Girls program in good shape

Lady Panthers lose lots of experience from 2014-15 team

Bud Sullins/Special to the Herald-Leader The Siloam Springs Lady Panthers posed for a picture with the Class 6A state runner-up trophy after losing to Greenwood 39-31 in the Class 6A finals last Friday at Bank of the Ozarks Arena in Hot Springs. The Lady Panthers finished the season with an 18-12 record overall.
Bud Sullins/Special to the Herald-Leader The Siloam Springs Lady Panthers posed for a picture with the Class 6A state runner-up trophy after losing to Greenwood 39-31 in the Class 6A finals last Friday at Bank of the Ozarks Arena in Hot Springs. The Lady Panthers finished the season with an 18-12 record overall.

Of the nine Siloam Springs girls basketball players who stepped onto the Bank of the Ozarks Arena court last Friday in the Class 6A state championship game in Hot Springs, only two of them will be back next season for the state runner-up Lady Panthers.

Siloam Springs (18-12) will graduate more than 85 percent of its total scoring from the 2014-15 season after losing seven seniors, most of who have played extensively the last two seasons and some the last three seasons.

Siloam Springs Lady Panthers (18-12, 5-8 7A/6A-Central)

2014-15 varsity basketball schedule

Date Opponent Result

Nov. 20 Gravette W, 59-19

Nov. 25 Stilwell, Okla. W, 72-31

Dec. 4 vs. LR Central% L, 52-45

Dec. 5 vs. Collierville, Tenn.% W, 60-33

Dec. 6 vs. Springfield (Mo.) Hillcrest% L, 46-38

Dec. 8 vs. Inola (Okla.)# W, 57-50

Dec. 11 vs. Tahlequah (Okla.) Sequoyah# L, 49-34

Dec. 13 vs. Verdigris (Okla.)# W, 58-55

Dec. 19 Rogers Heritage W, 48-28

Dec. 30 vs. Mingo Valley, Okla.! W, 48-17

Jan. 2 vs. Claremore, Okla.! W, 49-41

Jan. 3 vs. Prairie Grove! W, 48-39

Jan. 6 Springdale W, 51-44

Jan. 9 at Mount St. Mary* W, 51-30

Jan. 13 Greenwood* L, 69-39

Jan. 16 at Russellville* L, 44-38

Jan. 20 at Van Buren* L, 50-41

Jan. 23 Conway* L, 70-37

Jan. 27 Alma* W, 53-23

Jan. 30 at Bryant* L, 65-44

Feb. 6 Mount St. Mary* W, 43-15

Feb. 10 at Greenwood* L, 63-30

Feb. 13 Russellville* W, 57-44

Feb. 20 at Conway* L, 83-35

Feb. 24 at Alma* L, 64-59

Feb. 17 Van Buren* W, 62-53

Feb. 27 Bryant* canceled

Class 6A State Tournament in Siloam Springs

March 8 vs. Pine Bluff W, 52-34

March 9 vs. Mountain Home W, 46-26

March 10 vs. LR Parkview W, 59-48

Class 6A State Finals in Hot Springs

March 13 vs. Greenwood L, 39-31

* Denotes 7A/6A-Central Conference game

% Fayetteville Tournament

# Jerry Oquin Invitational in Inola, Okla.

! Siloam Springs Holiday Classic

The Lady Panthers lose senior starters Baily Cameron (11.1 points per game), Bailee Owens (7.7 ppg), Mayse Pippin (11.7 ppg), Taylor Gay (2.5 ppg), Rachel Jones (4.9 ppg) and senior reserves Mirna Torres (1.7 ppg) and Jaci Hoelscher (1.7 ppg).

"Couldn't be prouder of these guys," Siloam Springs head coach Tim Rippy said after the Lady Panthers' 39-31 loss to Greenwood in the state title game. "The whole group -- all seven seniors. They really committed everything to it."

The Lady Panthers will have six rising seniors for next year's team, but only two of them -- Abby Cox and Haley Stewart -- played significant minutes during the season.

Cox, a 5-foot-8 guard, averaged 1.9 points per game. Stewart -- a 5-9 post -- averaged 3.8 points per game.

"We'll have a really young group next year," Rippy said. "We've got kids that have not played a lot and it'll be a challenge. It's no secret it'll be a challenge. But I think that seeing this (state title game experience) will definitely help."

Sophomores Sidney Henry, Lillian Downing and Tori Oldham and juniors Alexis Duffy, Gabby Hufford, Larissa Tillery, and Hannah Eason all played for the junior varsity team.

Rippy said the sophomores and juniors played a key role on the bench this season with encouraging players and cheering for their teammates, including in the state tournament and state championship game.

"There was a lot of encouragement from the kids on the bench in every timeout, every huddle," Rippy said.

Rippy, who is 36-22 in two seasons at Siloam Springs, said the Lady Panthers program is "in a really good situation going forward" in grades seven through 12.

"Our numbers are up," Rippy said. "I think we have 25 seventh-graders, and that's with cuts. I think we had 57 or so try out. That's becoming a yearly thing, where we have 57 to 60 kids try out. I think the connection that some of these kids have made with the young ones have made a huge difference the last couple of years."

Rippy singled out senior guard Rachel Jones for her help with the younger program.

"Rachel works with our seventh-grade three days a week," he said. "At the (state) tournament last week, it was cool to see there were about 20 seventh-graders at the games, eighth-graders there, ninth-graders there. They were really supportive. Winning does that, but the relationships are really what do that."

Rippy also complimented his girls basketball coaching staff, which consists of varsity assistant Janet Moore, ninth-grade coach Rebecca Ault, eighth-grade coach Kelly Waters and seventh-grade coach Joellen Wright.

"We've got a great coaching staff that love kids, treat them right and work them hard," he said. "I couldn't be prouder of the program that, hopefully, we're building."

Lady Panther pride

Following the game on Friday, the Lady Panthers expressed how proud they were of their effort in the loss to Greenwood.

"I'm actually really proud of my teammates," said senior Baily Cameron, who signed with John Brown University in the fall. "I feel like we fought hard. We didn't give up when we were down. Last time we played them we would have just given up and laid down and said 'it's over, they can have it.' I was proud that we all came out and said 'no that's not going to happen.'"

The Lady Panthers lost to Greenwood by 30 and 33 points during the regular season.

Season turning point

It was embarrassing for the team the night it happened, but losing at Conway 83-35 on Feb. 20 changed Siloam Springs' season.

"It was the best thing that ever happened to us," Rippy said. "To get beat by 48 on the road. It woke us up."

The Lady Panthers agreed.

"I think it was kind of motivation just because I was embarrassed and it all motivated us to play really hard and to say that's not what we're capable of doing," said senior Mayse Pippin. "We can do much better than that."

After that Conway loss, the Lady Panthers lost at Alma on the Airedalettes' senior night, but the team then won its next four games -- beating Van Buren in the final regular season game and then defeating Pine Bluff, Mountain Home and Little Rock Parkview going into the state tournament.

"It's our senior year," Jones said. "We didn't want to give up like that."

Sports on 03/18/2015