Healthy West on the rise

Bentonville West was without the trio of Riley Bucchino, Tucker Anderson and Evan White when it started 6A-West Conference play, and the result was an 0-2 start.

The Wolverines (10-7, 3-2) have turned things around since getting those three starters back, and the result is a three-game win streak going into tonight’s game against Fort Smith Southside.

“The big thing is we have those players back,” West coach Greg White said. “That is two of our leading scorers back and our starting point guard. Now we’re getting back to what I thought we would be this season.

“We’ve handled a lot of adversity, but it’s been fun to watch these kids. We still have a lot of work to do, and we have a trying two weeks coming up. We play Tuesday night at Bentonville, then we start the second half of conference play without any time off.”

Buccino, who averages 17 points per game, had 21 to lead West to a 57-50 win at Springdale Har-Ber — the first win over the Wildcats in school history. He was held to just three points in Tuesday’s win over Rogers Heritage, but Anderson picked up the slack with 19 points and Dalton McDonald added 17.

“Had you told me Riley was going to have just three points against Heritage, I would have told you we were probably going to lose,” White said. “What’s been the most impressive thing about Riley is, in a world where kids like to chase numbers, he didn’t take a bad shot, concentrated on defense and made sure he did the things we needed to win.”

(NWA Democrat-Gazette file photo) Bentonville West Coach Greg White said his team has “handled a lot of adversity” without its two leading scorers and starting point guard, but the Wolverines are on a threegame winning streak since their return.