Basketball: FS Northside runs past Cabot

FORT SMITH -- The explosiveness of the Fort Smith Northside offense was just too much for Cabot to overcome.

The Grizzlies used an 8-0 spurt in the middle of the fourth quarter to blow open the game and defeat the Panthers 56-38 in a 7A-Central boys game Tuesday at Kaundart Fieldhouse.

Cabot, which had trailed 43-23 midway in the third period, had trimmed the deficit 45-34 with 5:27 left after Jalen Brown made two of three free throws. But a Jaylon Releford backdoor layup followed by 3-pointers from Isaiah Joe and Releford pushed the Northside advantage to 53-34 with 3:49 left.

"Basketball is a game of spurts," Northside interim coach Greg Scott said. "We had an 18-point halftime lead and I told the guys in the locker room that Cabot was not going to quit. They are going to make a run and the challenge for us was how we will respond. The key was hitting the open man, making the shots and then defend on the other end."

The Grizzlies made 11 3-point baskets in the game, including six from Joe and 4 from Releford. Joe made four of his team's 8 first half 3-pointers and Northside built a 36-18 halftime lead.

"I challenged our team after (Friday's 59-47 loss at North Little Rock)," Scott said. "Our defense was outstanding tonight. We wanted to defend and rebound tonight."

Joe led all scorers with 20 points while Releford added 14. Brown paced Cabot with 18 points.

Northside meets city rival Southside Friday at the Stubblefield Center on the campus of UA-Fort Smith. Cabot will host North Little Rock Friday.

Cabot 9 9 12 8 -- 38

FS Northside 16 20 9 13 -- 56

Cabot (14-6, 2-4): Brown 18, Allgood 6, L. Vaught 5, Walker 3, Weir 3, May 2, W. Vaught 1

FS Northside (13-6, 4-1): Joe 20, Releford 14, Williams 7, Jacobs 5, Norwood 3, Gordon 3, Travis 2, McKinley 2.

Girls

FS Northside 57, Cabot 42

Coming off Friday's five-overtime loss to North Little Rock, Northside coach Rickey Smith knew his team just needed to play to get over that disappointing loss.

The Lady Bears (17-2, 4-1 7A-Central) used a 10-2 run to start the second half to build a double-digit lead and hold off the Lady Panthers (10-8, 3-3).

"It was a long weekend getting over the loss, but I am happy with the win." Smith said. "Practice was flat on Sunday. We tried to encourage them and pump them up. We just needed to play a game and get a win. We made plays when we had to."

Northside lead 25-20 at halftime, but opened the third quarter with an 8-0 run, 4 coming from freshman Tracey Bershers, to take control of the game at 33-20 midway in the period.

The Lady Bears jumped out to a 48-33 lead early in the final period and Cabot would never get the deficit below 10 points again.

"Give Cabot credit. Every time we thought we had them they would make a couple of shots and get back into the game," Smith said. "We finally put them away in the fourth quarter."

Bershers and Jersey Wolfenbarger each scored 13 points to pace Northside while Jazzlyn Coleman added 10. Brooklyn Stracener scored a game-high 18 points to lead Cabot.

Cabot 10 10 10 12 -- 42

FS Northside 15 10 17 15 -- 57

Cabot (10-8, 3-3): Stracener 18, Wagner 7, Ogilvie 4, Westbrook 4, Roberts 3, Thompson 2, Dodson 2, Belin 2.

FS Northide (17-2, 4-1) -- Wolfenbarger 13, T. Bershers 13, Coleman 10, Green 8, Mays 5, S. Bershers 4, Carey 2, Evans 2.

Preps Basketball on 01/24/2018

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