The Bryant Lady Hornets secured their first 7A/6A-Central Conference win on Tuesday thanks to a 15-2 run that gave them a lead with less than six minutes left in the fourth quarter.
A clutch basket by Kendal Rogers and free throws from Raija Todd and Emily Ridgell in the final 40 seconds, Bryant held on for a 50-35 win over Mount St. Mary Academy.
Ridgell led the Lady Hornets with 17 points and Todd had 14. Rachael Miller chipped in with eight, Raven Loveless had five, Rogers four and Destiny Martin two.
The Lady Hornets forced 23 turnovers and held the Belles to 38 percent shooting that included 1 of 6 from the field in the final stanza.
Lizzie Allgood led MSM with 20 points, including seven points in the first quarter.
The Lady Hornets will host the Van Buren Pointerettes on Friday with all games scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
Hunt’s 33 lifts Hornets to conference win
Three days into the season, the Bryant Hornets met the Catholic Rockets in the first round of the Central Arkansas Christian Academy Invitational Tournament.
Catholic was without 6-10 post Brian Beckwith and senior point guard Chard Wharton during the game and therefore, the Hornets -- who were coming off a 58-43 win over Rogers Heritage -- cruised to a 63-31 win over the Rockets.
Last week, Head Coach Mike Abrahamson speculated Tuesday’s game in Little Rock would be a much different affair.
“They were much improved,” Abrahamson said. “They seem to have a much better understanding of what the coach wants them to do and they do a better job of executing.”
Beckwith returned and scored six points to start the game for Catholic, but the Hornets were able to hold Beckwith to just two the rest of the game.
“He made the difference,” Abrahamson said. “We just couldn’t set the pace like we wanted, that we needed to play at, and that’s credit to them.
“They knew what was coming.”
Jack Mathis led the Rockets with 18 points while Wharton had nine.
Even though Catholic was coming into the game with a 1-10 record, the Rockets led the Hornets 14-8 after the first quarter and had a 30-28 lead at the half.
“We got knocked in the face in the first quarter,” Abrahamson said. “But we stuck to our play and stuck to what we do best.
“We just kept trying to keep them on the move.”
And thanks to a 33-point performance by senior Kevin Hunt, the Hornets rallied for a 58-53 win over the Rockets.