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The Heber Springs Lady Panthers spoiled Marianna’s undefeated 2-4A conference record and 15-game winning streak while jumping back into the league race with a 62-47 victory over the Lady Trojans on Friday night at the Panther Den.
Using a balanced scoring attack, Heber took a 14-13 lead after one quarter, which blossomed to 34-23 by halftime and 48-35 through three periods. “The girls played heads up there in the second half,” said Heber Coach Jamey Riddle. “We switched defenses up a little and they [Marianna] kept pressing but Devrie [Attendorn] and Skylar [Johnson] did a good job of getting around them. After that, it was just a simple fast-break going down the floor and we executed like we needed to. I felt like it was a good team effort. Even the ones that didn’t play…I felt like they were in the game.”
Now 13-7 overall and 6-2 in league play entering Tuesday’s game at Southside Batesville, Riddle said his young team is learning how to finish games after letting leads slip away in the second half of losses to Lonoke and Southside Batesville – both at home. “We’ve been in that situation before, up at halftime, and got beat by Southside and Lonoke. I think they realized it and wanted it more tonight. I’m anxious to see us play two good games back-to-back. It’s another big game at Southside because they are the No. 2 team in the conference. Hopefully we can bounce back and shake the excitement off from this game and play just as hard and under control as we did tonight.”
Heber built a 14-13 first quarter lead with stellar play from Attendorn, who scored eight points during the period, including a three-pointer from right corner in the closing seconds for a slim lead. Meanwhile, forward Mary Lawrence gave the Lady Panthers a boost off the bench with four points in the first stanza while forward Janae Long chipped in a basket.
Marianna guard Porsha Bowers dropped a pair of free throws early in the second quarter for a 15-14 lead but it would be the Lady Trojans last as Heber used a 12-0 run to take control, beginning when Lawrence made a free throw and Long notched a putback.
LaRosa followed with a turnaround jumper from right side then Skylar Johnson buried a three-pointer from left corner and guard Hannah Johnson recorded a putback, giving the Lady Panthers a 24-15 advantage.
Skylar Johnson completed Heber’s run with a layup off an assist from Long. Marianna trimmed its deficit to single digits late in the first half before Hannah Johnson rattled home a 19-foot jumper at the buzzer, boosting the Lady Panthers’ lead to 34-23 at halftime.
The Lady Trojans sliced their deficit to six a little over midway through the second quarter when Brittney Wade sank a midrange jumper from right baseline. After Long and Bowers traded a pair of free throws, Heber took off on a devastating 9-0 run, ignited by Skylar Johnson, who drove left side for a layup.
Attendorn added a three-pointer from right wing, forward Magen LaRosa swiped a steal and hit Attendorn for a layup and Lawrence scored from right block off an assist from Attendorn, giving Heber a 48-33 lead.
Bowers tried to keep Marianna in the game with eight points in the fourth quarter but the Lady Panthers continued to shred the Lady Trojans from all directions as LaRosa and Skylar Johnson scored four points apiece in the final stanza, while Attendorn, Long and Lawrence each contributed two points as Heber closed out a 62-47 victory.
Attendorn had to leave the game with a leg camp late in the fourth quarter. “Devrie had a big game,” said Riddle. “I thought she really played under control. She wound up having seven turnovers in the Lonoke game but I would dare say she had two tonight under a lot of pressure. I was really proud of her and the way she handled it.”
Bowers paced Marianna (15-4, 7-1) with a game-high 27 points, Wade added 12 and post player Kayla Denton chipped in seven points and five blocks.
Attendorn paced Heber with 15 points, Skyar Johnson followed with 13, Long added 11, LaRosa had 10 and Lawrence finished with nine.
The Heber Springs Lady Panthers spoiled Marianna’s undefeated 2-4A conference record and 15-game winning streak while jumping back into the league race with a 62-47 victory over the Lady Trojans on Friday night at the Panther Den.
Using a balanced scoring attack, Heber took a 14-13 lead after one quarter, which blossomed to 34-23 by halftime and 48-35 through three periods. “The girls played heads up there in the second half,” said Heber Coach Jamey Riddle. “We switched defenses up a little and they [Marianna] kept pressing but Devrie [Attendorn] and Skylar [Johnson] did a good job of getting around them. After that, it was just a simple fast-break going down the floor and we executed like we needed to. I felt like it was a good team effort. Even the ones that didn’t play…I felt like they were in the game.”
Now 13-7 overall and 6-2 in league play entering Tuesday’s game at Southside Batesville, Riddle said his young team is learning how to finish games after letting leads slip away in the second half of losses to Lonoke and Southside Batesville – both at home. “We’ve been in that situation before, up at halftime, and got beat by Southside and Lonoke. I think they realized it and wanted it more tonight. I’m anxious to see us play two good games back-to-back. It’s another big game at Southside because they are the No. 2 team in the conference. Hopefully we can bounce back and shake the excitement off from this game and play just as hard and under control as we did tonight.”
Heber built a 14-13 first quarter lead with stellar play from Attendorn, who scored eight points during the period, including a three-pointer from right corner in the closing seconds for a slim lead. Meanwhile, forward Mary Lawrence gave the Lady Panthers a boost off the bench with four points in the first stanza while forward Janae Long chipped in a basket.
Marianna guard Porsha Bowers dropped a pair of free throws early in the second quarter for a 15-14 lead but it would be the Lady Trojans last as Heber used a 12-0 run to take control, beginning when Lawrence made a free throw and Long notched a putback.
LaRosa followed with a turnaround jumper from right side then Skylar Johnson buried a three-pointer from left corner and guard Hannah Johnson recorded a putback, giving the Lady Panthers a 24-15 advantage.
Skylar Johnson completed Heber’s run with a layup off an assist from Long. Marianna trimmed its deficit to single digits late in the first half before Hannah Johnson rattled home a 19-foot jumper at the buzzer, boosting the Lady Panthers’ lead to 34-23 at halftime.
The Lady Trojans sliced their deficit to six a little over midway through the second quarter when Brittney Wade sank a midrange jumper from right baseline. After Long and Bowers traded a pair of free throws, Heber took off on a devastating 9-0 run, ignited by Skylar Johnson, who drove left side for a layup.
Attendorn added a three-pointer from right wing, forward Magen LaRosa swiped a steal and hit Attendorn for a layup and Lawrence scored from right block off an assist from Attendorn, giving Heber a 48-33 lead.
Bowers tried to keep Marianna in the game with eight points in the fourth quarter but the Lady Panthers continued to shred the Lady Trojans from all directions as LaRosa and Skylar Johnson scored four points apiece in the final stanza, while Attendorn, Long and Lawrence each contributed two points as Heber closed out a 62-47 victory.
Attendorn had to leave the game with a leg camp late in the fourth quarter. “Devrie had a big game,” said Riddle. “I thought she really played under control. She wound up having seven turnovers in the Lonoke game but I would dare say she had two tonight under a lot of pressure. I was really proud of her and the way she handled it.”
Bowers paced Marianna (15-4, 7-1) with a game-high 27 points, Wade added 12 and post player Kayla Denton chipped in seven points and five blocks.
Attendorn paced Heber with 15 points, Skyar Johnson followed with 13, Long added 11, LaRosa had 10 and Lawrence finished with nine.
