CRUNCH TIME
Lady Trojans survive upset bid, face Parkview today
MAUMELLE — Imani Honey sank 25 of 29 at the free throw line to lead Hot Springs as the Lady Trojans scored 34 fourth quarter points in a 76-74 victory over Batesville in the second round of the Class 5A state basketball tournament Thursday at Maumelle High School.
The Lady Trojans (29-3) fell behind by as much as 13 points in the second half before finding their stride late in the third quarter.
Batesville (22-8) held a 28-25 lead at the half, Isabelle Higginbotham hitting a
3-pointer just 25 seconds into the third quarter to go up by six before Ariana Guinn had a layup to pull back within 3127. The Lady Pioneers went on a 9-4 run to stretch the lead to a 40-31 advantage before the Lady Trojans cut the spread back down to six with 3:08 remaining.
An 8-4 run put Batesville ahead 48-35, its largest lead of the night with 2:20 to go in the third quarter, but Hot Springs was able to close out the period on a 7-5 run to cut the deficit to 53-42 going into the final frame.
“With them, there’s so much fight in them,” said Hot Springs head coach Josh Smith. “They are winners; they are used to winning. That’s what they do. We haven’t put ourselves in that situation very often this year, to be at that number.
“At that point and time, the way the game was being played, the way it was being called, they were already in bonus. I told them, ‘Ladies, all we’ve got to do is go out there and attack. If you go attack, we’re going to get ourselves back in this. We’re going to create some chaos by picking up full-court. They’re going to turn it over a couple times. We go attack, we knock down our free throws, and before you know it, we’ll be there.’”
Hot Springs opened the fourth quarter on a 7-2 run to pull within 55-49 with 6:38 remaining before Guinn had a bucket to pull within five after a made free throw by the Lady Pioneers, 56-51.
After a pair of free throws by Batesville put the Lady Trojans back by seven, Honey put up four at the free throw line before Guinn had a pair of steals and four straight points at the 3:43 mark to
give Hot Springs its first lead since the 1:18 mark in the second period.
The Lady Pioneers took a 62-61 lead with 3:29 remaining before Guinn hit another bucket with 3:05 to go to make it 63-62, and another pair of free throws set up Batesville’s final lead as Honey took control.
Honey went on an 8-3 run of her own to push out the Hot Springs lead to 72-67 with 40 seconds to go.
Batesville put up two 12 seconds later to pull within three points before Honey was fouled, making both to pull ahead 74-69.
Taylor Hammack hit a trey with 16 seconds remaining to put Batesville back in striking distance before Guinn was fouled, making both for a 76-72 lead with 7 seconds remaining.
A foul was called on Honey with 0.2 seconds remaining with the shooter outside the arc. Higginbotham hit two of the three, Guinn grabbing the rebound to secure the win.
“We played hard,” said Batesville head coach Stan Fowler. “There were a lot of fouls, and we didn’t have enough depth to keep up with as many fouls as were called.”
The two teams battled throughout the first half. Hot Springs pulled to as much as a four-point lead in the first quarter before Batesville drew even for the fourth time in the period and eventually taking an 18-17 lead into the second.
The Lady Pioneers pulled ahead by four with 1:43 off the clock in the second, 22-18, before the Lady Trojans knotted the score with 5:09 remaining on a three-point play by Honey.
Another slight lead by Batesville was nullified by the Lady Trojans, who pulled ahead by a single point before the Lady Pioneers claimed the lead which they did not give up until 3:43 remained in the game.
Honey finished with 39 points to lead all scorers with four assists, and Guinn added 19 with three rebounds and two steals.
“That’s how it’s been for three years,” said Smith. “Those two are special. They’ve been a pleasure to coach. When they get in those moments, it’s on them.
“They are going to put it on their backs. They expect them to do that. If they don’t, if they miss a shot, they are mad at themselves. That’s who they are. They are special.”
Nya Moody finished with nine points and a team-leading eight rebounds. Jaidan Thomas had seven rebounds and two blocked shots with four points.
Higginbotham paced the Lady Pioneers with 27 points.
“She’s my ninth-grader,” Fowler said. “She’s been my second-leading scorer all season.”
Alley Edwards put up 18 with nine rebounds, and Taylor Griffin added 17.
Batesville shot 42 percent from the field on the night, 22 of 52, while hitting 5 of 10 from distance for 50 percent. Hot Springs sank just 31 percent from the field, hitting 14 of 47 from inside the arc for 29 percent.
Hot Springs will face Little Rock Parkview (20-9) in the semifinals at noon today. The Lady Patriots won 62-56 over Farmington (26-6) Friday afternoon in the quarterfinals.