Basketball: VBHS Sweeps Springdale

Two key scoring runs were all the Van Buren Lady Pointers needed on Friday night. Van Buren parlayed a scoring spree near the end of the first half with another to end the third quarter to beat Springdale, 58-38, at Clair Bates Arena. Van Buren (14-3, 5-0 7A-West) led just 23-19 in the second quarter when it reeled off 11 straight points to take command. Jamilyn Kinney dished out assists on three straight buckets, the first to Taylar Sutton, then consecutive baskets by Halie Jennen. Sophomore Jentry Myers added a basket off an offensive rebound and finished the run with a 3-pointer for a 34-19 lead with 1:12 left in the half. "To finish the half like that and to keep the awareness, Springdale is very talented, and finish like that is a real positive," Van Buren head coach Chris Bryant said. Van Buren led 41-27 before putting the game away with an 8-0 run in the final 2:12 of the third quarter. "That's where I think we're growing as a team," Bryant said. "We've been working on clock management. When you have shooters and kids that are explosive, offensively, as some of these girls are it's hard to pull back the reins." Lani Snowden scored underneath to start the run off a feed from Bailey Jones, Jones then bagged a trey from a kick-out from Snowden, Irasema Sandoval hit a free throw, and Snowden converted a fast-break layup on a pass from Jennen for a 49-27 cushion after three quarters. "They share the basketball," Bryant said. "They love to make the pass as much as they love to make the shot, which is unusual when you have kids that shoot the basketball the way they do. It speaks to what kind of teammates they are." Snowden led Van Buren with 16 points, including a pair of 3-pointers in the first four minutes, and Jones added 13 points. Kinney had nine points and nine assists, and Jennen chipped in eight points. "When we're balanced, we have spurtability," Bryant said. "I thought tonight right off the bat you could tell Lani was going to shoot the ball well. They looked for opportunities to get her the ball." Springdale (9-9, 3-2) was led by Marquesha Davis with 11 points. Van Buren 42, Springdale 35 (OT) BOYS - Beau Beckner drained 9-of-12 free throws in overtime, and on one of the misses Caleb Salisbury grabbed the rebound and scored, to lead Van Buren to the overtime win. Van Buren (10-8, 3-2) trailed 29-20 with two minutes left in the third quarter before rallying. Salisbury hit a tying 3-pointer with 52 seconds left in the fourth quarter to send the game into overtime. Salisbury also had a steal and layup in the third quarter. Presley Kindrix had a driving bucket, and Jordan West a running jumper from the baseline in the quarter. Van Buren held Springdale to no field goals in the fourth quarter in seven attempts and to zero in 13 from late in the third quarter until 1:04 was left in overtime. Beckner finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Salisbury added nine points off the bench. Springdale (5-12, 2-3) was led by Justin Bilyeu with 11 points.

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BASKETBALL: VBHS SWEEPS SPRINGDALE

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Times Record | 1/21/2017