Bulldogs avenge earlier loss to ’Cats

Bald Knob’s boys built a double-digit halftime lead and kept the foot on the gas in the second half as they traveled to Little Rock and knocked off Episcopal Collegiate 66-50 on Tuesday night.

The Wildcats traveled to Bald Knob and pulled off a 56-55 upset on Jan. 5, but the Bulldogs avoided the season sweep with a convincing performance Tuesday as they took command early and produced a solid defensive effort as well.

“They got us at home the first time,” Bald Knob Coach Madison Leach said. “We did a good job tonight executing and scoring 66 points. We’ve really focused on stopping the 1-3-1 [zone defense] they run the last few weeks.”

Bald Knob (18-5, 8-4 3A-6) got off to a quick start, taking a 15-6 lead after one quarter. Episcopal Collegiate settled in offensively in the second quarter, but the Bulldogs held a 33-23 halftime lead.

A lob alley-oop pass from junior guard Jaiven Smith to senior guard Micah Story with 32 seconds left in the second quarter capped the big first half for Bald Knob. Story had 10 points at the break, while Smith scored nine points in the first 16 minutes.

“The first game they got eight threes on us, so we knew the perimeter is something we had to contest,” Leach said. “I thought we did a really good job. We’re trying to improve and peak at the right time.”

Bald Knob took control of the game early in the third quarter, going on a 10-0 run for a 43-23 lead. The Bulldogs maintained the 20-point advantage through the third, heading to the final quarter holding a 52-32 lead.

Episcopal Collegiate (912, 4-6) went to a full-court press in the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs were up for the task. The Wildcats got as close as 59-46 on a layup by junior forward Jackson Rowell with 2:45 to play. But a three-pointer from Story with 2:08 remaining put the Bulldogs up 63-46 as both coaches emptied their benches in the final two minutes.

Story scored his 1,000th career point in the game and finished with 23 points. Junior forward Mika Comer also scored 23 points for the Bulldogs, while Smith added 14. Story, Comer and Smith accounted for 60 of the team’s 66 points.

“We had a good comeback win Friday at Harding and we had a good win tonight on the road, too,” Leach said. “Story scored his 1,000th point, so tonight was a big night for him. He’s really stepped up. Smith did a good job tonight handling the pressure in the 1-3-1 for us.”