Redmond, Springdale^Har-Ber^3^37^12.3
Aaliyah Jackson, Fort Smith Northside^3^36^12.0
Sara Giesen, Rogers Heritage^3^35^11.7
Maren Johnston, Bentonville^3^33^11.0
Whitney O’Dell, Fort Smith Southside^3^29^9.7
Chasidee Owens, Springdale High^3^29^9.7
Desiree Mack, Springdale High^3^28^9.3
Lauren Holmes, Fayetteville^3^27^9.0
Lani Meares, Fort Smith Southside^3^26^8.7
Anna Chancellor, Springdale^Har-Ber^3^24^8.0
Ryann Goodsell, Springdale High^3^22^7.3
Carlye Bohannan, Springdale^Har-Ber^3^21^7.0
JaVonda Daniels, Springdale High^3^20^6.7
Caroline Horner, Springdale^Har-Ber^3^20^6.7
Emily Hamilton, Fort Smith Southside^3^19^6.3
Callie Cummings, Rogers Heritage^3^19^6.3
Sydney Crockett, Fayetteville^3^18^6.0
Maddi McKinney, Rogers High^3^18^6.0
Maddie Brittain, Bentonville^3^18^6.0
Jaynee Alston, Fort Smith Northside^3^17^5.7
Lauren Schuldt, Fayetteville^3^17^5.7
Kierra Lang, Springdale High^3^16^5.3
Jacie Higgins, Springdale^Har-Ber^3^16^5.3
Shania Bishop, Fort Smith Southside^3^15^5.0
Pe.Brown, Springdale High^3^15^5.0
Lauren Hargus, Bentonville^3^15^5.0
The Panthers won both 7A/6A-Central games but more importantly won two games against fellow Class 6A opponents.
The Panthers also showed a flair for the dramatic in the victories.
"The kids showed some resiliency and grit to get those two wins," Stewart said. "Both of the games were in the balance."
Siloam Springs beat Greenwood, 60-57, in overtime at home on Tuesday after a slow start.
"Greenwood came out and held the ball on us," Stewart said. "That took us out of rhythm. We weren't used to that. It kind of got the best of us. We had to fight to get in it. It was an awkward game, but the kids hit some big shots late."
Tucker Gambill opened the overtime with a 3-pointer and Luke Loveless added another long-range bucket, and the Panthers added a couple of free throws to close out the win.
Friday, the Panthers went on the road and beat Russellville, 49-48, in game that was close throughout.
The game was tied at 11-all after a quarter, Siloam Springs held a 25-23 lead at the half, and a 39-37 lead after three quarters.
"It was back and forth," Stewart said. "It was a raucous crowd. It was the best crowd we've played in front of as far as right on you."
The Panthers opened up a 49-45 lead on Tyler Newton's two free throws with 24.8 seconds left but Russellville hit a 3-pointer. Siloam Springs missed the front end of a 1-and-1 opportunity with 12 seconds left but Russellville missed as time wound down.
The two wins put Siloam Springs on top of the standings for the Class 6A state tournament at 2-0. Only the six games against Russellville, Greenwood and Alma matter as far as Class 6A playoff berths and seedings.
"You're basically in a six-game playoff," Stewart said. "Those two wins are amplified. The kids don't really realize how big they are because they're used to other conference situations. The coaches sure understand how big they are."
CHALLENGE
The Panthers go out of Class 6A play this week to play two of the best Class 7A teams in the conference in Van Buren and Conway.
The teams are expected to be the top two seeds for the Class 7A state tournament from the conference.
Both teams will present 'big' problems for Siloam Springs.
Van Buren has 6-10 Mitchell Smith, who is tied with Alma's Austin Lee as the conference's top scorer at 19.7 points per game. Smith also averaged eight rebounds and a block per game.
Bryant has 6-7 John Nekonchuk, who scored 12 points against Greenwood on Friday in a 64-47 win.
"We really familiar with Van Buren, not that that helps us," Stewart said. "They're so well-coached and so good. Bryant brings in size and athleticism. Both games are going to be a tremendous challenge for us."
Van Buren beat Siloam Springs twice last year when both teams were members of the 7A-West, but Smith only scored a combined 24 points in the two games.
"We've already told the kids that it's a really good week and let's go out and see if we can beat two really good teams," Stewart said.
ALSO BIG
Speaking of big, the Greenwood Lady Bulldogs beat Conway, 64-63, on Friday in a battle of defending state champions.
Greenwood won the Class 6A state title, beating Little Rock Hall. Conway beat Fort Smith Northside for the Class 7A championship. All four teams were part of the 7A/6A-Central last season. Reclassification placed Northside into the 7A-West while Hall was shipped to the 6A-South, leaving Greenwood and Conway to battle it out for supremacy 7A/6A-Central.
Greenwood's Megan Hartness hit two free throws with 3.6 seconds left for the win after the Lady Bulldogs held for the last shot.
"Normally, you don't hold it for the last shot, down one point on your home court," Greenwood head coach Clay Reeves said. "They were in such good rhythm and we were, and we were going to hold it for the last shot. Normally, you don't do that but we were going for the win on the last shot. Megan took it to the basket and got a great look and was fouled, and made both shots."
Greenwood knew Conway would have one final shot and that either Alexis Tolefree, who had 26 points in the game, or Jordan Danberry, who was named a McDonald's All-American game nominee, would take the last shot.
Danberry took the inbounds pass after the second free throw and went the length of the court, but her driving attempt rolled off the front of the rim as time expired.
"We knew it was going to be either Tolefree, and we were man on her, and Danberry, and we put two on her and told them not to let her get to the rim," Reeves said. "She just flew right by us, which she can do. She got a great shot off, but she missed it. It will be a great battle the next time we play."
The two teams will meet against Feb.13 in Conway.
Sports on 01/19/2015