Third-quarter charge lifts Conway

CONWAY -- The final 5 ½ minutes of the third quarter were good to Conway.

The Wampus Cats closed the quarter on a 16-4 run and went on to defeat Van Buren 60-54 on Saturday in the John Stanton Classic at Buzz Bolding Arena.

Gentrell Taylor scored 15 points to lead Conway (6-4). Blake Bradshaw and Kylen Milton each had 10 points, while Carson Petrucelli and Kendarious Smith added 9 points apiece.

Conway led 30-22 at halftime, but Van Buren scored the first six points of the second half to cut the lead to 30-28.

The Wampus Cats then finished the third quarter on a 16-4 run to take a 46-32 lead. During the run, Taylor converted a three-point play and Smith made a three-pointer. The Pointers were held without a field goal for the final 5 1/2 minutes of the quarter.

"For us, it was attacking the rim," Conway Coach Will Johnson said. "That was our game plan. Attack early and often. The third quarter, that was a key emphasis coming out of halftime."

Pressley Kendrix's basket ended Van Buren's scoring drought with 6:42 remaining, pulling the Pointers within 46-35.

Conway's largest lead of the game was 55-43 with 3:30 left. Van Buren trimmed the deficit to 59-54 with 26.1 seconds left on Beau Beckner's three-point play, but that was as close as the Pointers would get.

First-year Van Buren Coach Austin Trembley said the third quarter was too much for the Pointers to overcome.

"It was a big spurt," Trembley said. "That was the separation in the game."

Van Buren was led by Jordan West with 15 points. Kendrix and Beckneradded 13 points for the Pointers.

CONWAY (60)

Milton 3 4-4 10, Petrucelli 3 3-7 9, Smith 2 4-8 9, Bradshaw 4 2-4 10, Fulton 1 0-0 2, Taylor 3 9-13 15, Obannon 0 2-4 2, Clark 1 0-0 2, Ashby 0 1-2 1. Totals 17 25-42 60.

VAN BUREN (54)

West 5 3-4 15, Stewart 3 2-7 8, Kendrix 4 3-5 13, Beckner 5 3-5 13, Rice 1 2-2 4, Salisbury 0 1-2 1. Totals 18 14-25 54

Conway (6-4) 14 16 16 14 -- 60

Van Buren (4-4) 11 11 10 22 -- 54

Three-point goals -- Conway 1 (Smith), Van Buren 4 (Kendrix 2, West 2). Team fouls -- Conway 21, Van Buren 24. Fouled out -- Van Buren (Stewart, Beckner, Shook).

Sports on 12/18/2016

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