FAYETTEVILLE -- Springdale was no match for Fayetteville on Wednesday in a resumption of the teams' longtime rivalry.
Fayetteville took over midway through the second quarter and defeated Springdale 62-50 in 6A-West Conference boys basketball play at Bulldog Arena. DJ Hudson and Xavier Brown each scored 14 points, while Jadyn Haney had 13 and Ornette Gaines 12 for Fayetteville (14-2, 2-0).
Fayetteville's victory may have been made easier with the absence of Isaiah Sealy, Springdale's leading scorer who is recovering from a hand injury. Sealy watched the game from the Springdale bench in street clothes.
Brylan Sims scored 15 points and Jarvis Palmer 14 for Springdale (9-7, 2-1).
Haney was particularly active on both ends for Fayetteville. He was a consistent scorer and he had an assist on one of two dunks by Hudson in the third quarter when Fayetteville increased its lead to 50-35.
"Jadyn is a senior and he talked [Tuesday] in practice how he'd never beaten Springdale on this floor," Fayetteville Coach Brad Stamps said. "For those seniors, that's a big deal. You want to protect your home court."
Fayetteville was aggressive from the outset and Stamps shouted "OG, atta boy!" after Gaines grabbed a rebound and drove past traffic into the lane on the opposite end for a basket.
"One of our objectives was to get into them, drive to the basket or kick out for the three," Gaines said. "That's what we like to do and we were able to do it tonight."
Six players made baskets in the first half for Fayetteville, which led 34-21 after two quarters. Haney, Hudson, and Nigel Armstrong each contributed points when Fayetteville ended the first half on a 10-0 run after Springdale got within 24-21. Haney had six points during the surge with a three-pointer and three free throws after being fouled from beyond the arch.
GIRLS
SPRINGDALE 57, FAYETTEVILLE 55
Charleen Hudson scored 14 points to lead Springdale (14-2, 3-0 6A-West), while Carolinda Hudson added 13 and Aubrianna Wilson 12.
Whitney Brown scored 19 points for Fayetteville (10-6, 1-1), which rallied from a 13-point deficit to get within two points in the final 17 seconds.
Maiesha Washington added 14 points and Mariyah Moss 10 for Fayetteville.
Springdale grabbed its biggest lead at 30-17 on a basket by Carolina Hudson with an assist from Jakayla Bunch. Following a timeout, Fayetteville answered with a three-pointer from Charley Rawlins and an inside basket from Washington to cut the Springdale lead to 30-23 at halftime.
Fayetteville’s Xavier Brown scored 14 points in the Bulldogs’ 62-50 victory over Springdale on Wednesday night in 6A-West Conference action at Bulldog Arena in Fayetteville. More photos at nwaonline.com/14shsfhs/ (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Caleb Grieger)