Lady Panthers fall to Rose Bud
MONTICELLO, Ark.—Fouke held the lead in the final minute but didn’t hang on for the first round win against Rose Bud in the Class 3A girls basketball tournament Thursday at Drew Central’s Pirate Gym.
The Lady Panthers rallied from a 7-point deficit in the fourth to take a 63-61 lead on Hannah Mauldin’s 3-pointer with 52 seconds left. Twenty seconds later the Lady Ramblers regained the lead and closed the game on a 6-point run, ending Fouke’s season in the first round of the state tournament for the second straight year with a 67-63 loss.
“We had a great game plan; we gave a great effort defensively, especially on the perimeter with their guards,” Fouke head coach Mo Williams said. “They shoot the ball very well.
“We talked to the girls after the game; we’ve got everybody coming back but one—Hannah—and she’s going to be hard to replace on any team. She’s that special of a player.”
The teams traded baskets in the final quarter, the Panthers chasing and needing a defensive stop. Rose Bud went up 58-51 on Gracie Hartle’s fourth 3-pointer of the game.
From there Fouke got a layup from Mallory Oliver, a driving layup by Mauldin and another bucket in the lane by Laykin Smallwood, cutting it to 58-57. After a layup at the other end, Oliver buried a 3-pointer and then Mauldin drained a trey to give the Panthers their final lead.
Kaitlyn Smith responded with a 3-pointer for Rose Bud, and the Ramblers made 3 of 6 free throws in the final 14 seconds to seal the win.
Fouke shot 56 percent in the game on 23 of 41 field goal attempts. The Panthers shot 70 percent (16 of 23) in the second half.
The Ramblers had a 47 percent shooting percentage on 27-of-58 shooting. Rose Bud committed just four turnovers compared to 14 for Fouke. The Panthers held a 32-24 advantage in rebounding.
“I’m extremely proud of the girls’ effort,” Williams said. “Looking at the stat sheet, we had 14 turnovers, and they had four. You can’t afford to have that many turnovers against this level of competition and expect to advance.
“We talked about what to expect for those coming back, and that’s decision-making ability. That’s where we have to grow as a team to really contend for a state title.”
Fouke climbed back into the game and regained the lead briefly in the third quarter, draining five 3-pointers and almost doubling its point total from the first half.
The Panthers’ 7-point run to go up 39-37 was answered by a Ramblers’ 11-0 rally, taking a 48-39 lead with 1:37 left in the third. Taylor Hardin hit a pair of 3-pointers for Fouke in the last 1:21 to cut it to 48-45 heading to the fourth quarter.
The Panthers shot 60 percent in the first quarter but finished the half with a 39 percent shooting percentage after starting the second quarter 0 for 7. Hardin drained a 3-pointer for Fouke in the final seconds of the half to cut the Panthers’ deficit to 30-24 at intermission.
Fouke held a 16-15 lead after the first quarter, made it 17-15 but Rose Bud went on a 4-0 run and made it 10-2 to go ahead 25-19 With 3:45 remaining in the half.
The Ramblers went into the locker room up six and shot 45 percent (13 of 29) in the first half.
Mauldin finished her final game as a Panther with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Hardin added 17 points, Oliver scored 10 and Smallwood had eight points and nine rebounds.
“I would tell my teammates (coming back) to keep listening to coach; we wouldn’t be where we were today if it wasn’t for Coach Mo, Coach Powell and Coach Hano,” Mauldin said. “Just work hard next year to make it farther. Take the game seriously, stay close as a family, and give God all the glory.”
Smith led Rose Bud with 20 points, Hope Hartle scored 18 and had 13 rebounds, and Gracie Hartle added 14 points.
“The talent’s here, the effort’s here, the dedication’s here, and we’ve just got to grow,” Williams said. “We’ve gained a lot of experience these last two years, making it to the state tournament. We’ll be back next year, and we’ll be a lot smarter and tougher team to deal with.
“I know we’ve had a great amount of support from the school and community, which means a lot and helps keep the girls motivated. When they look up and see the crowds cheering for them and all the support it matters, and we’ve had a fantastic following.”