Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Fort Smith Northside tops Bentonville High
BENTONVILLE — Rickey Smith marveled about the offensive balance Fort Smith Northside’s girls displayed in their first true road game of the season.
Four players finished with double figures Friday night as the Lady Bears remained undefeated with a 56-47 victory over previously unbeaten Bentonville High in Tiger Arena.
“That’s hard to guard,” Smith said. “Jersey Wolfenbarger started things off with those two 3-pointers, and Tracey Bershers came off the bench. She’s had a pulled muscle in her back, but she came in and played good defense. Tiya Douglas shot the ball well, and Sara Bershers is a double-double any time she’s on the floor.
It was a good, quality win and I’m very proud of it. We’ll give them the week off, then have three hard days of practice before playing a big game Thursday.”
Northside (7-0) never relinquished the lead once Jazzlyn Coleman’s bucket inside broke a 6-6 tie with 4 minutes, 9 seconds left in the first quarter. Tracey Bershers’ 3-pointer at the 1:44 mark then sparked a 9-0 spurt that helped the Lady Bears extend their lead to 20-9 on Sara Bershers’ bucket inside with 5:58 before halftime.
Northside then closed out the first half with two free throws by Tracey Bershers and a bucket by Wolfenbarger with 4 seconds remaining and claimed a 35-18 halftime cushion.
“We’re pretty good,” Smith said. “When we shoot it, we’re above pretty good. We just have to get the kids a little better team chemistry. We had some silly mistakes where we need to clean up and get better, but I like this ball club.”
Bentonville (5-1) made its first big move to get back into the game after Sara Bershers hit a bucket to start the second half. The Lady Tigers went on a quick 10-2 run and pulled within 37-28 after a Maryam Dauda three-point play with 5:48 left in the third quarter, but missed on several chances to make it even closer.
Northside put its lead back into double digits when Wolfenbarger hit two free throws after Bentonville coach Tom Halbmaier was given a technical foul. The Lady Tigers didn’t get back within single digits again until Avery Hughes’ 3-pointer made it 54-45 with 34 seconds remaining.
“We had a lot of opportunities,” Halbmaier said. “We just didn’t take advantage of them. I’m pleased with the kids and how hard they worked in terms of being there and creating those opportunities. We just have to finish them.
“Northside did a fantastic job on the boards, creating second and third opportunities. That’s something we have to get better at doing. We had three decent quarters and one that was not so good. Against a team like Northside, you can’t afford to have the not-so-good quarter.”
Wolfenbarger, the Bershers sisters and Douglas all had 12 points for Northside, which doesn’t play again until Thursday against Greenwood. Bentonville returns to action this afternoon against Huntsville in a game that was part of last week’s Crabtree Invitational that was called off because of weather.
FS Northside ....... 16 17 13 10 — 56 Bentonville ........... 9 9 16 13 — 47 FS Northside (7-0): T. Bershers 12, S. Bershers 12, Wolfenbarger 12, Douglas 12, Coleman 6, Mays 2. Bentonville (5-1): Hughes 18, Dauda 15, Sanders 10, Irlenborn 4.