Stuttgart simply wasn’t going to let Heber Springs’ Tanner Rockwell beat them on Wednesday night. Not after he dropped 31 points on the Ricebirds in their last meeting, including a game winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.
They handled Rockwell this time around, holding him to only two points but that opened up the rest of the floor as the Panthers defeated Stuttgart 63-50, although the final score didn’t indicate how thoroughly Heber hammered the Ricebirds in this 2-4A Conference matchup.
“This is what he saw last night against Bald Knob too,” said Heber Coach Kevin Kyzer. “They chested him up but it’s opening things up for guys like Austin Brown, Wes McMullen and Michael May. With all the attention Caleb [Brock] and Tanner are getting right now, we’ve got to find ways to get them the ball but it is opening things up for other guys. I wouldn’t be surprised if DeWitt doesn’t do the same thing Friday (tonight) so we’ve got to work on setting better screens. We did a nice job of getting the ball in the paint tonight and getting those guys going.”
McMullen got the Panthers rolling in the first quarter with 11 of his game-high 22 points while Brown scored four of his 18 points as the Panthers dominated the frontcourt. McMullen canned a jumper from right side to get Heber started and Brown followed with a bucket from right block before McMullen scored in transition off an assist from Brock. Brock added a 3-pointer as Heber’s lead grew to 9-5 before Brock found Brown in transition for a bucket.
After May drained a 3-pointer from left corner, Stuttgart pulled within two but McMullen responded with seven points to close the first period while the Ricebirds managed one bucket. McMullen got his personal run started with a tough bank shot from right side and he completed the 3-point play then he got a one-handed tip in on a fast break and later added a jumper from right elbow off an assist from May, giving Heber a 21-14 lead entering the second quarter.
Stuttgart’s Devonte Ice made a 3-pointer up top to pull the Ricebirds within four early in the second but Heber pushed its lead back to five when Brown scored off an assist from May and his brother Anthony Brown added a driving layup, plus the contact.
Anthony completed the 3-point play as Heber pushed its lead to 26-21 then McMullen hit a pair from charity stripe and May found McMullen cutting through the lane for two more, boosting Heber’s lead to seven.
After Thomas Wofford made a free throw for the Ricebirds, Heber closed the first half with a 6-0 run as Austin Brown recorded a stick back then he scored again off an assist from May before Brock drove left baseline and finished with a double-clutch reverse layup, extending Heber’s lead to 36-24 at halftime.
McMullen scored seven more in the third quarter as the Panthers outscored Stuttgart 14-9 for the period. Brown added four more and May popped a 3-pointer from the left wing as Heber took a commanding 50-33 lead to the final eight minutes of play.
Stuttgart opened the fourth quarter with five straight before May drilled a 3-pointer from left corner, Brown sank a free throw and Brock nailed a deep 3-pointer from left wing while being pushed out-of-bounds for a foul. Brock completed the 3-point play and Rockwell added a steal and finger roll then Brown made a pair from the line as Heber’s lead grew to 62-38 before Stuttgart closed the gap with a couple of late runs, leaving the final at 63-50.
Ice led Stuttgart (4-15, 1-9) with nine points while Jarren Smith and Charles Coleman each scored eight. McMullen (22 points) and Brown (18 points) combined for 40 points to lead Heber (15-6, 10-1) while Brock and May each chipped in nine.
Heber Springs, Ark. —
