Mounties storm back, top Bulldogs

Elliot Paschal (11) of Rogers scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Mounties to 70-65 victory over Fayetteville on Fri- day night. More photos available online at arkansasonline.com/111rogers.
Elliot Paschal (11) of Rogers scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Mounties to 70-65 victory over Fayetteville on Fri- day night. More photos available online at arkansasonline.com/111rogers.

FAYETTEVILLE -- There was no sign of panic when Rogers fell behind by double-digits in the second quarter against Fayetteville.

The Mounties weathered the storm and dominated the second half in a 70-65 road victory in a 6A-West Conference game in Bulldog Arena to remain unbeaten on the season.

"This is a big win in the conference," said Rogers Coach Lamont Frazier. "Any win you get in this conference, whether it's on the road or at home, is big.

"The way we finished the game and the way we had to do it I think showed a lot of the poise and character of our players."

Rogers (13-0, 2-0 6A-West) trailed by 17 points in the second quarter, including 39-22 at halftime. The Bulldogs (10-6, 1-1) got 15 points from C.J. Williams in the first half and junior Tamaury Releford dominating in the post.

The Mounties flipped the switch in the second half. Rogers opened the third quarter on a 13-4 run to pull within 43-37, but lost one of its top scorers in Drew Miller, who knocked down a deep three-pointer but injured his right ankle when he became tangled up with a Fayetteville defender on the play.

"We seem to have to get punched in the mouth before we can get going," Frazier said. "We try to fight it and fight it because one of these days it's going to happen. But we'll keep fighting it and we'll figure it out."

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The Mounties had no problem without Miller as Derek Hobbs and Elliot Paschal provided the second-half offensive punch. Paschal scored nine of his game-high 22 points in the fourth quarter, and Hobbs scored eight of his 20 as Rogers finally dug itself completely out of the first-half hole on Hobbs' three-pointer with 4:12 left to tie the score at 59-59.

Fayetteville got two free throws from Releford to tie the score at 61-61, but Rogers went up 66-61 on Joseph Park's layup. Both teams had turnovers late, but the Mounties were able to hold on at the end.

"We were finally able to get the tempo the way we wanted it in the second half," Frazier said. "It was a lot faster tempo, which we like. And we just knew we had to chip away. Just not panic and chip away. If they made a run, we had to withstand it and make a run of our own."

Williams finished with 19 points for Fayetteville and Releford closed with 16.

GIRLS

FAYETTEVILLE 65, ROGERS 40

Sasha Goforth scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Lady Bulldogs to their second blowout victory of the week.

Fayetteville (11-3, 2-0) led 15-10 after one quarter but surged on a 23-3 run to take control in the second quarter.

Coriah Beck added 14 points for the Lady Bulldogs.

Aubrey Treadwell led Rogers (10-5, 1-1) with 11 points.

Sports on 01/11/2020

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