Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
CAC pulls away late to top Episcopal
3A-6 GIRLS CENTRAL ARK. CHRISTIAN 48, EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE 39
Central Arkansas Christian had its hands full with Episcopal Collegiate on Friday night, but a late surge ensured that the Lady Mustangs wouldn’t leave Wildcat Gymnasium empty-handed.
CAC scored the game’s final eight points to crush a spirited comeback attempt by its rivals and walk away with 48-39 road victory.
Senior guard Bethany Dillard finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds and 5 steals for CAC (10-0, 7-0 3A-6), which moved one step closer to securing its fourth conference title in the past five years.
“This one was big for us because puts us in really good shape,” said CAC Coach Steve Quattlebaum, whose team swept the regular-season series from Episcopal. “We’ve got the tiebreaker over them so we’d almost have to lose three games. So I like the position we’re in right now, but we knew [Friday] would be tough because it’s always a defensive battle when we play Episcopal.”
The Lady Mustangs, ranked No. 2 in Class 4A, also got 13 points from junior guard Ava Knoedl as well as 10 points and 11 rebounds from sophomore forward Riley Bryant, which were key because both teams struggled shooting all game.
CAC shot 14 of 38 (36.8%), including just 4 of 12 in the second half. Episcopal (13-5, 6-2), which lost to the Lady Mustangs for the eighth time in the past nine meetings, was just 14 of 44 (31.8%) from the floor.
Sophomore forward Riley Brady had 12 points, 13 rebounds and 3 steals for the Lady Wildcats, who trailed 2112 early in the second quarter but got within 28-23 by halftime. Junior guards Avery Marsh and Olivia Jackson had 10 and eight points, respectively, while senior forward M.J. Janes chimed in with 8 points, 11 rebounds and 3 steals.
CAC did manage to build a 32-24 lead by the midway point of the third quarter before Episcopal closed out the period by scoring seven of the last eight points to trim its deficit to 33-31.
The Lady Wildcats found themselves down by two throughout the fourth quarter and had chances to either tie or take the lead on three separate occasions during a key two-minute stretch. But Episcopal misfired on threepoint attempts each time, leaving the door for CAC to pull away.
Marsh’s 21-footer with 2:13 to go in the game cut the Lady Mustangs’ lead to 40-39 until a pair of free throws by Knoedl started CAC’s final rally. Bryant added a basket off a steal from junior guard Reese Shephard on the next possession, and Dillard went 4 of 4 from the foul line over the final moments to close it out.
“Episcopal is the best defensive team we’ve faced,” Quattlebaum said. “I told the girls that the first team to 40 points would win. Luckily for us, we were that team.
“I’m proud of the way the played, especially at the end. They kind of struggled between the second and third quarters, but they kept their poise and managed to pull it out.”
BOYS EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE 40, CENTRAL ARK. CHRISTIAN 33
Senior guard Seth Towe scored all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter to help the Wildcats overcome a rash of turnovers to end a two-game losing streak.
Sophomore guard Will Humiston added 12 points and Keeton Dassinger, also a sophomore, had 8 points, 10 rebounds and 4 steals for Episcopal (6-9, 3-5 3A-6), which turned the ball over 23 times but forced the Mustangs into 2-of18 shooting in the final quarter.
Senior guard Jackson Richard and junior guard Tyler Richmond had seven points each for CAC (7-5, 5-2), which had beaten Episcopal Collegiate 62-32 on Dec. 8.