After falling to their county rival Bryant Lady Hornets 48-32 last season, the Benton Lady Panthers took the Saline County Shootout trophy back this season with a 41-28 win Tuesday at Benton Arena. Benton fell to Bryant both times last year, but Tuesday was the teams’ only matchup this season.
“We’re just playing them one time this year so you get one chance at them,” Benton Coach Jerry Chumley said. “The kids played hard. Brad’s (Matthews) kids played hard, they always do. We’re happy to have it home and get the trophy back. We still have a lot to improve on. We’re just going to keep on keeping on.”
With the win, the Lady Panthers get to even on the season at 6-6. Usually getting off to horribly slow starts and coming back hard at the end of the game, Benton didn’t have their customary slow start on Tuesday. The Lady Panthers went up 8-3 on senior Lenzie “Lu” Newman’s put in assisted by sophomore Kati Morrow before Bryant’s Kelly Williams nailed a three to get within two. with 2:53 left in the first. But, Benton buckets by junior Italei Gray and sophomore Tamia Halk had the Lady Panthers leading 12-7 after one.
Read the rest in Wednesday's The Saline Courier.