By Rob Patrick

HOT SPRINGS — Three down, one to go.

By outlasting the Central Arkansas Christian Lady Mustangs in the finals of the Summit Bank Spa City Shootout at Summit Arena Wednesday night, the Bryant Lady Hornets claimed their third tournament championship of the season.

They’d love to win a fourth.

But that fourth one won’t be an invitational tourney like the first three. They’ll have to earn their way by battling through the 7A-Central Conference and qualifying for the Class 7A State tournament at the end of the season.

PEARCY — Aaron Bell’s lone basket against the Hot Springs Lakeside Junior Rams came at an opportune time for the Bryant Hornets freshman team on Wednesday. It snapped a 29-29 tie and, along with a late free throw by Marcus Wilson, provided the winning margin in a 32-30 thriller.

The Hornets, who improved to 8-3 on the season, advance to play Central Arkansas Christian in the semifinals of the Kameron Hale Memorial Invitational Tournament at Lake Hamilton on Thursday at 4:15 p.m. The winner will advance to Saturday’s championship game at 6:45. The loser will play in the third-place game at 4:15 p.m.

PEARCY — The Bryant Lady Hornets freshman team and the Benton Lady Panthers freshman team will meet for the first time this season in the second round of the Kameron Hale Memorial Invitational Tournament at Lake Hamilton on Thursday, Dec. 31.

Both teams brushed aside first-round opponents on Wednesday. Benton downed Central Arkansas Christian and the Lady Hornets drilled the Malvern Lady Leopard Cubs, 40-23.

By Rob Patrick

HOT SPRINGS — Whether it was against Class 2A Mountain Pine or defending Class 7A State champ Fayetteville, the Bryant Hornets needed something good to happen to them when they took the floor on Wednesday, Dec. 30.

“We needed a win bad,” acknowledged Hornets coach Ron Marvel. “After losing three in a row that we could’ve won, the kids were pretty much down on themselves.”

Mountain Pine happened to be the opponent in the seventh-place game at the Summit Bank Spa City Shootout at Summit Arena but it was more about the Hornets than the opponent and they came through with a stress-easing 69-37 romp.

By Rob Patrick

HOT SPRINGS — Hoping to preserve his team’s energy during its three games in three days assignment in the Summit Bank Spa City Shootout, Bryant Lady Hornets head coach Blake Condley just had his team do some shooting prior to making the trip to Hot Springs’ Summit Arena on Tuesday.

Usually, the team goes through a workout, though most often a light one, on game day.

Chances are, the shoot-around won’t be in future plans.

The Lady Hornets got off to a sluggish start against the Hot Springs Lakeside Lady Rams in Tuesday’s semifinal and found themselves as much as 15 points down in the first half. Lakeside converted on 67 percent of its shots during the half and still led 31-20 in the final minute.

But when Haley Montgomery drained a 3 with :14 left, it marked the beginning of what turned into a 19-0 run. Bryant, forcing 14 turnovers in the second half, and heating up on offense, surged to a 56-43 win.

By Rob Patrick

HOT SPRINGS — When the Bryant Hornets were winning six of their first nine games, they seemed to have developed a knack for clutch play down the stretch. They won in overtime (four of them) against Wynne and Camden Fairview and came through late to beat Russellville.

But that trend seems to have reversed itself over their last three games, a frustrating turn of events, capped off by a 51-46 loss to the Pulaski Oak Grove Hornets on Tuesday in the consolation round of the Summit Bank Spa City Shootout at Summit Arena.

By Rob Patrick

HOT SPRINGS — Taking the first step in what they hope will be their third of four tournament championships (the last one being the most important come the end of April), the Bryant Lady Hornets surged to a 70-49 win over the Lake Hamilton Lady Wolves on Monday in the first round of the Summit Bank Spa City Shootout.The win improved the Lady Hornets to 10-0 this season going into a semifinal game against Hot Springs Lakeside tonight at 7.

Bryant has already captured the championship of the Crabtree Invitational Tournament in Bentonville and the venerable old Joe T. Robinson Invitational at Pulaski Robinson High.

Balanced scoring continued to be a hallmark of the team with four players reaching double figures, another getting 9 and another 8. Alana Morris led the way with 11 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. Kenzee Calley matched the 11 points while Hannah Goshien and Shanika Johnson each hit for 10. Haley Montgomery finished with 9 and Brooke Parish 8.

By Rob Patrick

HOT SPRINGS — The Bryant Hornets were served up a second slice of frustration against the rival Benton Panthers on Monday, Dec. 28, in the opening round of the Summit Bank Spa City Shootout at Summit Arena.

Just 10 days before, in their last game before the Christmas break, the Hornets had suffered a 52-41 loss to the Panthers in the Salt Bowl Shootout at UALR’s Jack Stephens Center.

This time, the Hornets finished closer, 51-46, but, in much the same way, couldn’t complete a rally to extract a victory.

By Lana Clifton

Late at night on Tuesday, Dec. 22, the Alexander Fire Department responded to a call at 16397 Redwood Lane in the Woodland Hills area of Alexander. They requested assistance from area fire departments including Bryant.

Captain Tim Blankenship of the AFD could not provide much information but said the area departments came through.

By Lana Clifton

On Dec. 11, the Bryant School District announced that Superintendent Richard Abernathy would be leaving his position of seven years to accept a position as executive director for the Arkansas Association of Education Administrators. At the December regular school board meeting, held Monday, Dec. 21, the board discussed the need to start the process of replacing Abernathy before his contract with AAEA begins on July 1.

Board president Rhonda Sanders expressed gratitude on behalf of the board for Abernathy’s years of service to the district.