Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Lyles’ lift propels Fayetteville girls
6A-WEST GIRLS CHAMP. FAYETTEVILLE 70, BENTONVILLE 57
BENTONVILLE — Caroline Lyles was patient for three quarters, content to rebound and play aggressive defense for Fayetteville.
In the fourth quarter, the Lady Bulldog senior turned it on offensively, scoring eight of her 16 points to help Fayetteville to a 70-57 win in the 6A-West Conference tournament championship game against Bentonville on Friday.
Lyles hit a huge 3-pointer with her team clinging to a one-point lead, added a layup and knocked down another shot from deep in the span of two minutes to help the Lady Bulldogs take a double-digit lead.
“Caroline’s 3-ball, then Loren Lindsey hits a 3-ball and that got some separation for us,” said Fayetteville coach Vic Rimmer. “Caroline has no conscience shooting the 3-pointer. She takes some sometimes that I don’t particularly care for, but I let her shoot when she’s open because she’s 50 percent from the 3-point line.”
The win locked down the No. 1 seed from the West in next week’s Class 6A State Tournament, which will be played in Fayetteville. The Lady Bulldogs (17-6) will not play again until next Friday night.
Bentonville (18-4) played again without injured 6-6 senior post Maryam Dauda, who sat on the Lady Tigers sideline in a black warmup. Bentonville will be the No. 2 seed from the West and will take the court next Thursday.
Fayetteville guard Claudia Bridges scored a game-high 25 points and knocked down three 3-pointers, including the opening shot of the game. The Lady Bulldogs also got a big game from sophomore Wynter Beck, who scored 17 points and dished out several assists.
“We have completely changed since the first of the year,” said Rimmer, whose team had to replace several Division I graduates from last year’s co-6A state champion team. “I love our heart, I love our guts. This group has matured so much. We’re going to be a tough one to handle next week.”
The Lady Bulldogs, after opening the game with back-to-back 3-pointers from Bridges and Lyles, found success driving inside. With the state’s top shot-blocker Dauda on the sideline, the lane was there for the taking and Fayetteville attacked there.
Beck was especially effective with numerous layups, and when Bentonville adjusted and cut off her lane, she found open teammates under the goal for easy layups.
The Lady Tigers were able to climb back in the game late in the third quarter as Jada Brown scored seven of her team-high 23 points and Riley Hayes hit a pair of 3-pointers. Bentonville also attacked the basket with Nadia Akbar, who scored seven of her 14 points in the third quarter.
But ultimately Fayetteville was able to pull away as Lyles, Beck and Bridges were too much. Down the stretch the Lady Bulldogs were perfect from the free-throw line, hitting 6-of-6 from the line to secure the win and the conference tournament championship.
ROGERS HIGH 61, SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 52
Rogers outscored Har-Ber 15-6 in the fourth quarter, and that proved to be the difference as the Lady Mounties claimed the conference’s third seed for the Class 6A state tournament.
Ava Maner had 21 points for Rogers, which bounced back from a 33-30 halftime deficit to tie the game after three quarters. Taylor Treadwell added 14 and Gracie Carr 11 for the Lady Mounties.
Maddux McCrackin hit six 3-pointers and finished with 20 points, while Pacious McDaniel added 15 for HarBer, which lost Caylan Koons for the state tournament after an elbow injury she suffered during Thursday’s game against Bentonville.
ROGERS HERITAGE 69, BENTONVILLE WEST 43
Quiara Jones had 21 points to lead Heritage past West and earn the league’s fifth seed for the Class 6A state tournament.
The Lady War Eagles owned a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter before it went on a 17-2 run en route to a 27-11 halftime cushion.
Carlee Casteel added 11 points for Heritage, while Ivy Johnson had 10 points to lead West, which was whistled for 28 fouls during the game.