Pointers’ Evans rises up in blowout of Har-Ber

Next man up. All coaches abide by the rule. No one loves it more than Van Buren girls basketball coach Chris Bryant. Friday, it was senior Kayleigh Evans’ turn. The 5-foot-11 senior post scored 25 points in the Lady Pointers’ 73-41 win over Har-Ber. A win over West today would even the team’s 6A-Central record at 3-3. “We finally got together and played more united,” Evans said. “We got two Ws out of it — we got our first conference W at home and our first road W. “It was a pretty big week for us.” Van Buren (9-9, 2-3) beat Heritage last week, 55-33, behind Evans’ nine-point effort. Against Har-Ber, the Pointers made sure to give her some good looks. “My team got me great looks and we had some good opportunities to shoot the ball or to drive inside,” Evans said. “We moved the ball a lot more. The more passing, the more good looks we got.” After today’s trip to West, the Lady Pointers cap the first round of conference play Friday at home with Springdale. Van Buren opened league play with the tough part of their schedule, which included unbeaten Fayetteville (5-0) and Bentonville (4-1). But a win over the Lady Wolverines could help Van Buren catch Rogers for a share of fourth place. “We have to keep our fight up,” Evans said. “We have to have good energy at practice and make make sure we have good practices before the game.” Honorable Mentions • Alma sophomore Ariel Towns-Robinson scored 18 points in the Lady Airedales’ 51-41 win over Greenbrier. • Arkoma’s Libby Sharp hit a game-winning basket with no time remaining to lift the Lady Mustangs to a 44-43 win over Keota. • Booneville’s Blakley Cobb scored 14 points and ripped down 14 rebounds Friday as the Bearcats extended their school-record winning streak to 18 with a 50-47 win over Jessieville. • Cameron’s Amber Battice had 16 points as the Lady Yellowjackets registered a 54-37 win against Panama. • Charleston’s Alli Green had 20 points Friday to power the Lady Tigers to a 51-40 win over Cedarville in 3A-1 West play. • Cedarville senior Chanel Kattich scored 18 points in the Lady Pirates’ 54-26 win over Mansfield last week. • Hackett’s Dylan Kats scored 17 points in the Hornets’ 47-39 conference 2A-4 loss to Danville. Kats also had 15 points in the team’s 59-34 rout of Johnson County Westside. • Heavener’s Trace McDaniel recorded 19 points, eight of those coming in overtime, as the Wolves outlasted Stigler, 66-62. • Lavaca’s Hope Headley scored 19 points Friday to help lead the Lady Golden Arrows to a hard-fought 57-53 win over Mountainburg in 2A-4 play. • Kiara Vasquez scored 15 points and had nine rebounds Friday night to power Magazine to a 54-29 win over Western Yell County. • Mena’s Connor Harvey hit 9 3-pointers and finished with 31 points in the Bearcats’ 56-46 comeback over Hope. • Mountainburg sophomore Ethan Gregory had 17 points in the team’s 63-41 triumph at Danville last week. • Muldrow’s Hannah Boyett scored 22 points and blocked four shots in the undefeated Lady Bulldogs’ 55-35 win at Stilwell on Friday. • Northside senior Sara Beshers scored 19 points and gobbled up 17 rebounds Friday to power the Lady Bears to a hard-fought 58-48 win over North Little Rock. • Panama’s Bryce Tackett had 27 points and hit five 3s in the Razorbacks’ 74-48 win against Cameron. • Paris senior Grayson Moore scored 17 points in the Eagles’ 50-46 win over Lamar last week. • Pocola’s Shakyrah Gladness tallied 19 points to lead the Lady Indians to a 55-39 win over Wilburton. • Poteau’s Kyson Hardaway led all scorers with 20 points and also had three steals in the Pirates’ 61-49 win over Sallisaw last week. • Roland’s Saylor Kemp scored 10 of her 14 points after halftime as the Lady Rangers rallied for a 40-35 overtime win over Stilwell last week. • Spiro senior Tylor Perry had 26 points and hit three 3-pointers in the Bulldogs’ 74-64 win against Poteau on Friday. • Waldron’s Payton Brown poured in 42 points in Friday’s 70-61 win over West Fork, including seven late free throws, as the Bulldogs won for the 16th time in 21 games.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Van Buren High School Athletics

POINTERS’ EVANS RISES UP IN BLOWOUT OF HAR-BER

KEVIN TAYLOR

Times Record | 1/22/2019

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy Photo