Shots fall for girls

SSHS avenges earlier loss to Van Buren

Bud Sullins/Special to Siloam Sunday Siloam Springs senior Mayse Pippin, left, goes up for a shot as Van Buren’s Halie Jennen defends Thursday at Panther Activity Center. Pippin scored 19 points in the Lady Panthers’ 62-53 victory.
Bud Sullins/Special to Siloam Sunday Siloam Springs senior Mayse Pippin, left, goes up for a shot as Van Buren’s Halie Jennen defends Thursday at Panther Activity Center. Pippin scored 19 points in the Lady Panthers’ 62-53 victory.

Siloam Springs didn't want Van Buren to heat up from behind the 3-point line in Thursday's 7A/6A-Central Conference game.

In their last meeting on Jan. 20 at Clair Bates Arena in Van Buren, the Lady Pointers buried 10 3-pointers in a 50-41 victory.

This time around, Siloam Springs held Van Buren to half the amount of made 3-pointers, and the Lady Panthers got hot from behind the line themselves in a 62-53 win at the Panther Activity Center.

Siloam Springs (15-11, 5-8 7A/6A-Central) hit a season-high eight 3-pointers and held Van Buren to just five treys, three of which were in the first quarter.

Siloam Springs coach Tim Rippy said in order to contain the 3-pointers from the Lady Pointers, Siloam Springs wound up giving up some easy layups because of Van Buren's quickness advantage.

"We had to give somewhere," Rippy said. "We didn't want them to get too hot from the 3-point line, so we wound up giving some layups. But going in we knew two's wouldn't beat us, so we had to give up a few.

"I thought we did a nice job executing our game plan. It was a nice job by our seniors stepping up."

Siloam Springs seniors Taylor Gay, Bailee Owens, Rachel Jones and Baily Cameron combined to hit eight 3-pointers.

Gay, who finished with three 3-pointers and a season-high 10 points, hit a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter, but the Lady Panthers trailed 19-16 heading into the second quarter.

Van Buren (14-12, 7-6) pulled ahead 21-16 at the start of the second quarter on a basket by Makenzie Glassco, but the Lady Panthers answered with a 15-2 run to close the first half, including nine straight points from Mayse Pippin.

Pippin scored back-to-back baskets inside to make it 21-20, and Siloam Springs took the lead a Pippin putback for a 22-21 lead.

Van Buren briefly retook the lead at 23-22 on a basket from Lani Snowden, but Pippin got it right back with 2:57 left on a three-point play and a 25-23 lead.

Cameron knocked down a 3-pointer at the top of the key for a 28-23 lead, and Jones hit another 3-pointer with 1:15 left before half as the Lady Panthers led 31-23 at halftime.

"We did a good job of executing, moving the ball, sharing the ball, getting the ball inside," Rippy said. "When the extra pass was there on the perimeter we did that. It's a big help when the kids step up and make some shots."

The Lady Panthers pulled ahead by 10 points to open the second half after Cameron's basket, but Van Buren scored five straight points to make it 33-28.

Gay answered with a 3-pointer for the Lady Panthers and a few minutes later Owens hit her second trey of the game for a 41-32 lead. Siloam Springs lead 44-38 going into the fourth quarter.

The Lady Pointers went on a 6-1 run to open the fourth quarter and pull within 45-42. Siloam Springs answered with Jones' second 3-pointer to get the lead back up to 48-42.

Pippin then scored two straight baskets and Cameron scored inside for a 54-45 lead. Siloam Springs made 8 of 12 free throws to finish the game.

Pippin, who scored one point in the loss at Van Buren, finished with a game-high 19 points.

"We held Pippin to one point at our place, and she was engaged tonight," said Van Buren coach Chris Bryant. "When we tried to double her and her teammates, to their credit, they knocked down some shots. You can take away one but not all."

Cameron added 13, while Owens scored 12 and Gay 10 for the Lady Panthers.

"That's a good balance," Rippy said. "If we shoot it, they have to guard everybody and our posts can get going."

Snowden led Van Buren with 16 points, while Michelle Faucher had 13 and Danae Goodwin 11.

Siloam Springs 62, Van Buren 53

Van Buren 19 4 15 15 -- 53

Siloam Springs 16 15 13 18 -- 62

Van Buren (14-12, 7-6): Snowden 16, Kinney 13, Goodwin 11, Sheppard 6, Glassco 2, Sutton 2, Jennen 2, Jones 1.

Siloam Springs (15-11, 5-8): Pippin 19, Cameron 13, Owens 12, Gay 10, Jones 6, Cox 2.

Alma 64, Siloam Springs 59

ALMA -- Siloam Springs couldn't slow down Alma on the Airedalettes' Senior Night.

Alma's Cierra Rainwater and Haley Ostrander combined to score 34 points and the Airedalettes defeated the Lady Panthers 64-59 on Wednesday inside Charles B. Dyer Arena.

With the win, Alma prevented Siloam Springs from notching the second seed out of the 7A/6A-Central Conference for the Class 6A State Tournament. Siloam Springs, which hosts the 6A State Tournament, finished 2-4 against 6A competition and will be the No. 3 seed and play Thursday at 1 p.m. against the No. 3 seed from the 6A-South.

The Lady Panthers, which defeated Alma 53-23 on Jan. 27, trailed 16-13 after the first quarter and fell behind 29-21 at halftime. Siloam Springs trailed Alma 48-44 going into the fourth period.

Baily Cameron scored a season-high 21 points and 12 rebounds for Siloam Springs, while Mayse Pippin had 16 and Bailee Owens 14.

Rainwater led Alma with 18 points, while Ostrander had 16, Bailey Jones 12 and Lania Wright nine.

Alma 64, Siloam Springs 59

Siloam Springs 13 8 23 15 -- 59

Alma 16 13 19 16 -- 64

Siloam Springs: Cameron 21, Pippin 16, Owens 14, Hoelscer 2, Torres 2, Gay 2, Cox 1, Stewart 1.

Alma: Rainwater 18, Ostrander 16, Jones 12, Wright 9, A. Ostrander 4, Dunbar 4, Fagan 1.

Sports on 03/01/2015