CONWAY -- Jordan Martin stopped just beyond the 3-point line Thursday night and hit nothing but net with her first shot in the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star girls basketball game.
The former Bentonville standout and John Brown signee gave the West its first double-digit lead, but it would soon disappear. The East controlled the second half and rolled to an 86-71 victory at Central Arkansas' Farris Center.
All-Star Girls Basketball Game
East 86, West 71
East^7^14^13^32^20^—^86
West^16^12^15^15^13^—^71
East: Tucker 16, Hartness 9, Zimmerman 8, Elkins 7, Orr 7, Danberry 6, Jones 6, Harden 6, Lankford 5, Brumley 4, Perry 4, Smith 4, Orr 2, Otwell 1, Harris 1.
West: Cooper 19, Baker 10, Hill 10, Tidwell 6, Ladd 5, Martin 5, Underdown 4, Taylor 3, McNesprey 3, Looney 2, Schuldt 2, Thompson 1, Webb 1.
The East outscored the West 52-28 over the final 16 minutes, when both teams could liberally substitute players, and did it with a variety of players. The only East player to finish in double figures was Nettleton's Ali Harris, who was named the game's outstanding player after a 16-point outing.
"The difference was they made shots and we didn't," said West head coach Vic Rimmer of Fayetteville. "I thought our intensity level was fantastic, and I thought defensively we made them take tough shots. They weren't getting any easy buckets.
"We knew we were at a disadvantage because the East was picked to win. We played with high energy, but we missed some easy ones that could have made the game closer. All in all, though, it was a great week."
The West used 3-point shooting to its advantage in the first half, when it hit five from beyond the arc to only one for the East. Malvern's Raven Baker and Ozark's Kylie Ladd each hit a 3 in the first quarter as the West built a 16-7 lead, then it was Martin's turn.
She spotted up on the right side of the bucket and drilled her 3-point, making it a 21-9 game with 5 minutes, 41 seconds left in the second quarter. The West matched that margin when Little Rock Hall's Shakayla Hill hit a bucket and made it 33-21 early in the third quarter and went on to lead 43-34 at halftime.
"It felt pretty good, honestly," Martin said. "When I got the ball, the first thing that ran through my mind was shoot it. I had confidence in my shot, and it went right in. It made the game feel smoother and better."
The East didn't take its first lead until Jordan Danberry of Conway, an Arkansas signee, hit a three-point play to make it 51-48 with 4:44 left in the third quarter. The West responded moments later with Hill's three-point play to tie it, but Sarah Elkins of Greenwood's bucket put the East ahead to stay.
Kadesha Cooper of Sheridan led the West with 19 points, while Baker and Hill added 10 points apiece. All 14 players on the East, who was forced to play without Monica Monk of North Little Rock, scored in the game.
"When you have Danberry, Bailey Zimmerman and Kamry Orr on the floor at the same time, it's so hard to keep them in front of you," Rimmer said. "They made tough shots, and the difference was the amount of shots they made in the second half."
Henry Apple can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAHenry.
Sports on 06/26/2015