BHS teams hope to get back on track at Alma Friday

File photo by Kevin Nagle

The Bryant High School basketball teams finish off their three-Friday’s-in-a-row canine tour in the 7A/6A-Central Conference when they travel to Alma to take on the Airedales. On previous Friday’s the Hornets and Lady Hornets played the Pointers at Van Buren and the Bulldogs at Greenwood.

Both teams are seeking much-needed wins. After winning their first two conference games, the Hornets have suffered back-to-back setbacks including Tuesday’s home game against Russellville.

In Alma (14-2 overall, 3-1 in the 7A/6A-Central), the Hornets face the top scoring team in conference play so far. The Airedales have beaten Russellville 55-54 in overtime (though the Cyclones were without Andy Campell who hit Bryant for 20), lost to Van Buren 48-35, edged Little Rock Catholic 78-73, and whipped Greenwood 70-50.

Bryant (8-9, 2-2) has played the same four opponents with wins over Catholic, 45-36, and Greenwood, 48-35.

The Airedales feature two of the top five scorers in league play. Austin Lee, a 6-2 guard, leads the conference with a 20.5 average in four games. Jake Folkerts, a 6-5 forward, is fourth at 15.3. Folkers hit 10 of 12 from 3-point range against Greenwood. Lee finished with 23 points. Alma shot 55 percent from the field.

The Hornets’ top scorer in conference play is sophomore Romen Martin at 12.3 (sixth in the league) but they’ve were without junior Kevin Hunt who was the team’s top scorer prior to missing two games with illness. He returned Tuesday and had 18. Sophomore Calvin Allen and junior Wesley Peters have helped pick up some of the scoring load in Hunt’s absence when the Hornets started five freshmen in the win at Greenwood and four against Russellville.

While the Hornets have struggled offensively, they’re third in the conference in points allowed on defense (50.3 a game). Alma is seventh in that category (56.3) among league teams so far.

Meanwhile, the Lady Hornets are also coming off back-to-back losses as well including a gut-wrenching 61-57 loss to Russellville on Tuesday.

Both Bryant and Alma are 1-3 in league play with their lone wins coming over Mount St. Mary Academy of Little Rock (Bryant by 10, Alma by 11).

The Airedalettes appear to have balanced scoring, according to stats provided courtesy of Leland Barclay of the Fort Smith Times-Record. Their top scorer in league play is Hailey Ostrander at 9.5 but Lania Wright and Bailey Jones are right behind her at 8.8 apiece.

The Lady Hornets have the league’s second-leading scorer (tied with Russellville’s Shameka Ealy) in senior Jakeria Otey, who has averaged 16.5 a game. Greenwood’s Megan Hartness leads the conference at 23.8. Senior Lauren Carroll is scoring 10.3 a game in the league, 12th overall.

Both teams are guard-oriented and are near the middle of the pack as far as points scored and allowed.

Alma is a Class 6A school so the games will not count for Bryant’s bid to reach the Class 7A State Tournament, which will be at Springdale Har-Ber in early March. Both Bryant teams are 1-1 in games against 7A schools. They’ll complete their first run through the league against the third 7A opponent on Tuesday when they travel to Conway.

BryantDaily.com will post live quarter-by-quarter updates at the game.

7A/6A-CENTRAL CONFERENCE STANDINGS

BOYS

Team                         Conf  Ovl

Van Buren               4-0      13-5

Alma                         3-1      14-2

Conway                    3-1      12-4

Siloam Springs      2-2      10-7

Bryant                       2-2      8-9

Russellville              1-3      7-10

LR Catholic              1-3      2-13

Greenwood            0-4      3-10

Friday, Jan. 9

Bryant 48, Greenwood 35

Alma 55, Russellville 54, OT

Van Buren 52, Conway 45

LR Catholic 53, Siloam Springs 50

Tuesday, Jan. 13

Bryant 45, LR Catholic 36

Van Buren 48, Alma 35

Conway 47, Russellville 37

Siloam Springs 60, Greenwood 57, OT

Friday, Jan. 16

Van Buren 60, Bryant 38

Alma 78, LR Catholic 73

Conway 64, Greenwood 47

Siloam Springs 49, Russellville 48

Tuesday, Jan. 20

Russellville 70, Bryant 57

Alma 70, Greenwood 50

Conway 50, LR Catholic 38

Van Buren 50, Siloam Springs 38

Friday, Jan. 23

Bryant at Alma

Conway at Siloam Springs

Greenwood at Russellville

Van Buren at LR Catholic

Tuesday, Jan. 27

Bryant at Conway

Alma at Siloam Springs

Greenwood at Van Buren

Russellville at LR Catholic

Friday, Feb. 6

Greenwood at Bryant

Russellville at Alma

Van Buren at Conway

LR Catholic at Siloam Springs

Tuesday, Feb. 10

Bryant at LR Catholic

Alma at Van Buren

Conway at Russellville

Siloam Springs at Greenwood

Friday, Feb. 13

Van Buren at Bryant

LR Catholic at Alma

Greenwood at Conway

Russellville at Siloam Springs

Tuesday, Feb. 17

Bryant at Russellville

Greenwood at Alma

Conway at LR Catholic

Van Buren at Siloam Springs

Friday, Feb. 20

Bryant at Alma

Siloam Springs at Conway

Russellville at Greenwood

LR Catholic at Van Buren

Tuesday, Feb. 24

Conway at Bryant

Siloam Springs at Alma

Van Buren at Greenwood

LR Catholic at Russellville

Friday, Feb. 27

Bryant at Siloam Springs

Alma at Conway

Greenwood at LR Catholic

Russellville at Van Buren

 

 

7A/6A-CENTRAL CONFERENCE STANDINGS

GIRLS

Team                         Conf  Ovl     Class

Greenwood            4-0      17-1

Conway                    3-1      13-5

Van Buren               3-1      10-7

Russellville              3-1      7-10

Siloam Springs      1-3      11-6

Alma                          1-3      9-7

Bryant                       1-3      9-8

Mount St. Mary     0-4      4-13

Friday, Jan. 9

Greenwood 71, Bryant 42

Russellville 47, Alma 40

Conway 66, Van Buren 28

Siloam Springs 51, Mount St. Mary 30

Tuesday, Jan. 13

Bryant 46, Mount St. Mary 36

Van Buren 54, Alma 33

Conway 76, Russellville 55

Greenwood 69, Siloam Springs 39

Friday, Jan. 16

Van Buren 51, Bryant 37

Alma 71, Mount St. Mary 60

Greenwood 64, Conway 63

Russellville 44, Siloam Springs 38

Tuesday, Jan. 20

Russellville 61, Bryant 57, OT

Greenwood 74, Alma 44

Conway 76, Mount St. Mary 26

Van Buren 50, Siloam Springs 41

Friday, Jan. 23

Bryant at Alma

Conway at Siloam Springs

Greenwood at Russellville

Van Buren at Mount St. Mary

Tuesday, Jan. 27

Bryant at Conway

Alma at Siloam Springs

Greenwood at Van Buren

Russellville at Mount St. Mary

Friday, Feb. 6

Greenwood at Bryant

Russellville at Alma

Van Buren at Conway

Mount St. Mary at Siloam Springs

Tuesday, Feb. 10

Bryant at Mount St. Mary

Alma at Van Buren

Conway at Russellville

Siloam Springs at Greenwood

Friday, Feb. 13

Van Buren at Bryant

Mount St. Mary at Alma

Greenwood at Conway

Russellville at Siloam Springs

Tuesday, Feb. 17

Bryant at Russellville

Greenwood at Alma

Conway at Mount St. Mary

Van Buren at Siloam Springs

Friday, Feb. 20

Bryant at Alma

Siloam Springs at Conway

Russellville at Greenwood

Mount St. Mary at Van Buren

Tuesday, Feb. 24

Conway at Bryant

Siloam Springs at Alma

Van Buren at Greenwood

Mount St. Mary at Russellville

Friday, Feb. 27

Bryant at Siloam Springs

Alma at Conway

Greenwood at Mount St. Mary

Russellville at Van Buren

 

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