Tidwell Dangerous To Overlook

SENIOR BREAKS DOWN DEFENSES BY GIVING UP THE ROCK

FARMINGTON — Farmington coach Brad Johnson’s philosophy enticed opponents to pick their poison knowing any of his starting five possessed capability to strike quickly and often.

The success of such a ploy played out beautifully with senior Joelle Tidwell, perhaps the most overlooked Lady Cardinal, who helped in knocking out 2019 state champion Batesville 76-64 in the state semifinals, which in effect became the win which decided the 2020 state championship for Farmington.

With the 2020 state finals postponed then canceled on April 6 due to the covid-19 crisis the Arkansas Activities Association designated Farmington and Star City, a 55-53 winner over Pulaski Academy in the other semifinal, as co-champions for Class 4A girls basketball.

“We worked so hard for this,” Tidwell said recalling she and classmate Audrey Culpepper moved up to varsity at the end of their freshman year joining Makenna Vanzant, who became a starter at the beginning of 2016-2017.

“We made it to the final four that year,” Tidwell recalled with Farmington knocking off Batesville, 60-55, and Hot Springs, 58-55, before losing 55-47 to Little Rock Parkview in the 2017 Class 5A State tournament at Magnolia.

Tidwell recently received an offer from Lyon College to continue her playing career at the next level, but in the aftermath of a fantastic, 76-64, win on March 7 at home in Cardinal Arena, she had no way of knowing she and her teammates would not get to play a championship game against Star City.

Her enthusiasm boiled over, describing the feeling of advancing to the state finals after winning at least one game at state each season of her four years on varsity.

“To make it one step farther. Each year getting to go to state it’s like to know that all your hard work has paid off,” Tidwell said. “There’s no better feeling than that.”

The offense funnelled through Tidwell during the semifinal triumph over Batesville, avenging a 72-59 loss to the Lady Pioneers in the 2019 quarterfinals.

In the first quarter Batesville blocked Tori Kersey’s shot out-of-bounds. Knowing the Lady Pioneers would key on Kersey, Brad Johnson ran a play for Tidwell and she delivered beautifully taking Makenna Vanzant’s in-bounds pass underneath the basket and laying it in to keep an 11-2 Farmington run going.

That spree empowered the Lady Cardinals to pull away from an 8-6 lead and go up 21-12 at the end of a pivotal first quarter.

Tidwell got more involved in the second quarter consistently catching the ball in the high post, low block, wings or corners forcing Batesville to defend her. Quick moves towards the basket made defenders collapse, opening up passing lanes.

Tidwell racked up six assists and admits she likes to pass for baskets as much as scoring.

“They ( my teammates) make it really easy the way that they move (the ball), just getting it inside so that we can get it outside and like seriously I feel like my job is the easy job. Just get it to them and they’ll finish by the basket,” Tidwell said.

By working the insideout game Brad Johnson favors, Tidwell found holes in Batesville’s defense. With 2:05 elapsed in the second quarter Tidwell had assists to sophomore Carson Dillard, who drained a left wing three to start the period; and to junior Trinity Johnson burying a 3-pointer from the right corner.

She capped an 11-4 Farmington run by dumping the ball off to Kersey for a layup and a 32-16 Farmington lead. The Lady Cardinals held a 38-25 cushion at the half.

Tidwell sat out a good portion of the third quarter and Batesville made a run outscoring the Lady Cardinals 16-9 to make it a game.

Batesville continued to storm back in the fourth quarter on the strength of a 39- point outburst by star guard Izzy Higginbottom, but Tidwell provided an answer twice during a crucial stretch.

Higginbottom put back her own miss getting Batesville within four points. Farmington didn’t score on its next possession and Batesville went for the throat launching a 3-pointer. The shot was off and a long rebound bounced towards mid-court.

Tidwell, who set a school record in cross country during the fall, outran everybody to the ball and dribbled furiously towards the opposite goal. Higginbottom and Taylor Rush sprinted to deny her a layup but the best they could do was foul and both hit the gym wall headlong which sent them tumbling to the hardwood.

Tidwell stepped up and made both foul shots then 19 seconds after a Batesville free throw, Tidwell again fed Kersey for an easy deuce on the baseline. Those four points got a 14-4 run underway that was capped by a Tidwell free throw, posturing Farmington to win with a 64-50 lead at the 1:14 mark of the fourth quarter.

Her reaction to teammates scoring key baskets off her pinpoint passes, “I love it, I love it.”

Spoken like a true state champion.

Joelle Tidwell