The Bryant Blue Hornets eighth grade team of Bethel Middle School broke open a close game with a 15-4 run in the third quarter on their way to a 42-21 win over The Anthony School on Monday night. The win improved the Hornets to 8-1 on the season.

Bryant also won a seventh-grade game, 47-17, to improve to 6-0.

By Rob Patrick

With 56 seconds left to play, the Conway Lady Wampus Kittens eighth grade team of Carl Stuart Middle School tied the Bryant Blue Lady Hornets eighth grade team of Bethel Middle School in their game at Bryant Middle School’s gym on Monday night.

And moments later, the Lady Hornets suffered a turnover that had Conway in position to win.

The Kittens took an ill-advised shot but gathered the rebound and their head coach called timeout to set something up.

But when play resumed, Bryant’s Keedy Harrison made a swiped the ball and was fouled. With :18 showing, Harrison went to the free throw line shooting a one-and-one. Though she couldn’t get the first shot to fall, teammate Deserea Duckworth shot into the lane, grabbed the rebound and scored with :16 left.

Chase Christie erupted for 11 of his team-high 16 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Bryant Blue Hornets eighth grade boys of Bethel Middle School to a 39-38 win over the Lake Hamilton Wolves eighth grade at Bryant Middle School gym on Thursday.

The Hornets improved to 7-1 on the season. They’re set to host the Anthony School on Monday, Dec. 14 in their final outing before the Christmas break.

By Rob Patrick

A 12-0 run at the end of the first quarter and start of the second gave the Bryant Blue Lady Hornets eighth grade team of Bethel Middle School the upper hand in their battle with crosstown rival Bryant White of Bryant Middle School. The White Lady Hornets rallied to get within 9 before the end of the first half but a three-point play by Dezarea Duckworth and a hoop inside by Erica Smith in the final minute spurred the Blue Lady Hornets on their way to a 36-15 victory at the Bethel gym.

By Rob Patrick

John Winn scored 19 points to lead the Bryant Blue Hornets seventh grade team of Bethel Middle School to a 48-5 win over the Bryant White Hornets seventh grade team of Bryant Middle School at the Bethel gym on Tuesday.

Blue ran out to a 26-1 lead to take control of the game. Winn scored the first 9 points of the game for his team. His first bucket came inside. He then followed with a steal and layup that turned into a three-point play. Brandon Warner made a steal and Winn hit the offensive glass to make it 7-0.

By Rob Patrick

Much of the time, it was a mad defensive scramble when the Bryant Blue Lady Hornets seventh grade team of Bethel Middle School hosted the Bryant White Lady Hornets seventh graders of Bryant Middle School Tuesday night.

As it turned out the game came down to the final three minutes when the visitors finished with a 6-1 surge to produce a 21-16 win.

GREENBRIER — With a couple of starters out, the Bryant Blue Hornets eighth grade team of Bethel Middle School found a way to improve to 6-0 on the season with a 37-31 win on the road over their counterparts at Greenbrier on Monday.

“I was obviously worried,” admitted Hornets coach Derek McGrew. “But several boys stepped up in their place and got the job done.”

GREENBRIER — The Bryant Blue Lady Hornets eighth grade team of Bethel Middle School out-scored Greenbrier’s Lady Panthers 13-4 in the third quarter to break open a close game on the way to a 31-18 victory on Monday night.

The Lady Hornets led just 6-4 after a quarter and 14-10 at the half but, after the breakout third quarter, the lead ballooned to 27-14.

LITTLE ROCK — Buoyed by re-enforcements after losing to the Bryant Blue Lady Hornets eighth grade team of Bethel Middle School, 39-25, on Monday, the Arkansas Baptist Lady Eagles put together a third-quarter surge. Vying for the championship of The Anthony School Classic on Thursday night, the Lady Eagles closed to within 25-20 going into the final period.

But the Lady Hornets held them to just 3 points the rest of the way, answering with their own 13-3 run to earn a closer-than-that 38-24 victory for the tourney championship.

LITTLE ROCK — A night after thumping the Arkansas Baptist Eagles, the Bryant Blue Hornets eighth grade team of Bethel Middle School had to prove it again in a rematch for the championship game of The Anthony School Classic.

And it proved tougher the second time around.

But thanks to some clutch play from Davis Nossaman and Bryce Denker in the final minute of the game, the Hornets extracted a 43-40 victory to capture the Classic championship.