Lady Panthers step up in teammates’ absence
■ Siloam Springs defeated Van Buren on Tuesday despite missing two players to covid-19 quarantine.
The Siloam Springs girls basketball team persevered Tuesday night on the toughest of days.
The Lady Panthers lost two starters to covid-19 quarantine just hours before tipoff of Tuesday’s 5A-West Conference home game against Van Buren, leaving the team scrambling to figure things out in the aftermath.
But when game-time arrived, the short-handed Lady Panthers turned in one of their best defensive performances of the year in a 41-27 victory over the Lady Pointers inside Panther Activity Center.
“We didn’t have a chance to prepare,” an emotional coach Tim Rippy said after the game. “We were almost done when our practice (Tuesday afternoon) when they pulled them off the court. We put a lot into it and then your preparation gets thrown away, and so we just told the (remaining) kids they were enough, you know? And they did it.”
The win gave the Lady Panthers the season sweep over Van Buren after beating the Lady Pointers 44-41 in overtime just a week prior on Jan. 26.
Without seniors Mia Hevener and Sydney Moorman, the Lady Panthers went to work, taking a 9-5 lead after the first quarter on back-to-back baskets by lone remaining senior Quincy Efurd.
Siloam Springs survived an early onslaught of 3-pointers from Van Buren’s Bailee Woodard, who hit three treys in the first half, including back-to-back shots for an 11-9 lead.
A basket by Brooke Smith tied the game at 11 and Brooke Ross buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give Siloam Springs the lead for good.
Efurd hit a 3-pointer in the corner for a 19-11 lead and Siloam Springs led 19-14 at halftime.
“The whole mindset was trying to get us to stay in it,” said Efurd, who scored all seven of her points in the first half. “These are two really important games. It’s all about working together without them — as hard as that’s going to be — to get to state.”
Siloam Springs cranked up its defense in the third quarter, outscoring Van Buren 10-3 and taking a 29-17 lead going into the fourth.
Mimo Jacklik hit a pair of 3-pointers in the quarter and Ross had a driving basket as the Lady Panthers pulled ahead by double digits.
The Lady Panthers would lead by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter.
“Defensively we were terrific,” Rippy said. “They did exactly what they had been coached to do. We told them no matter how we play on offense without two of our best shooters against a zone,
we’re going to come out and we’re going to guard their butts as good as we can. And they did that tonight.”
Woodard finished with five 3-pointers and 15 points to lead Van Buren (7-12, 1-7).
Ross finished with 15 points for Siloam Springs (13-6, 5-4), while Jacklik had nine, Efurd and Smith each with seven and Reina Tiefel three. Siloam Springs 41, Van Buren 27
Van Buren 5 9 3 10 — 27 Siloam Springs 9 10 10 12 — 41 Van Buren (7-12, 1-7): Woodard 15, Shelly 5, Rainwater 5, Moss 2.
Siloam Springs (13-6, 5-4): Ross 15, Jacklik 9, Efurd 7, Smith 7, Tiefel 3.
Lady Panthers 40, Lady Bombers 37
MOUNTAIN HOME – Siloam Springs trailed for most of its 5A-West battle against Mountain Home on Friday night, but the Lady Panthers outscored the Lady Bombers 19-7 to end the game, stealing an important league victory.
It was Siloam Springs’ second win this week without seniors Sydney Moorman and Mia Hevener, who were lost to covid-19 quarantine on Tuesday.
They are expected back this week.
“I’m extremely proud of our team this week for overcoming some adversity,” said Siloam Springs coach Tim Rippy.
“It’s never easy to deal with losing two senior leaders for a whole week.
“Our kids battled so hard for each other and found a way to get two hard fought victories.
“At Mountain Home, we were down nine points in the third quarter, when we responded and made a quick comeback. I’m really happy with how the the whole group grew up together this week!
“We’re excited to get our two seniors back next week and hopefully keep improving heading in to the state tournament.”
Mountain Home led by as much as 30-21 late in the third quarter, but Siloam Springs pulled within 30-26 to end the third on a bucket by Brooke Smith.
Smith scored again to open the fourth, and the
Lady Panthers later pulled even at 33-33 on a basket by Brooke Ross with 4:52 remaining.
Smith drained a 3-pointer to give Siloam Springs its first lead since the first quarter, but the Lady Bombers fought back with 3 of 4 free-throw shooting by Kate Gilbert and Addison Yates.
Yates picked up her fifth foul with 1:03 remaining, and Ross scored another go-ahead basket with 46.2 seconds left, making it 38-36.
Mountain Home’s Emma Wilbert made 1 of 2 free throws with 29.1 remaining, and the Lady Bombers fouled Mimo Jacklik with 16.2 left to play.
Jacklik made only 1 of 2 from the line, but Siloam Springs forced a Mountain Home turnover with 9.6 seconds left.
Jacklik went back to the line and again made 1 of 2 for a 40-37 lead.
The Lady Bombers’ final 3-point attempt was long, clinching the comeback victory for the Lady Panthers, who now are 14-6 overall and 6-4 in league action.
Mountain Home, which was led by the 12 points of Yates, falls to 2-17 over-all and 1-8 in the 5AWest.
Jacklik and Ross led the Lady Panthers with 11 and 10 points, respectively.