Basketball: Har-Ber turns to 3-pointers, reach title game

NEOSHO, Mo. -- Savanna Collins hadn't even stepped across the midcourt line when she launched a shot that hit nothing but the net to end the third quarter.

It was that kind of game for Springdale Har-Ber's girls when it came to 3-point shooting Friday night. The Lady Wildcats connected on 10 of 16 from beyond the arc, and that accuracy paved the way for their 63-56 semifinal victory over Neosho, Mo., in the 63rd annual Neosho Holiday Classic.

Springdale Har-Ber 63, Neosho, Mo. 56

Har-Ber^14^15^26^8^—63

Neosho^15^12^13^16^—^56

Har-Ber (7-4): Mains 19, Collins 18, Smith 15, Nelson 5, Taylor 3, Tucker 2, Wood 1.

Neosho: Hayes 17, Burr 12, Flynn 11, Jordon 11, Talley 3, Frazier 2.

——————

At A Glance

Neosho Holiday Classic

Friday

Boys

Neosho, Mo. 51, Memphis (Tenn.) Sheffield 49

Van Buren 53, Bentonville West 51

West Memphis 59, Morrilton 51

Lamar, Mo. 58, Memphis (Tenn.) Middle College 54

Maumelle 53, Kansas City (Mo.) Ruskin 51

McDonald County, Mo. 56, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Banneker Academy 53

St. Joseph (Mo.) Lafayette 53, Memphis (Tenn.) Mitchell 50

North Little Rock 66, Houston (Texas) Cypress Falls 57

Girls

St. Joseph (Mo.) Lafayette 43, McDonald County, Mo. 29

Bentonville High JV 43, St. Joseph (Mo.) Central 32

Springdale Har-Ber 63, Neosho, Mo. 56

Van Buren 46, Bentonville High 38

Today

Boys

15TH PLACE Memphis Middle College vs. Brooklyn Banneker Academy, 9 a.m.*

13TH PLACE Lamar, Mo. vs. McDonald County, Mo., 9 a.m.

11TH PLACE Memphis (Tenn.) Sheffield vs. Bentonville West, 10:30 a.m. *

NINTH PLACE Van Buren vs. Neosho, Mo., 10:30 a.m.

SEVENTH PLACE Morrilton vs. Kansas City Ruskins, noon*

FIFTH PLACE West Memphis vs. Maumelle, noon

THIRD PLACE Memphis Mitchell vs. Houston Cypress Falls, 3:30 p.m.

CHAMPIONSHIP St. Joseph Lafayette vs. North Little Rock, 6:30 p.m.

Girls

SEVENTH PLACE St. Joseph (Mo.) Central vs. McDonald County, Mo., 2 p.m.*

FIFTH PLACE Bentonville High JV vs. St. Joseph (Mo.) Lafayette, 3:30 p.m.*

THIRD PLACE Neosho, Mo. vs. Bentonville, 2 p.m.

CHAMPIONSHIP Springdale Har-Ber vs. Van Buren, 5 p.m.

  • — games played at Neosho Junior High

Maci Mains was 5 of 9 from 3-point range and finished with a game-high 19 points for Har-Ber, while Krislyn Smith hit 3 of 4 from downtown while netting 15 points, and Collins hit both of her 3-pointers to finish with 18.

"The girls bought into the game plan," Har-Ber coach Jaime Green said. "They didn't take quick shots. They took shots within the flow of the offense, and that's what we were trying to do against a very, very good Neosho team that's very physical.

"It's always their choice to buy into the game plan, and they did. They played together and played like seniors that have played together for a long time."

Har-Ber (7-4) tried for most of the first half to take control of the game, only to have Neosho counter each time before sophomore Sophie Nelson's putback with 45 seconds left gave Har-Ber a 29-27 halftime cushion. The Lady Wildcats then started pulling away with their 26-13 run in the third quarter behind seven 3-pointers over the 8-minute span.

Collins' first 3-pointer started the outburst, and Mains gave Har-Ber its first double-digit lead, 41-31, on a rare drive inside midway through the third quarter. The Lady Wildcats then used an 11-0 run, sparked by 3-pointers from Smith and Mains, to extend their lead to 52-37 before Collins' heave made it a 55-40 game entering the fourth quarter.

"It always take one to get things going, then they feed off each other," Green said. "I didn't do anything. It sure makes it look a lot easier when you call a play and your kids execute."

Neosho, though, made things interesting near the end, using a 14-3 run to pull within 60-54 with 31 seconds left. Har-Ber, though, used a free throw and a breakaway basket by Mekenna Taylor to put the game away.

The win moves Har-Ber into today's 5 p.m. championship game against Van Buren, a 46-38 winner over Bentonville in the other semifinal. Makayla Hayes had 17 points to lead Neosho.

Preps Basketball on 12/30/2017

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