BENTONVILLE -- It could have marked trouble for Bentonville High's girls when Maryam Dauda picked up her fourth personal foul in the third quarter and Springdale High had cut the Lady Tigers' lead to seven moments later.
Bentonville, however, turned the tables at that point with a 17-2 run and went on to post a 58-38 victory over the Lady Bulldogs during 7A-West Conference action Tuesday night in Tiger Arena.
The win, coupled with Rogers High's loss to Van Buren, gives the Lady Tigers (16-4, 5-2) sole possession of second place in the league standings at the halfway point.
"I was really pleased with that effort," Bentonville coach Tom Halbmaier said. "Fess Hawkins went in and played the middle, and Emma Palasak came in and played very well. She was very active and played the wing and the baseline, and she had two really two good assists that led to scores."
Bentonville led 30-21 at halftime and opened the second half with Avery Hughes' 3-pointer before Springdale (13-7, 4-3) answered. Olivia James nailed a 3-pointer, then Ashlyn Minchew hit two free throws to make it a 33-26 game shortly after Dauda picked up her fourth foul with 4 minutes, 45 left in the third quarter.
The Lady Tigers then scored 14 of the next 16 points to blow the game open, with Hughes' two free throws with 3.2 seconds left making it a 47-28 game to end the third quarter. Jaren Hernandez then continued the run with a 3-pointer to start the fourth, and Bentonville took its biggest lead when two Hawkins free throws made it 56-33 with 3:15 left.
"I was really pleased with that adjustment," Halbmaier said. "It was nice to figure out when Maryam is out that we can still compete hard and the girls just play within themselves."
Hughes scored 11 of her 14 points in the third quarter, while Hawkins had 14 and Dauda 11 for Bentonville, which has won five straight league games by double digits after an 0-2 start.
Sarah Vogel led Springdale with 15 points, followed by Marquesha Davis with 12.
BENTONVILLE HIGH 58, SPRINGDALE HIGH 38
Springdale 8 13 6 10 -- 38
Bentonville 17 13 17 11 -- 58
Springdale (13-7, 4-3): Vogel 15, Davis 12, Minchew 4, James 3, Sysunh 2, Nelson 2.
Bentonville (16-4, 5-2): Hughes 14, Hawkins 14, Dauda 11, Hernandez 9, Palasak 5, Sanders 3, Irlenborn 2.
Boys: Bentonville High 45, Springdale High 43
Michael Shanks buried a jumper from the free-throw line just before final buzzer sounded as Bentonville edged Springdale and maintained its share of first place in the league standings at the halfway point.
"We got a break at the end," Bentonville coach Dick Rippee said. "The last time Michael got the ball, we told him to go and attack. He got a step on the kid, and he might have been fouled too. But he hit the shot, and that was something we needed desperately."
Trentez Scales hit one of two free throws to tie the game with 19.7 seconds remaining, and Springdale (12-8, 3-4) had four fouls to give before it put Bentonville (13-5, 5-2) to the free-throw line. The Bulldogs then fouled Shanks twice near midcourt, the second time coming with 6.7 seconds remaining.
Shanks took the inbound pass from Cadarius Baggett, then dribbled around his defender before pulling up and hitting his game-winner.
"I was on attack mode because I knew they had fouls to give," Shanks said. "So I just attacked, and I saw a little gap. So I just pulled it.
"They're pretty quick, and I thought they would reach out and grab me. But they gave me the opening, so I took the chance. I was looking at the clock the whole possession. I saw the shot go off on a good line, and I knew it was going in."
Shanks also hit a bucket before the third quarter ended to give Bentonville a 39-36 cushion, then scored again to start the fourth quarter. Springdale then scored the next six points and took a 42-41 lead on Scales' 3-pointer with 4:03 remaining, but Colton Simmons' jumper put Bentonville back in front with the final points before Scales tied it with his free throw.
Asa Hutchinson scored 15 points to lead Bentonville before fouling out with under 3 minutes remaining, while Shanks added 12. Scales was the only Springdale player in double figures with 14.
BENTONVILLE HIGH 45, SPRINGDALE HIGH 43
Springdale 13 11 12 7 -- 43
Bentonville 12 15 12 6 -- 45
Springdale (12-8, 3-4): Scales 14, Boyd 9, Jibke 6, Mason 4, Fitch 3, Eckwood 3, Donahou 2, Johnson 2.
Bentonville (13-5, 5-2): Hutchinson 15, Shanks 12, Deffebaugh 9, Simmons 4, Baggett 2, Freeman 2, Casey 1.
Preps Basketball on 01/31/2018