FAYETTEVILLE — Fayetteville didn’t take long to turn Tuesday’s anticipated showdown into a blowout.
Fayetteville grabbed an early 10-point lead and went on to defeat Springdale 60-38 in a matchup of the top teams in the 7A-West Conference. Sasha Goforth scored 21 points for Fayetteville (13-3, 5-0), which led 12-2 and 30-19 in the first half.
Goforth was also a major factor on defense in holding Springdale standout Marquesha Davis to 11 points. Davis entered the game as the league’s top scorer and she had 23 points in Springdale’s 35-24 victory over Van Buren last week.
Goforth blocked a 3-point attempt by Davis in the fourth quarter then stole the ball from her on the next possession and made a layup.
“Goforth is one of those rare kids, everybody knows she can score, but she loves to guard,” Fayetteville coach Vic Rimmer said. “In film sessions, it’s question after question. She always gets the tough matchup and I was pleased with her effort.”
Goforth had plenty of offensive help with 16 points apiece from Coriah Beck and Jasmine Franklin. Thaly Sysavanh added nine for Spring-dale (13-5, 4-1) but no one scored more than six.
Springdale made only 6 of 23 shots in the first half, including 0 for 6 on 3-point attempts. Springdale inched closer in the second quarter before Fayetteville regained control after consecutive 3-pointers from Goforth. The first half ended ugly for Springdale with an unforced turnover and a foul against Jasmine Franklin, who made a free throw with no time left in the second quarter.
Beck came alive offensively with 10 points in the third quarter, including a three-point play to increase the Fayetteville lead to 48-30.
BENTONVILLE 51,
ROGERS HERITAGE 36
Avery Hughes scored 12 of her 16 points over the final 9 minutes, 38 seconds as Bentonville almost doubled their score during that time span to knock off Heritage.
The Lady War Eagles (5-12, 0-5) had a 29-28 lead after Alli Beutler’s bucket with 2:07 left in the third quarter, but Hughes scored the next six points to give the Lady Tigers (14-4, 3-2) a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Emily Sanders beat the buzzer with a layup, then Maryam Dauda opened the fourth quarter with a three-point play to complete an 11-0 Bentonville run and a 36-29 lead.
Dauda added 11 points for Benton-ville, while Sydney Kinnamon led Heritage with 12.
ROGERS HIGH 54,
BENTONVILLE WEST 49
The Lady Mounties shook off a slow start and rallied for a home win in King Arena
The Lady Mounties fell behind by double-digits early in the first quarter and trailed by as much as 16-3 in the first quarter.
Kate McKinnon hit a 3-pointer with little more than 30 seconds ticked off the second quarter clock that sparked a 17-1 second-quarter run that saw Rogers (10-9, 3-2) take a 23-19 halftime lead.
Bentonville West (8-10, 1-4) rallied to tie the game on a 3-pointer by Kelsie Mahone with 4 minutes, 16 seconds remaining, but Rogers closed the contest on an 8-2 run to secure the victory.
SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 37,
VAN BUREN 34
Senior Khanni Shannon converted a three-point play with 2 minutes, 3 seconds left to give the Lady Wildcats the lead for good as Har-Ber held on for its first 7A-West Conference win Tuesday night.
Har-Ber (9-10, 1-4) made just four of eight free throws in the final 1:02, but Savanna Collins drained two with 2.3 seconds left to set the final score. Kristyn Smith led the Lady Wildcats with 14, while Shanon was also in double figures with 11.
Irasema Sandoval led Van Buren (12-6, 3-2) with 12.
Rick Fires can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter@NWARick.
Henry Apple, Paul Boyd and Josh Tinker contributed to this report.
7A-West Girls
Basketball Standings
CONF Overall
Fayetteville.................5-0 ......... 13-3 Springdale High ........4-1 ......... 13-5 Bentonville High ........3-2 ......... 14-4 Van Buren .................3-2 ......... 12-6 Rogers High ..............3-2 ..........10-8 Springdale Har-Ber ...1-4 ..........9-10 Bentonville West........1-4 ........... 8-9 Rogers Heritage........0-5 ......... 5-12
Tuesday’s scores
Fayetteville 60, Springdale High 38 Bentonville High 51,
Rogers Heritage 36
Rogers High 54, Bentonville West 49 Springdale Har-Ber 37, Van Buren 34
Friday’s games
Bentonville High at Bentonville West Fayetteville at Van Buren
Rogers High at Springdale High
Springdale Har-Ber at Rogers
Heritage
FAYETTEVILLE 60, SPRINGDALE HIGH 38
Springdale..........7 12 11 8 — 38 Fayetteville........12 17 19 12 — 60 Springdale (13-5 4-1): Davis 11 T. Sysavahn 9 Minchew 6, Gause 4, Vogel 3, James 2, Conley 2, Pegue 1. Fayetteville (13-3, 5-0): Goforth 21, Beck 16, Franklin 16, Webb 3, Bobbitt 3, Logan 1.