NLR controls boards, bombs Har-Ber

CONWAY — Controlling the offensive boards proved to be big for North Little Rock on Saturday afternoon.

Senior forward Adrian Moore scored 13 points and the Charging Wildcats more than doubled Springdale HarBer’s rebounding total during a 65-51 victory in the Bank of the Ozarks Classic at Buzz Bolding Arena.

North Little Rock outrebounded Har- Ber 52-24, which included a 26-7 advantage on the offensive end. Senior J.T. Taylor’s 10 rebounds paced the Charging Wildcats’ efforts.

“We murdered them on the glass,” North Little Rock Coach Johnny Rice said. “That was the difference in the game, I think.”

Har-Ber (4-5) had pulled within 29-27 early in the second quarter, but North Little Rock (4-5) scored the next 12 points. Har-Ber was never any closer than eight points the rest of the way.

Coming off a 34-point effort in Friday’s victory over Conway, Moore ignited North Little Rock’s third- quarter rally with a steal and dunk. Guard Jarvis Hicks followed with back-to-back three-pointers and Barry Nixon added a layup at the 2:46 mark that pushed NLR’s lead to 41-27.

Har-Ber struggled from the floor in the third quarter, going almost five minutes without a point and hitting only 4 of 14 shots, many of which came from inside the lane.

“We missed eight chippies in the third quarter,” Har-Ber Coach Scott Bowlin said. “When you’re playing a team like [North Little Rock], and they really did a job on us with their rebounding, you can’t miss easy shots and expect to stay in it. They got second chances and we didn’t get second chances.”

Junior Matthew Kaunitz led Har-Ber with 12 points, all coming on three-pointers. Junior Avery Benson added 11 and sophomore Tyler Garrett put in 10.

“We’ve got freshmen and sophomore playing,” Bowlin said. “We didn’t have a senior out there tonight. So we’re still learning.”

NLR guard Morris Talbert, who added 12 points, hit backto-back three-point plays late in the second quarter to help give the Charging Wildcats the lead for good. Both field goals came after offensive rebounds.

Dez Duckworth came off the bench to score 11 points for NLR, while Taylor added nine points and 10 rebounds.

Har-Ber was 19 of 49 (38.8 percent) from the floor. NLR finished 24 of 62 (38.7).

“We’re starting to do some really good things,” Rice said. “Our inexperience still shows at times, but we talk every game and every practice about getting better. It’s all about what goes on in March. We’ve got to keep playing to hopefully get there.”

VAN BUREN 53, CABOT 42

Mitchell Smith was held to two field goals, but the Pointers’ 6-9 senior hit 15 of 18 free throws and finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds in Van Buren’s victory.

Cabot, which had knocked off previously unbeaten Fayetteville 16 hours earlier, was guilty of 28 fouls and managed to hit only 12 of 39 field-goal attempts. Junior guard Bobby Joe Duncan led the Panthers (7-2) with seven points.

Van Buren scored 30 of its 53 points from the free-throw line. The Pointers (5-3) were 21 of 29 from the line in the second half, 30 of 42 overall. Cabot was 7 of 12 from the line for the game.

The Pointers trailed only briefly in the first quarter, led 22-15 at the half and 31-24 entering the final quarter. Their lead never fell below seven points and it never grew to more than 11 during the second half.

Van Buren guard Jaylynn Dye had 8 points, 4 steals and 4 assists. Junior forward Beau Beckner added eight points and six rebounds.

CONWAY 64, FORT SMITH NORTHSIDE 56

Junior Kendarious Smith scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half and the Wampus Cats (2-8) hit 15 of 18 shots in the final two quarters to stun the Grizzlies (5-6).

The game was tied at 23-23 at the half, but Conway scored the first six points of the second half and never trailed again.

Senior Clay Bradshaw and sophomore Blake Bradshaw each added 14 points. Clay Bradshaw grabbed a team-high nine rebounds as the Wampus Cats enjoyed a 35-19 advantage on the boards. Senior Jamaal Clifton added 11 points. Guard Prentice Mullins scored only 2 points, but he grabbed 8 rebounds and handed out a game-high 5 assists.

Senior Gage Griffin and junior Tyrell Perry each scored 12 points to lead Northside. Guard Tevin Brewer added 10.

Conway was 23 of 39 (59.0 percent) from the floor, while Northside was 22 of 52 (42.3).