PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Charleston's Ross, Bentonville's Dauda produce strong performances

Charleston's Brayden Ross and Bentonville's Maryam Dauda are this week's Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Players of the Week.
Charleston's Brayden Ross and Bentonville's Maryam Dauda are this week's Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Players of the Week.

Waldron began last week undefeated in the 3A-1 West Conference, but that was before the Bulldogs were shredded at Charleston.

Charleston shot 58 percent from the floor and defeated the Bulldogs 83-52. Brayden Ross scored 32 points, followed closely by Jordan Fenner with 31.

"It was the perfect storm," Waldron coach Joshua Brown said. "They shot out of their minds. Brayden Ross went off outside and Fenner was really good inside."

Ross has played a pivotal role as the lone returning starter for Charleston, 8-5 overall and 5-0 in conference play. He scored 32 points against Waldron while making 4 of 9 3-point attempts and 6 of 9 free throws. He also grabbed 13 rebounds, all on the defensive end.

Ross followed up that outstanding performance by scoring 20 points in a 56-43 win over Mansfield on Friday. For his efforts, Ross is the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette boys Player of the Week. Maryam Dauda of Bentonville is the girls NWADG Player of the Week.

Ross is a four-sport athlete who plans to play baseball in college. He is a force on the basketball court as a team leader who averages 23.5 points with 12 rebounds per game.

"Brayden has turned it up to a different level," coach Ross said of his son, a 6-foot-4 senior guard. "He knew going into the Waldron game this was a big conference test for us and he was focused. We played a tough schedule in non-conference, playing some 5A schools, and our young guys were a little unsure of themselves. But winning this game lifted them up and gave them a lot of confidence."

Dauda is accustomed to big performances, but she stood out Friday while leading Bentonville to a 55-53 road win at Fayetteville.

Fayetteville has two Division I signees in Sasha Goforth (Oregon State) and Coriah Beck (Memphis). But Dauda, a 6-foot-4 junior, led all scorers with 28 points and she was a force on the defensive end for Bentonville, which held Fayetteville to one field goal in the third quarter.

"Maryam was so dominant on both ends of the floor," Bentonville coach Tom Halbmaier said. "She set the tone early in the game with her being aggressive, especially on the offensive end of the floor commanding for the ball. She brings so much energy and confidence to our team."

The win earned Bentonville (14-1, 3-0) sole possession of first place in the 6A-West Conference and dropped Fayetteville into a three-way tie for second. Dauda had 18 points when Bentonville began the week with a 61-35 win over Rogers Heritage.

Preps Sports on 01/21/2020

Arkansas Sports Media Prep Basketball Poll

Following is the Overall Top 10 boys high school basketball teams in Arkansas and the top five in Classes 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending January 18. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and last week’s rankings:

Boys

OVERALL

  1. North Little Rock (6)^12-3^134^2
  2. West Memphis (3)^13-3^116^3
  3. Rogers (2)^14-1^113^1
  4. FS Northside (2)^13-4^96^5
  5. Conway (1)^12-3^95^4
  6. Har-Ber (1)^13-2^73^6
  7. Magnolia^12-0^65^7
  8. Blytheville^17-3^37^9
  9. Russellville^13-4^15^10

tie-Greene County Tech^15-2^15^8

Others receiving votes: Bryant 14, Cabot 13, Vilonia 10, Fayetteville 10, LR Mills 6, Hot Springs 5, Maumelle 3, Jonesboro 2, Valley View 2, Jacksonville 1, Sylvan Hills 1, Arkadelphia 1, Marianna 1.

CLASS 6A

  1. North Little Rock (8)^12-3^64^2
  2. Rogers (3)^14-1^50^1
  3. FS Northside (2)^13-4^41^4
  4. Conway (1)^12-3^34^3
  5. Har-Ber (1)^13-2^30^5

Others receiving votes: Bryant 4, Cabot 2.

CLASS 5A

  1. West Memphis (15)^13-3^75^1
  2. Vilonia^14-2^36^5
  3. Maumelle^12-3^35^4
  4. Russellville^13-4^28^3
  5. Greene County Tech^15-2^22^2

Others receiving votes: Jonesboro 12, Hot Springs 8, Sylvan Hills 5, Jacksonville 4.

CLASS 4A

  1. Magnolia (12) ^12-0 ^72 ^1
  2. Blytheville (3)^17-3^60^2
  3. LR Mills^15-3^39^3
  4. Valley View^13-3^22^5
  5. Pulaski Academy^ 11-3^11^NR

Others receiving votes: Arkadelphia 10, Morrilton 6, Dardanelle 4, Jonesboro Westside 1.

CLASS 3A

  1. Valley Springs (11) ^22-2 ^71^ 1
  2. Dumas (4) ^14-1 ^60 ^2
  3. Bergman ^24-4 ^41 ^3
  4. Manila ^15-4 ^13 ^NR
  5. Waldron ^16-4 ^12 ^5

Others receiving votes: Elkins 10, Prescott 7, Osceola 6, Harding Academy 2, Ashdown 2, Trumann 1.

CLASS 2A

  1. Marianna (12) ^16-3 ^70 ^2
  2. Lavaca (1) ^21-3 ^53 ^3
  3. England (2) ^15-3 ^43 ^1
  4. Cutter-Morning Star ^17-2 ^26 ^NR
  5. Clarendon ^12-3 ^19^NR

Others receiving votes: Marked Tree 5, Bay 3, Flippin 2, Earle 2, Quitman 2.

CLASS 1A

  1. Izard County (13) ^23-5^ 67^ 1
  2. Kirby (1)^ 22-2^ 49^ 2
  3. Nevada^ 19-3^ 41^ 3
  4. Concord^ 20-2^ 23^ NR
  5. The New School (1)^ 20-1^ 22^ 4

Others receiving votes: Hillcrest 14, Bradley 8, Ridgefield Christian 1.

Girls

OVERALL

  1. FS Northside (9)^14-3^125^1
  2. Bentonville (2)^14-1^122^2

tie- Conway (3)^14-3^122^3

  1. Nettleton (1)^16-2^102^4
  2. Batesville^18-1^82^6
  3. Fayetteville^12-4^78^7
  4. Cabot^14-2^59^5
  5. LR Christian^13-2^57^8
  6. Greenwood^12-4^23^NR
  7. Harrison^18-1^19^10

Others receiving votes: Pulaski Academy 12, Star City 10, Vilonia 8, Mountain View 4, Farmington 1, Mountain Home 1.

CLASS 6A

  1. FS Northside (9)^14-3^63^1
  2. Bentonville (2)^14-1^55^2

tie- Conway (4)^14-3^55^3

  1. Fayetteville^12-4^30^5
  2. Cabot^14-2^25^4

Others receiving votes: Springdale Har-Ber 1.

CLASS 5A

  1. Nettleton (13)^16-2^73^1
  2. LR Christian (2)^13-2^60^2
  3. Greenwood^12-4^43^4
  4. Vilonia^14-2^23^3
  5. Jonesboro^9-6^8^NR

tie- Mountain Home 13-3 8 NR

Others receiving votes: West Memphis 6, Hot Springs Lakeside 4.

CLASS 4A

  1. Batesville (15)^18-1^75^1
  2. Harrison^18-1^48^2
  3. Star City^19-0^44^3
  4. Pulaski Academy^15-2^29^5
  5. Farmington^17-3^27^4

Others receiving votes: Southside Batesville 2.

CLASS 3A

  1. Central Ark. Christian (7)^17-3^62^2
  2. Mountain View (6)^15-2^56^1
  3. Charleston (1)^15-2^42^3
  4. Hoxie^13-3^31^4
  5. Lamar (1)^17-2^19^NR

Others receiving votes: Valley Springs 13, Centerpoint 1, Bergman 1, West Helena 1, Walnut Ridge 1.

CLASS 2A

  1. Melbourne (14)^15-2^74^1
  2. Quitman (1)^15-2^61^2
  3. Bigelow^16-2^42^3
  4. Marmaduke^19-8^17^4
  5. Riverside^15-6^12^5

Others receiving votes: Poyen 10, Earle 8, Acorn 1.

CLASS 1A

  1. Viola (15)^25-2^75^1
  2. Concord^18-3^52^4
  3. Emerson^21-2^33^5
  4. Kirby^21-5^31^2
  5. Mount Vernon-Enola^21-3^26^3

Others receiving votes: West Side Greers Ferry 3, Mammoth Spring 3, Ouachita 2.

6A-WEST CONFERENCE LEADERS

BOYS^GIRLS

TEAM OFFENSE^G^PTS^AVG^TEAM OFFENSE^G^PTS^AVG

Fayetteville^4^277^69.3^Fayetteville^4^249^62.3

Springdale Har-Ber^4^239^59.8^Bentonville^3^181^60.3

Van Buren^3^159^53.0^Springdale Har-Ber^4^228^57.0

Bentonville West^4^211^52.8^Rogers Heritage^4^194^48.5

Rogers High^4^202^50.5^Rogers High^4^193^48.3

Rogers Heritage^4^194^48.5^Van Buren^3^115^38.3

Bentonville^3^141^47.0^Bentonville West^4^123^30.8

Springdale High^4^162^40.5^Springdale High^4^117^29.3

TEAM DEFENSE^G^PTS^AVG^TEAM DEFENSE^G^PTS^AVG

Rogers High^4^186^46.5^Rogers High^4^157^39.3

Springdale High^4^198^49.5^Fayetteville^4^163^40.8

Rogers Heritage^4^203^50.8^Springdale Har-Ber^4^175^43.8

Springdale Har-Ber^4^204^51.0^Bentonville^3^135^45.0

Bentonville West^4^217^54.3^Springdale High^4^185^46.3

Fayetteville^4^219^54.8^Rogers Heritage^4^193^48.3

Bentonville^3^169^56.3^Bentonville West^4^223^55.8

Van Buren^3^189^63.0^Van Buren^3^169^56.3

INDIVIDUAL SCORERS

BOYS^G^PTS^AVG^GIRLS^G^PTS^AVG

Bailey, Bentonville West^4^85^21.3^Dauda, Bentonville^3^64^21.3

T.Releford, Fayetteville^4^69^17.3^Koons, Springdale Har-Ber^4^73^18.3

Boyd, Springdale Har-Ber^4^66^16.5^Goforth, Fayetteville^4^60^15.0

Williams, Fayetteville^4^65^16.3^McConnell, Rogers High^4^51^12.8

Jenkins, Springdale Har-Ber^4^65^16.3^Beck, Fayetteville^4^45^11.3

Simmons, Bentonville^3^47^15.7^Casteel, Rogers Heritage^4^45^11.3

Glenn, Rogers Heritage^4^53^13.3^Bridges, Fayetteville^4^41^10.3

Hobbs, Rogers High^4^51^12.8^Nelson, Springdale Har-Ber^4^40^10.0

Buchanon, Springdale Har-Ber^4^49^12.3^McDaniel, Springdale Har-Ber^4^39^9.8

Phillips, Van Buren^3^32^10.7^Smith, Bentonville^3^29^9.7

I.Releford, Fayetteville^4^41^10.3^Kannady, Van Buren^3^28^9.3

Paschall, Rogers High^4^41^10.3^Sysavanh, Springdale High^4^36^9.0

Clines, Rogers Heritage^4^40^10.0^Lynge, Rogers Heritage^4^35^8.8

Liddell, Rogers High^4^39^9.8^Brown Bentonville^3^25^8.3

Newton, Van Buren^3^29^9.7^Carr, Rogers High^4^31^7.8

Salisbury, Van Buren^3^27^9.0^Hayes, Bentonville^3^23^7.7

Hertin, Springdale High^4^36^9.0^Starks, Springdale Har-Ber^4^30^7.5

James Springdale High^4^34^8.5^Jones, Rogers Heritage^4^30^7.5

Henry, Springdale High^4^33^8.3^Knight, Rogers Heritage^4^29^7.3

Ruffner, Bentonville West^4^33^8.3^Brockhoff, Rogers High^4^27^6.8

Freeman, Bentonville^3^24^8.0^Curtis, Bentonville West^4^25^6.3

Buccino, Bentonville West^4^32^8.0^Haskins, Springdale High^4^24^6.0

Gilmore, Van Buren^3^24^8.0^Irlenborn, Bentonville^3^18^6.0

Spencer, Bentonville^3^23^7.7^Willis, Bentonville West^4^23^5.8

Hill, Rogers Heritage^4^30^7.5^Miller, Rogers High^4^22^5.5

Owens, Springdale High^4^29^7.3^Miller, Van Buren^3^16^5.3

Hignite, Springdale High^4^27^6.8^Grebe, Van Buren^3^16^5.3

Miller, Rogers High^4^27^6.8

Price, Bentonville^3^18^6.0

Wayman, Fayetteville+^4^23^5.8

Ingram, Rogers Heritage^4^23^5.8

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