ROGERS -- Bentonville West used a great start and solid free throw-shooting late to pick up its first 7A-West Conference girls basketball victory in school history Friday night.
The Lady Wolverines (3-14, 1-4 7A-West) made 19 of 27 free throws in the fourth quarter to hold off a furious Rogers Heritage rally for the 60-53 win.
Prep Basketball
Girls
Bentonville West 60, Rogers Heritage 53
Bentonville West^19^11^7^23^—^60
Heritage^7^9^10^27^—^53
Bentonville West (3-14, 1-4): Henry 15, Montgomery 13, Wilson 8, Crowson 7, Reid 6, Wacaser 5, Mahone 3, Wood 3.
Rogers Heritage (6-12, 0-5): Thompson 18, Lakis 11, Kinnamon 9, Rohrbough 7, Cook 5, Combs 3.
Junior Varsity: Rogers Heritage 48, Bentonville West 19.
Boys
Rogers Heritage 52, Bentonville West 47
Bentonville West^10^11^12^14^—^47
Heritage^16^16^8^12^—^52
Bentonville West (9-9, 2-3):Collier Blackburn 11, Hornsby 10, Rutherford 6, Barrow 6, Muldrew 5, Wilmot 5, Collin Blackburn 4.
Rogers Heritage (11-7, 3-2): Olsen 18, Stanley 17, Moss 9, Peek 3, Breedlove 3, Cooper 2.
Junior Varsity: Bentonville West 36, Rogers Heritage 33.
West coach Randy Richardson couldn't have been more pleased with his team's start and finish.
"With a young bunch, it's all about feelings, especially with girls," said Richardson, whose team led 30-16 at halftime and by 11 after three quarters. "Today we came out, we felt like we had an opportunity. The kids, they stepped up. I always talk about the intensity right off the get-go. They applied it tonight.
"The girls came out and executed. That was a big factor for us. We're excited for the first conference win for our program, so we're gonna go celebrate it."
Junior point guard Ashaundi Henry finished with a team-high 15 points, all of them coming from the foul line. West survived a march the free throw line much of the night, but especially in the fourth quarter when Heritage was trying to rally.
Henry made 15 of 16 free throws, including 12 of 12 in the fourth quarter. The Lady Wolverines made 19 of 27 in the fourth quarter and 32 of 48 for the game. Junior Imani Montgomery chipped in 13.
"Ashaundi Henry stepped up huge at the end," Richardson said. "We got the ball to her. She was aggressive and she's very good at the free throw line."
Heritage (6-12, 0-5) used full-court pressure to cause some turnovers and pulled within 48-43 with 3 minutes, 39 seconds left in the fourth quarter, but got no closer.
Lady War Eagles coach Scott Moore said his team's slow start has been an issue before.
"It's a problem we've been having, not starting games properly," Moore said. "It doesn't matter the competition whether we're playing the best team in the league or the worst team in the league. We have to show up for the first quarter and we haven't been. That's been a problem we need to correct.
"I liked our second-half effort when we got up-tempo. I just thought right from the beginning we weren't playing with any energy. Normally we play better than that."
Shelby Thompson finished with a game-high 18 points for Heritage, while Meridith Lakis was also in double figures with 11.
Boys
Rogers Heritage 52, Bentonville West 47
Ty Olsen poured in a game-high 18 points and hit four free throws in the final minute to help the War Eagles hold on for the win.
West (9-9, 2-3) pulled within 46-45 on Collier Blackburn's 3-pointer with two minutes left, but got no closer. Seth Stanley added 17 for the War Eagles (11-7, 3-2). Blackburn led West with 11, while Gabe Hornsby added 10 before fouling out. The Wolverines trailed by 11 at halftime, but steadily chipped away.
Sports on 01/21/2017