Lady Wolves hold off Hot Springs

PEARCY — Despite taking a 22-21 lead into the break, Lake Hamilton was unable to hold on as Hot Springs took a 53-42 win over the Lady Wolves at Wolf Arena Thursday night.

The Lady Trojans (23-3, 10-0) came out hot in the second half, cruising to a 28-25 lead by the 6:04 mark, but Lake Hamilton (15-12, 10-6) pulled within 28-27 with 5:53 to go.

Hot Springs again increased its advantage, pulling to a 38-29 lead with 10.6 seconds left in the third, but a trey by Logan Keener left the Lady Wolves down 38-32 with eight minutes to go.

The Lady Wolves pulled within 38-37 with 36 seconds off the clock, but it was as close as they would get. Hot Springs went on a 4-0 run for a 42-37 lead with 6:23 to go. The Lady Trojans stretched their lead out to 51-42 at the 1:39 mark before holding on for the 53-42 win.

“You know it’s going to be a battle any time you play Lake Hamilton,” said Hot Springs head coach Josh Smith. “It’s been the same thing all three times this year. We’d make a run on them, they’d come back and take a little bit of a lead and we’d get it back. We’ve got to make better decisions earlier for ourselves so we can take care of business early.

“My kids found a way. Imani (Honey) had a great game. The others stepped up with a starter out tonight. Jaidan Thomas is out with the flu, but they stepped up and played. “

Hot Springs got things going strong in the first half as Nya Moody hit a 3-pointer from the corner with 24 seconds off the clock, Grace Tedder responding with a trey of her own. The Lady Trojans hit six straight points to jump to a 9-3 lead by the 6:05 mark.

The Lady Wolves rallied to take a 10-9 lead with 3:42 to go, but Hot Springs pulled back ahead by the

1:00 mark to take a 14-12 lead into the second.

Kiah Beauford hit a bucket 39 seconds into the second half, but it was the last either team would score until Honey sank one of her two free throws with 4:14 remaining in the half to take a 17-12 lead.

Lake Hamilton pulled within

19-17 with 2:16 to go in the half as the two teams kept a two-point spread until the 1:00 mark when the Lady Wolves pulled within one, but the Lady Wolves were able to take a 22-21 lead into the locker room.

Taylor Wells paced the Lady Wolves with 13 points, two rebounds and one assist. Jenny Peake added 11 with four rebounds, two assists, a steal and a blocked shot.

Ariana Guinn paced Hot Springs with 23 points, six rebounds, four steals and two assists. Honey finished with 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Moody added 11 with two rebounds.

The Lady Trojans out rebounded Lake Hamilton, 22-20.

Lake Hamilton will open play in the 6A-West conference tournament Saturday at Benton (12-12,

6-5) as the No. 5 seed. The 6A-West will send six teams to the state tournament.

The conference tournament includes a loser’s bracket. Lake Hamilton will play again Tuesday either on the road at No. 1 seed Greenwood (16-9, 9-2) or at home against No. 8 seed Texarkana (7-17,

4-10).

Hot Springs received the No. 2 seed in the 5A-South tournament behind two-time defending state champion Watson Chapel (22-3,

11-0). The Lady Trojans must win Monday at 7 p.m. against White Hall (9-13, 3-3) to secure a state tournament berth. With a win, Hot Springs would play in the semifinals Thursday at 7 p.m. against No.

3 seed De Queen (18-6, 12-3) or No.

6 seed Magnolia (4-13, 2-11).