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The Berryville Lady Bobcats don’t win every time they step on the floor. But they don’t quit, either.
The Lady Bobcats pulled off two comeback victories in three games in the 15th annual CS Bank Holiday Hoops tournament last week at Bobcat Arena, capped with a 64-54 victory over Mayflower in the tournament’s third-place game on Saturday, Dec. 28.
Berryville rallied to win that game after trailing by seven points early in the third quarter.
Two days earlier, the Lady Bobcats had erased an early 21-4 deficit to beat Heber Springs 4744 in a first-round game.
Berryville lost to undefeated De Queen, which went on to win the tournament championship, 64-29 in a semifinal game on Friday, Dec. 27.
Against Mayflower, the Lady Bobcats fell behind 34-27 at halftime and were down 36-29 in the third quarter before going on a 21-4 run to take control.
Berryville made four three-pointers during that run, starting with a shot from junior Paige Thurman that pulled the Lady Bobcats within four. Junior Hailey Howerton added another three to cut Mayflower’s lead to 38-36, then Thurman connected again to get Berryville within one at 40-39 with 4:19 to play in the quarter and start 16-0 run for the Lady Bobcats. Less than a minute later, senior Taelor Tomlinson dropped in a three-pointer from the left wing to put Berryville up 4240 — the Lady Bobcats’ first lead since the first four minutes of the game.
Berryville didn’t take long to add to its advantage. Thurman converted a fast-break layup and Tomlinson converted a pair of steals into two quick baskets. Howerton converted a three-point play off an assist from senior Kynadee Hopper before junior Kaylyn Smith made the first of two free throws for a 5240 Berryville lead.
Mayflower got within eight on two free throws early in the fourth quarter but Thurman hit a three-pointer from the left corner with 6:51 remaining to push Berryville’s lead back to 11. Mayflower cut that to seven but Howerton’s three with 2:19 left made it 62-52.
Thurman led Berryville with 15 points, including 13 in the second half. Howerton’s 13 points all came in the second half. Junior Tessa Johnson added 12 points for the Lady Bobcats, including nine in the first half on three three-pointers that kept Berryville within striking distance.
Tomlinson had seven of her 10 points in the third quarter, when the Lady Bobcats outscored Mayflower 25-8.
As impressive as Berryville’s comeback against Mayflower was, it might have paled in comparison to what the Lady Bobcats did against Heber Springs in the first round of the tournament.
The Lady Panthers scored 21 consecutive points to close the first quarter with a 21-4 lead and still led by 16 early in the third quarter after beating the Berryville press for a layup that made it 37-21.
The Lady Bobcats got their offense rolling at that point, however, starting with a three-pointer from Howerton that cut Heber Springs’ lead to 37-24 with 4:22 remaining in the quarter and started a run of 12 consecutive points for Berryville. Smith’s steal and layup pulled the Lady Bobcats within four, at 37-33, with 6:05 left in the fourth quarter.
Heber Springs responded with a three and a bucket inside the lane to build its lead back to nine, but still Berryville wouldn’t go away. Hopper converted a steal into a layup, Howerton hit a three-pointer from the right corner and then added two free throws, then Smith dropped in a three from the left wing off a pass from Howerton in transition to put the Lady Bobcats ahead 43-42 with 2:10 remaining.
Heber Springs retook the lead at 44-43, but the Lady Panthers didn’t score again.
Howerton tied it with a free throw at the 1:46 mark, then scored on an assist from Smith after a steal for a 46-44 Berryville lead. Unable to answer, Heber Springs fouled Thurman with 5.9 seconds left and she converted the first of two free throws for the game’s final point.
Howerton led Berryville with 19 points, including 17 in the second half.
The Lady Bobcats ran into a buzzsaw in a De Queen team that looked the part of a state championship contender. The Lady Panthers led 19-6 at the end of the first quarter and 3714 at halftime. Thurman led Berryville with 11 points.
Berryville, which has won 11 of its last 12 games, will travel to Elkins on Friday, Jan. 3, then will host Gravette on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at Bobcat Arena. Both are 4A-1 conference games.
Berryville's Hailey Howerton scores in the lane against De Queen. (Charles Chappell / Carroll County News)
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