The Bryant Lady Hornets took on the Mount Saint Mary Belles at the Hornet’s Nest in 7A Central Conference action Tuesday. A late run in the fourth quarter by the Belles seemed enough for a comeback, but it was the Lady Hornets who held on for the win, 43-39. Head Coach Brad Matthews was proud of his team’s perseverance late in the game.
“We knew it was going to be a battle,” Matthews said. “It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of imagination. We found a way to win.”
The Lady Hornets (6-8, 1-1 Central) appeared to have the game sealed, up 10 midway through the fourth quarter. The Belles knowing they were down big, set up in their full-court trap defense. The results were textbook, as the Belles began to shift momentum after forcing multiple steals, leading the Belles on a 9-0 run to cut the lead to one point with 12 seconds remaining. The Lady Hornets were immediately fouled, and sophomore Ivory Russ would go 1 for 2 at the line, making it a two-point game. The Lady Hornet defense would come up big on the ensuing Belles possession, forcing a charge call to win the game. Junior guard Kalia Walker would seal the game going 2 for 2 at the line, putting the game out of reach.
The Lady Hornets hit the road to Little Rock in more Central action on Friday, taking on the Central Lady Tigers.