Class 7A Boys

Owens pulls off inside job, leads Springdale

NWA Democrat-Gazette/JASON IVESTER --03/06/2015--
Chris Owens, Springdale senior, manuevers to the basket against West Memphis on Friday, March 6, 2015, during the 7A State Tournament at Springdale Har-Ber High School. See more photos at nwadg.com/photos.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/JASON IVESTER --03/06/2015-- Chris Owens, Springdale senior, manuevers to the basket against West Memphis on Friday, March 6, 2015, during the 7A State Tournament at Springdale Har-Ber High School. See more photos at nwadg.com/photos.

SPRINGDALE -- Chris Owens will play guard at the NCAA Division I level in college, but the Springdale senior made his mark in the paint Friday in the first round of the Class 7A boys basketball state tournament.

Owens, 6-3, scored a game-high 25 points and created a matchup problem for West Memphis as the the Bulldogs defeated the Blue Devils 53-39 to advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament at Springdale Har-Ber High School.

"We put him down on the block late in the game when he had some mismatch problems," Springdale Coach Brad Stamps said. "With that four-guard lineup, it allows him to go down there to get post points. If he's got a big on him, he can take him out on the floor, and if he's got a guard, he can post him. And that's what we did late and got some baskets."

Springdale will face Bentonville (19-5) at 5:30 p.m. today. The Tigers are the No. 1 seed from the 7A-West Conference and won the teams' two regular-season meetings by a combined 15 points.

The Bulldogs (11-16) jumped out to a 15-8 lead after the first quarter and stretched it to 24-10 midway through the second quarter thanks to play by Owens and fellow senior TreShawn Gause, who finished with 14 points. Then Springdale went cold.

The Bulldogs didn't score over the final four-plus minutes of the first half or over the first three-plus minutes of the second. But West Memphis (12-16) couldn't take advantage, cutting the lead to 24-18 during the span as it struggled with offensive problems of its own.

"That was our opportunity," West Memphis Coach Larry Bray said. "We just did not shoot the ball well at all and we let them pretty much do the things they were comfortable with doing and couldn't get them out of their comfort zone.

"That was the big difference in the ball game."

Owens ended Springdale's drought with a basket and free throw in the third quarter, and the Bulldogs came back to life on the offensive end as they quickly built their lead back to 14 points by the end of the third quarter.

With Owens making plays in the post and Gause hitting mid-range jumpers, Springdale extended the lead to 18 in the fourth quarter.

The Bulldogs went with Owens at the power forward spot in a four-guard lineup that primarily consisted of him, Gause, senior Tyler Tutt and freshman Tyler Garrett along with junior forward Kyler Mahar.

"It gives us ball-handling on the floor and really helps us defensively as well," Stamps said.

Gary Ward scored a team-high 13 points for West Memphis, while Darius Williams chipped in 10.

Sports on 03/07/2015

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