Sealy’s 33 lead Springdale to win
BOYS SPRINGDALE 57, KANSAS CITY (MO.) STALEY 48
SPRINGDALE — Isaiah Sealy led an 11-1 surge to end the first half and Springdale went on to defeat Kansas City (Mo.) Staley 57-48 on Friday night at Bulldogs Gymnasium.
Sealy had 33 points to lead all scorers. The 6-7 junior was particularly effective in the second quarter when he scored nine of Springdale’s 11 points to end the first half.
Staley cut an 11-point deficit to 49-43 after two free throws by KV Stone with 3:23 left in the fourth quarter. But Sealy countered with six consecutive free throws and Springdale (5-4) was able to hang on for the nonconference victory.
“We got some stops toward the end of the first half and when Sealy gets defensive rebounds for us, it leads our break,” Springdale Coach Jeremy Price said. “The defense has to get on its heels a bit and that’s when Isaiah is at his best.”
Friday’s game matched two highly-recruited players in Sealy for Springdale and 6-6 junior Xavier Wilson for Staley. The two faced off Friday after playing on the same AAU team last summer in Kansas City, Mo.
Jarvis Palmer added 11 points for Springdale, which continues nonconference play tonight at Shawnee Mission (Kan.) Northwest. Stone and Arian Webb each scored 16 points to lead Staley, while Wilson had three.
Staley finished 30-2 last season and won the state championship in Missouri’s highest classification. But the Falcons (4-2) are in a rebuilding mode after losing all five starters from last season.
Springdale used Friday’s game as another tuneup for the start of 6A-West Conference play. The Bulldogs play at Bentonville West on Tuesday then host Fort Smith Southside on Thursday.
“Staley is well-coached, they’ve got a lot of talent, and they expect to win,” Price said. “This was our first real home game and we treated it like a home game. So, it was a great win for us and we go on the road again in someone else’s gym instead of on a neutral court. We’ll treat that as a conference road game, as well.”
Staley led 20-15 before Sealy scored nine points to end the first half. Sealy worked inside for a basket before tying the game 20-20 on a three-point play. Sealy fed Palmer for a fastbreak basket then drove an open lane for a dunk following an offensive rebound by Terrence West.
Palmer scored on a fastbreak layup to give Springdale its biggest lead, 37-26, in the third quarter.