Camdenton downs Ozark in all-Missouri Great 8 final

ROGERS — Camdenton, Mo., got off to a fast start and Ozark, Mo., never recovered in the finals of the First National Bank of NWA Great 8 Classic girls’ basketball tournament Saturday evening at War Eagle Arena.

The Lady Lakers ( 3- 1) pushed a fast pace, against the bigger, more physical Lady Tigers and it paid dividends, forcing turnovers and leading to easy baskets.

Senior Bailey Rezabek poured a game- high 24 points, including a pair of huge 3-pointers to thwart a second-half rally by Ozark (21). Alyssa Ripley, a 5-foot-10 senior, added 22 points for Camdenton, which grabbed a 10-point lead after a quarter.

Ozark pulled within 39-37 late in the third quarter, but the 5-7 Rezabek hit back-toback 3-pointers as part of a 9-2 spurt that put the Lady Lakers back in control.

Camdenton coach Staci Caffey admitted she wanted a fast pace and got it from her team.

“I knew if we got in a halfcourt game, we weren’t going to win it,” Caffey said. “They are a great, physical team. We had to get that size going up and down the court. That’s where I felt like our strength shined. Our girls were tired, but I think they definitely were able to control the pace. They dictated the speed of the game. That’s what we had to have to win.”

Macy Putt, a 5-11 sophomore, led Ozark with 16 points.

Siloam Springs 44, Webb City, Mo. 43 Shaylon Sharp drained a 3-pointer from the wing at the buzzer to lift the Lady Panthers to the victory in the third-place game.

Siloam Springs (3-1) led the entire second half until Katie Stricklen rattled in a 3-pointer for a 42-41 Webb City lead with 1 minute, 44 seconds left in the fourth.

Senior Lexie Kneib, who scored 11 fourth- quarter points, made a free throw, but missed the second to give Webb City a two-point lead with 16.1 seconds left. The Lady Panthers rebounded the miss and elected not to call a timeout.

It worked out as the 5- 9 sophomore made the game-winner as time expired.

Sharp finished with 12 points, while Haley Stewart led her team with 15 points. Kneib led all scorers with 20 for the Lady Cardinals. Rogers High 54, Greenwood 37 The Lady Mounties used a pair of big second-half runs to wipe out an eight-point deficit and roll to the easy victory.

Junior Elise Randels scored all 12 of her points in the second half, including nine in a 19-2 third-quarter spurt that saw Rogers (3-3) turn a 30-22 deficit into a 41-32 lead late in the third quarter.

The Lady Mounties then outscored Greenwood (3-2) 13-2 in the fourth quarter to win going away.

Kelsey Richmond poured in a game-high 21 points for Rogers, which trailed 27-22 at halftime. Samantha Brown chipped in 12.

Maddie Goodner led Greenwood with 15, including a 35-foot 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer. Fort Smith Southside 40, Rogers Heritage 39 (OT) Emily Lockhart made a layup with 18.4 seconds left in overtime that turned out to be the game-winner for the Lady Rebels.

Heritage sophomore Brooke Menke converted a three-point play with 5.2 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 36 and force overtime. Teammate Emily Seiler gave the Lady War Eagles (24) a 39-38 lead on a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 1:10 left in overtime.

Southside (1-5) trailed 25-13 early in the third quarter, but rallied behind a game-high 21 points from senior guard Lanie Meares. Junior post player Lauren Hernandez chipped in 10.

Dehring Scudder led Heritage with eight points, while Seiler and Amber Turner chipped in seven each.