Har-Ber’s first half enough to carry the day

SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 42, SPRINGDALE 35

SPRINGDALE — In a clash of 6A-West rivals, Springdale Har-Ber held off a late barrage from Springdale on Friday night for a 42-35 victory at Wildcat Arena.

Domnique Hertin gave the host Wildcats all they could handle, scoring 17 of his game-high 19 in the second half. But Jermaine Tilford’s putback dunk with a minute remaining sealed the game for Har-Ber.

“It was really a tale of two halves,” Wildcats Coach Tommy Deffenbaugh said. “We played well in the first half — it was kind of our game. But I have to give Springdale a bunch of credit, because they came out in the second half with better intensity than we had, and took better shots than we did. But our guys hung in there in the fourth quarter and were able to get the win.”

Har-Ber (15-5, 7-3) grabbed a 24-9 lead on a 15-foot jumper from Miles Rolfe, then settled for a 13-point halftime edge.

Hertin scored eight consecutive points for the Bulldogs (9-9, 2-7) as they cut the lead to 28-26 with 2:22 to play in the third quarter.

“Domnique has really found some confidence and is really playing well for us right now,” Springdale Coach Jeremy Price said. “And he’s going to have to continue to play well for us down the stretch.”

The teams traded three-pointers early in the fourth period, but Har-Ber stretched the lead back to 10.

A pair of Hertin layups pulled the Bulldogs within six with 1:30 to play, but Tilford’s dunk was the knockout blow.

“We started getting to the free-throw line in the fourth quarter,” Deffenbaugh said. “We mixed in a little zone there and got a few stops.”

Rolfe and Tilford led HarBer with 11 points each. Mack Wright scored nine, with five coming in the fourth quarter.

GIRLS SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 69, SPRINGDALE 35

Sophomore Pacious McDaniel scored nine of her game-high 23 points in the first quarter as Springdale Har-Ber jumped out to a quick lead and never looked back.

Har-Ber (8-9, 5-4) got 3 three-pointers from Maddux McCrackin in the first quarter, jumping out to a 22-6 lead. The Lady Wildcats, who hit nine three-pointers in the game, extended the lead to 37-16 at halftime.

McDaniel’s jumper at the buzzer gave Har-Ber a 58-27 lead heading into the final quarter.

Galatia Andrew finished with 12 points for Har-Ber, and Caylan Koons added 11.

Nevaeh Griffin led Springdale (2-18, 1-6) with 14, and Mary Haskins chipped in eight.