Fast start lifts Bentonville girls past Webb City

WEBB CITY, Mo. — Bentonville High’s girls didn’t start off Saturday’s game like a team that was playing its sixth game in a 10-day span.

The Lady Tigers needed less than 6 minutes to build a 17-1 lead and went on to complete a three-game sweep in the Mercy Lady Cardinal Classic with a 71-46 victory over host Webb City in the Cardinal Dome.

“The first two games, we came out a little lackadaisical,” Bentonville coach Tom Halbmaier said. “We came out focused and determined, so I was really pleased with our level of execution. I think mentally, we were fresh and ready to get after it, and I was glad to see that.”

Halbmaier chose to sit his starters after Bentonville led 21-0 after one quarter in its 69-9 blowout of St. Louis Northwest Academy of Law, and that proved to be beneficial during its second game in less than 24 hours. The Lady Tigers (11-2) jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first 3 minutes, and Natalie Smith’s second 3-pointer of the game made it a 17-1 game before Webb City hit its first bucket moments later.

Smith finished the game with a season-high 22 points, 11 of those coming in the first quarter. The junior guard closed out the opening 8 minutes with her third 3-pointer of the game as Bentonville enjoyed a 26-7 cushion.

“Really, it was just all for my teammates,” Smith said. “They kept getting me the ball, and I kept shooting it. They had thrown the ball away, and I knew time was winding down in the first quarter. I just went and got the ball and made sure they weren’t going to get the last shot.”

Webb City’s only chance to make the game close game when Bentonville went scoreless for the first 4 minutes of the second quarter. The Lady Cardinals, however, just managed to get within 26-10 before the Lady Tigers closed out the first half with a 12-5 run for a 38-15 halftime cushion.

Bentonville led by as much as 29 as a Riley Hayes 3-pointer made it 56-27 with 2 minutes, 32 seconds left in the third quarter before Halbmaier emptied his bench. Avery Hughes added 13 points and Maryam Dauda 10 for the Lady Tigers, who open 6A-West Conference play next week against Springdale Har-Ber.

“We’re healthy and we have depth,” Halbmaier said. “We still have a long way to go, but I do like the makeup of this team. The players I have, they work hard, and they’re very unselfish. They’re willing to do what it takes to be successful.”

Bentonville ......... 26 12 21 12 — 71 Webb City ............. 7 8 18 13 — 46 Bentonville (11-2): Smith 25, Hughes 13, Dauda 10, Sanders 5, Hayes 4, Bengston 4, Baker 3, Eaves 3, Baum 2, Kultgen 2.

Webb City (5-6): Jackson 11, Duda 9, Darnell 7, Hayes 5, Brownheld 5, Vanzant 4, Spikereit 3, Kerr 2.