Pointers Sweep Southside

A thirty-point win notwithstanding, Van Buren coach Chris Bryant knows the Lady Pointers are about to hit the gauntlet of the 7A-West race. Lani Snowden scored 16 of her game-high 19 points in the first half Tuesday to pace Van Buren to a 72-42 nonconference win over the Southside Mavericks. Both teams open conference Friday - Southside will host Conway and Van Buren travels to Bentonville West. "Right now there are a bunch of teams sitting there telling their players that they're tied for first place (7A-West) right now," Bryant said. "There are things we want to do to make us better. It's part of the process." Van Buren scored the game's first 15 points Friday before the Mavericks put together a nice run, outscoring the Lady Pointers 11-7 over the final 4 1/2 minutes of the first quarter. It's moments like this that keep Southside coach Steve Brown grinding. "Our job (coaches) is to keep the numbers up and keep getting better," he said. "Right now we're doing that." The road doesn't get any easier for the Mavericks. They open 7A-Central play Friday against Conway. Then there's Cabot, North Little Rock, Northside and Little Rock Central lurking. "They (Van Buren) can shoot it, but they're not the only team we're about to see," Brown said. "I told the girls they can't take plays off or coast. These teams (7A-Central) don't care - they'll beat you as bad as they can." Snowden's trey gave Van Buren a 15-0 lead with 4:51 left in the first quarter. The Pointerettes were 6-of-7 to open the game and a torrid 10-of-14 in the opening quarter. Thanks to Sharum and Montana Smith, the Mavericks closed to within 22-11 after one quarter of play. Van Buren (8-4) quickly extended the lead to 22 at the start of the second quarter as the fluid-passing Pointerettes stretched the lead to 35-13 on the strength of baskets from Snowden, Jamilyn Kinney, Ira Sandoval and Mikelle Porter. Van Buren 59, Southside 49 BOYS - K.J. Stewart had his way early for Van Buren Tuesday night. But it was veteran Beau Beckner who put the brakes on any Southside hopes in a heated nonconference battle at Southside Gym. Beckner scored 18 points and Jordan West added a baker's dozen to fuel the Pointers (7-6) to an 59-49 win over the Mavericks. Ike Moore and Tyrese Solomon led Southside (4-5) with nine points apiece. Van Buren led 9-3 early on before the Mavericks' Taye Gatewood scored to bring Southside within 13-11 with 5:05 to play in the half. Stewart's three-point play gave the Pointers a 20-11 lead, and Van Buren eventually led 25-16 at the break. Southside closed to within three (30-27) with 5:12 to play in the third quarter on Will Smith's 3-pointer. The Mavericks hit five second half 3-pointers after missing all but one in the first half. But the Pointers stretched the lead to 52-40. Southside got no closer than six the rest of the way.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Van Buren High School Athletics

POINTERS SWEEP SOUTHSIDE

KEVIN TAYLOR

Times Record | 1/4/2017