Price three-pointer a winner for West

BENTONVILLE WEST 58, FORT SMITH NORTHSIDE 56

FORT SMITH — Since the beginning for the Bentonville West boys basketball program, it’s been a them against the world mentality. That has shown up often this season and was on full display Tuesday on the road.

Sophomore forward Landon Price hit a game-winning three-point basket at the buzzer to give West a 58-56 victory against Fort Smith Northside in a 6A-West Conference matchup. The shot improved the Wolverines’ winning streak to four games while also extending a road winning streak to five games.

“It was incredible,” Price said of hitting the final shot. “You dream about hitting game-winners as a kid. To experience that is just incredible. Playing well on the road comes down to practice. We love being the villain as well.”

Price, who finished with a game-high 23 points, scored a team-high 11 points in the fourth quarter taking over the game for the Wolverines.

“We just have tough guys and talk about being dirt- road tough,” West Coach Greg White said. “Landon is a sophomore that has done some great things. We just had some really great moments in the game. I’m so proud of this team.”

Northside took a 56-55 lead with 4.1 seconds left after a basket from Antwoine Thomas. But that was just enough time for Price to bank in a shot, then his teammates swarmed him after the final horn.

West (14-12, 8-6) took a 37-36 edge into the fourth quarter that set up the backand-forth, down-to-the-wire finish. There were 13 lead changes and three ties in the fourth quarter.

Northside (10-17, 4-9) found itself down 14-6 after the first quarter. The Grizzlies were then down 31-19 at halftime after Price finished the first-half scoring with a dunk.

The Grizzlies found their way in the third quarter, limiting West to one field goal. That allowed Northside to use a 13-6 third quarter to be down just 37-36 entering the fourth quarter.

West received big nights from Price (8 rebounds and 4 steals to go with his 23 points), Quentyn Thompson (9 points), Jaxson Brust (8 points), Lane Jeffcoat (8 points and 5 rebounds), Caleb Crusinbery (6 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists) and Ben Van Hecke (4 points and 5 assists).

Northside, which snapped a four-game home winning streak, was kept in the game by Derek Shepard (20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists), Marco Smith (14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists) and Thomas (10 points).