The
Daily Citizen SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2011
SPORTS
SHS BASKETBALL PLAYERS GIVE BACK
SECTION B Sports Editor Kyle Troutman 501-268-8621 ktroutman@thedailycitizen.com
Hoops Roundup Wildcats victorious, 57-39 Harding Academy’s varsity boys basketball team, 6-4, picked up a win in its opening game of the Arkansas Baptist Tournament Friday, defeating Cutter-Morning Star, 57-39. The Wildcats led throughout the game and had 10 different players score points in the contest. Cutter-Morning Star keyed in on Will Francis, which allowed the team to spread the ball around and mix up scorers. Francis led the Wildcats with 19 points, and David Brooker put up 10 points. Harding Academy faces host Arkansas Baptist tonight at 8:30 p.m.
Lady Cats double up
Kyle Troutman/ktroutman@thedailycitizen.com
Searcy’s Emaje Young helps fourth grader Jerred Sandefur identify a shape the two have created from cutting construction paper Friday afternoon in Tia Etheridge’s class.
Players help 4th graders with geometry BY KYLE TROUTMAN ktroutman@thedailycitizen.com
Searcy’s varsity boys basketball team took a trip down memory lane Friday. All 19 of the players visited Tia Etheridge’s fourth grade class to help her students with a geometry project, cutting up construction paper and taping it together in a shape-identification exercise. Etheridge said the class was overwhelmed to hear the team was coming. “They were crazy excited,” she said. “I was like Christmas at school.” The fourth grade teacher said she chose the geometry project because it allowed for the students to get some 1-on1 time with the players. “I wanted it to be something more fun and more hands on,” Etheridge said. Sophomore Emaje Young said the activity was both fun and helpful. “It’s a lot of fun and it’s a good thing to do, giving back to the community,” he said. “I know when I was little, it was always exciting to have guests in the classroom.” Head Coach Jimmy Summers said the players giving back to the community is a big aspect of why they visit Southwest Middle School. “It’s good for the players to give back a little bit,” he said. “They come in apprehensive, but when they leave, I think they feel better about it than the kids do. For some of these guys, it’s the first time they’ve been put in a position where they have to help and teach someone. It’s good that they can take advantage of being in a prestigious position on the high school basketball team. Not everyone gets to do this.”
Rose Bud picks up 9th win Rose Bud’s varsity girls basketball team, 9-1, defeated Bradford on the road Friday night, 49-30. Head Coach Mandy Goodwin said her team started slow in the first half, but started hitting shots in the second half to break open the lead. Goodwin also said the Lady Ramblers played tough defense throughout the contest, which was the most decisive factor in the victory. Tori Willborg led Rose Bud with 13 points, and Tori Lemieux added 12 points. Sara Sartin pulled down 7 rebounds in the road win. Ashton Barron led Bradford with 16 points. Rose Bud’s next game will be in the Greer’s Ferry Lake Classic on Tuesday, Dec. 27. Bradford will head to the Carlisle Invitational Tournament Dec. 27.
Lions fall to Paragould Kyle Troutman/ktroutman@thedailycitizen.com
Searcy’s Javien Reynolds helps fourth grader J.D. Summers put the finishing touches on a pyramid Friday afternoon in Tia Etheridge’s class. Etheridge said one of the goals was to give the students some role models to look up to. “It really intensifies the relationship because it’s 1-on-1 with what these kids see as local celebrities,” she said. Young said the experience has helped him see how
much of a role model he can be in the community, and it brings the team together even more. “They look at us as role models because one day, they’d like to do the same thing,” he said. “The activity also brings the team together in many
ways, like making us more of a family and giving us some good laughs. It’s the little things that are important.” The Lions hope to use the team-building exercise to their advantage this week, when they open play Wednesday at the Greenbrier Tournament.
HU hosts St. Edward’s today BY NATHAN LOONEY Special to The Daily Citizen
The Harding women’s basketball team looks for its third straight win today as it hosts St. Edward’s at 5:30 p.m., at the Rhodes Field House. The Lady Bisons head into the game with a 4-2 record. It is the third of a four-game home stand for Harding. In their last two home games, the Lady Bisons have defeated their opponents by a 34-point margin. Harding defeated Central Baptist 80-30 and Christian Brothers 74-56.
Harding Academy’s varsity girls basketball team, 4-4, doubled Cutter-Morning Star’s total in the first round of the Arkansas Baptist tournament, defeating the Lady Eagles, 64-32. Head Coach Rusty Garner said his team had about the best first quarter any team could hope for, putting up 29 points to Cutter-Morning Star’s 12. The Lady Wildcats came out with heavy pressure and forced a lot of turnovers, which allowed the team to make easy baskets on open looks. Riley Rose led Harding Academy with 13 points and Lynlee Crowell added 11 points. The Lady Wildcats face host Arkansas Baptist tonight at 7 p.m.
The Lady Bisons are led by senior guard Sierra Rollins who averages 15 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
Freshman guard Montana Lewis is coming off a careerhigh performance against CBU. She led the Lady Bisons with 22 points, making 7-of10 from the field. Freshmen Lewis and Arielle Saunders are perfect from the free throw line this season. Lewis has made 11-of-11, and Saunders has made 4-of-4. St. Edward’s, an NCAA Division II member of the Heartland Conference, heads into today’s contest with a 3-8 record. The Hilltoppers have fallen in their last four games, in-
cluding losing 80-52 against Great American Conference member Arkansas Tech last weekend. SEU is led by freshman guard Maddie Wheeler who averages 10.8 points. Harding leads the series between the two teams 4-1. The last two meetings had to be decided in overtime. The Lady Bisons pulled out the win both times, winning 91-87 in Searcy in 2008 and 77-76 in Austin in 2009. Check out hardingsports. com for live stats and live video.
Searcy’s varsity boys basketball team fell to Paragould on the road Friday night, 49-46. The Lions were down by 3 points late in the fourth quarter and took a time out with 10 seconds left. Searcy set up a play for a 3-pointer to tie the game, but the shot at the buzzer didn’t fall. Dezmond Stegall led the Lions with 18 points and Johnathan Powell picked up 10 points. Searcy will take on Mountain View Wednesday night in the Greenbrier Tournament.
Harding men’s basketball team to play 2 BY SCOTT GOODE Special to The Daily Citizen
AUSTIN, Texas — The Harding men’s basketball team will compete at the St. Edward’s Classic for the third time beginning Sunday with a matchup against Texas A&M-Commerce. Monday, the Bisons will meet host St. Edward’s. The games will be played at the Recreation and Convocation Center in
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