Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Alma Upstages Lady Cards
LOSS COULD COST SHARE OF 5A WEST TITLE
FARMINGTON — Farmington went scoreless for the final 2:36 allowing Alma to erase a seven-point deficit and beat the Lady Cardinals, 36-34, on Friday, Feb. 9.
The loss could cost the Lady Cardinals a share of the 5A West Conference title. Vilonia (21-3) is the lone team unbeaten in 5A West play coming into the final week of regular season play. After playing Batesville Tuesday, Vilonia finishes at home against Greenbrier (3-21) Friday.
Farmington has one game remaining that counts in the 5A West standings. The Lady Cardinals went on the road to 6A Russellville Tuesday, then return to Cardinal Arena Friday against Harrison. Farmington hosts the 5A West District tournament at Cardinal Arena Feb. 19-24.
The Lady Cardinals went up 30-23 late in the third on Makenna Vanzant’s trademark going to the basket score following an offensive rebound which reset the offense. Alma’s Cassidy Cooper used a screen to drive down the left side of the box and make a layup to trim the lead to five as the third quarter ended.
Farmington appeared to retain control until late in the fourth, but the Lady Cardinals couldn’t get the ball to bounce in their favor. Vanzant, who led the Lady Cardinals with 10 points, had a shot in the lane roll around and pop out. At the other end Cooper replicated her play that ended the third to pull Alma within 30-27. Vanzant cut the lane and took a feed from Alexis Roach to push the margin back to five at 32-27. Alma missed a shot on its next possession, but tied the rebound up and in-bounded underneath its own goal with the alternate-possession.
Both teams suffered turnovers, Farmington’s coming after an offensive rebound. Farmington’s Anthea Jones then drew a charge against Cooper again driving off a screen. Going the other way, Vanzant penetrated the paint only to have Alma block her shot. The Airdalettes couldn’t score and Jones rebounded for Farmington, but the Lady Cardinals rushed a shot. Again Alma missed. Vanzant rebounded and cleared an outlet to a teammate running the floor. A trip that looked like an easy layup came away empty when the shooter got too far underneath and the ball hit the bottom of the backboard on the way up.
Alma made baskets in critical situations down the stretch. Sophomore Zoie McGhee drove with her left hand and scored in the key for Alma. Farmington answered quickly. Madisyn Pense drove into the lane and was cut off, but handed the ball to Joelle Tidwell, who squared up off the dribble to drill a 15-footer for a 34-29 Farmington lead.
The Lady Cardinals wouldn’t score again and Alma rallied.
McGhee set a screen, then stepped back to take an open 3-pointer which she nailed from the wing pulling the Airdalettes within two, at 34-32. Jones missed in the lane, but got her own rebound for Farmington. A foul against Alma set up a Lady Cardinal in-bounds play under their own basket. A cutter broke free but the layup wouldn’t go down.
Alma milked the clock then ran the same play with Sierra Bailey screening for Cooper at the 3-point line. This time Cooper went right. The Airdalettes eventually reversed the ball from the right wing finding Reagan Gray for a spot-up in the left corner. The shot was good pushing Alma into a 35-34 lead with less than a minute to play.
Farmington burned four time-outs trying to set up a potential game-winning shot. The Lady Cardinals tried to get the ball to Camryn Journagan in the key on an in-bounds play but the pass was deflected. Tidwell retrieved the ball, but her bank shot wouldn’t go in the hoop.
Alma rebounded and Farmington was forced to foul stopping the clock with 1.8 seconds remaining. An intentional foul was called on the in-bounds pass irritating Farmington fans. The ruling essentially insured there would be no overtime with Alma awarded two technical free throws instead of a 1-and-1 plus possession.
McGhee made 1-of-2 technical foul shots. Farmington again fouled a player leaping to receive an in-bounds pass with the clock showing nine-tenths of a second. There was no repeat intentional foul and Bailey Hoffsommer missed the front end of a 1-and-1. Farmington’s desperation full-court heave didn’t reach the basket and Alma walked off with a 36-34 win.
McGhee and Gray shared scoring honors for Alma with nine points apiece.