Lady Panthers get two wins in busy week
Siloam Springs’ girls remain in the hunt in the 5A-West Conference.
A hectic week of homecoming and three games ended in disappointment for the Siloam Springs girls basketball team Friday night as Vilonia wore down the Lady Panthers in a 64-31 loss.
But the week wasn’t all bad for Siloam Springs.
The Lady Panthers picked up two conference wins on Tuesday and Thursday, at Van Buren in overtime and at home against Alma, respectively, and the team remains in the thick of the 5AWest Conference race.
“The positives of the week were we did what we needed to do,” said Siloam Springs head coach Tim Rippy. “Coming into the week, I thought we had to get two of three and position ourselves where we needed to be after the first round and we were able to take care of that in the first two.”
On Friday though, Vilonia jumped out to a 16-2 lead in the first quarter, only for Siloam Springs (12-6, 4-4) to get back in the ballgame and stay within striking distance at halftime as Vilonia carried a 25-16 lead.
“Tonight, we came out and dug a hole right away,” Rippy said. “They got up 16-2 on us and then during the second quarter, we actually won that stretch pretty good to fight our way back in the ballgame. Defensively, we had a great second quarter. We played our butts off in the second quarter.”
The Lady Eagles (17-2, 7-1) smashed the Lady Panthers in the third quarter though, outscoring Siloam Springs 27-9 in the period and rolling to a mercy-rule victory in the second half.
“Our pressure really did good for us early on,” said Vilonia head coach Jeremy Simon. “Then late in the third quarter we really picked up the pressure. When our shots were falling we were able to set up the pressure. But when the shots didn’t fall there late in the first quarter and in the second quarter, we really struggled to score against their zone. And when they get the ball in the halfcourt they’re tough to stop. They work the ball as well as any team we play all year. They work together. When they get together when they make it a halfcourt game they’re tough to beat.”
The Lady Panthers struggled at times under Vilonia’s pressure, which turned into some easy baskets the other way.
Mackenzie Floyd led the Lady Eagles with 20 points, while Laney Mears had 13.
Brooke Smith led Siloam Springs with 10 points, while Mimo Jacklik had nine on three 3-pointers. Brooke Ross added seven, while Reina Tiefel had four and Quincy Efurd one.
“Offensively, I felt like all night
they were able to speed us up and we weren’t able to settle and execute at a level that we’re used to executing,” Rippy said. “It was little things like even an offensive rebound and stickback. Instead of gathering up and sticking the ball in the hole, it was like a hot potato to get it up out of our hands and go back and score, instead of taking a balanced, good shot. I thought we forced some quick shots at times. You’ve got to give them credit for speeding us up. That’s our challenge going forward, against the top tiered teams. They’ve been able to to do that to us. It’s a growth area for us.
“It’s hard because you don’t see the athleticism at that same level in practice, not like a Vilonia or a Greenwood. We try to simulate it different ways with extra players. Until we can show some growth and handle that moment, we’re at a crossroads. Xs and Os, we’re fine. We’ve got open people. We can move the ball. We can break the pressure at times. but it’s the decision making at the end.”
Vilonia 64, Siloam Springs 31
Vilonia 16 9 27 12 — 64 Siloam Springs 8 8 9 6 — 31 Vilonia (17-2, 7-1): Floyd 20, Mears 13, Patterson 8, Cash 7, Tipton 5, Prater 4, Rottman 4, Womack 3. Siloam Springs (12-6, 4-4): Smith 10, Jacklik 9, Ross 7, Tiefel 4, Efurd 1.
Siloam Springs 67, Alma 30
The Lady Panthers wrapped up the first half of 5A-West Conference play with a mercy-rule victory over the Lady Airedales on Thursday inside Panther Activity Center.
The win, coupled with the win Tuesday at Van Buren, was the Lady Panthers’ second straight and gave Siloam Springs a 4-3 mark in conference play at the midway point.
The game was originally scheduled for Jan. 12 but was postponed because of covid-19 protocols with Alma.
Siloam Springs got out to a great start against the Lady Airedales (6-10, 0-6), taking an early 14-3 lead in the first quarter.
“We had to come out, play well and have energy and effort,” said Siloam Springs coach Tim Rippy. “We did those things, especially early. We got the ball down the floor. We had good ball movement. We defended really well. Our zone bothered their shooters, and we were able to get the ball inside as well.”
Brooke Ross, who led with a career-high 21 points, hit five of six free throws for an early 7-3 lead. Sydney Moorman sank a mid-range shot, followed by a 3-pointer and transition basket from Mimo Jacklik for a 14-3 advantage.
Siloam Springs led 18-10 after the first quarter and outscored Alma 17-3 in the second quarter to take a 35-13 lead. Ross opened the second with a basket and Mia Hevener hit a 3-pointer for a 23-10 lead. Quincy Efurd, Reina Tiefel and Moorman would all add baskets before halftime as the Lady Panthers began to pad their lead.
“We scored inside and out tonight and in transition,” Rippy said. “We had all three phases going.”
Siloam Springs led 44-17 near the end of the third quarter, but Alma’s Loryn Kelley and Presli Taylor connected on back-toback 3-pointers to pull within 44-23 going into the fourth.
Ross scored 10 of her points at the beginning of the fourth to stretch the lead back out. A basket from Halle Hernandez with 2 minutes, 3 seconds remaining gave the Lady
Panthers a 60-30 lead and set the running clock “sportsmanship” rule.
Kelley led Alma with eight points. The Lady Airedales have played most of the season without star sophomore guard Lydia Mann, who tore her ACL early in the year.
“She’s a terrific player,” Rippy said. “She makes them completely different. I hate it. … But she’s going to be back strong next year and they’re going to be a completely different team with her out there and he’s going to have some good kids that can shoot the basketball and she’ll help create a lot of those shots.”
Moorman and Tiefel each scored 11 points for Siloam Springs, while Brooke Smith had six, Jacklik five, Efurd and Hernandez each with four, Hevener three and Rachel Rine two.
Siloam Springs is scheduled to play at Alma on Feb. 9.
Siloam Springs 67, Alma 30
Alma 10 3 10 7 — 30 Siloam Springs 18 17 9 23 — 67 Alma: Kelley 8, Plourde 5, Carmack 5, Rushing 3, Taylor 3, Crook 2, Spears 2, Trusty 2.
Siloam Springs 44, Van Buren 41 (OT)
The Lady Panthers snapped a two-game losing streak with a road win against Van Buren on Tuesday at Clair Bates Arena.
Mimo Jacklik knocked down a 3-pointer in overtime to give Siloam Springs a 42-41 lead with a little more than a minute left, and Sydney Moorman knocked down two free throws to set the final score.
“We had the option to go to (Brooke) Ross inside or Mimo had the option,” said Siloam Springs coach Tim Rippy. “I told her right before, if they sit back go ahead and pop it, and sure enough she hit it. That was a big shot for her and for our team. Being able to go down and get a defensive stop and the rebound and Moorman knocking down the free throws I thought was huge. … That was a big road win for us, and we had to have it.”
Siloam Springs led 11-7 after the first quarter, but Van Buren went on a 12-2 run in the second and took a 19-15 lead at halftime. The Lady Pointers pulled ahead by as many as nine, 26-17, in the third quarter. Siloam Springs pulled within 31-28 going into the fourth. The game was tied at 37 after regulation.
Brooke Ross led the Lady Panthers (11-5, 3-3) with 12 points, while Jacklik had 11, including three 3-pointers. Brooke Smith scored eight, while Moorman and Reina Tiefel each with five, including big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter for both, while Quincy Efurd added two points and Mia Hevener one point.
Skylyr Coleman scored all nine of her points in the second half to lead Van Buren (7-9, 1-4), while Allie Moss and Brooklyn Kannady had eight apiece.
Up next
Siloam Springs is back at home Tuesday night against Van Buren in a rematch of last week’s game.