CABOT -- Fort Smith Northside, the top-ranked girls basketball team in the state, got what it wanted out of Tuesday night's 6A-Central game against Cabot at Panther Arena.
Coach Rickey Smith said he wanted to win, of course, and the Lady Grizzlies accomplished that with a 48-39 victory over a stubborn Cabot team.
More importantly, Smith said, is that he wanted his Lady Grizzlies (24-3, 13-0) to get the feel of what it is like to be in a close game with the state tournament coming up next week in Bryant.
Both missions were accomplished.
"Try being the defending state champs, the No. 1 team in Arkansas, you're winning the conference undefeated, you're on the road, and things aren't going good," he said. "That's the perfect recipe for our kids to get flustered. We faced adversity. We didn't play great. We found a way to win."
Northside led 24-17 at halftime and kept the lead above 10 points for most of the second half.
Adversity came in the way of foul trouble for two of Northside's top players -- 6-4 junior Jersey Wolfenbarger who got her third foul early in the second quarter and sat out much of the second half after drawing a fourth foul early in the third quarter.
There was also the dogged play of Cabot senior guard Shy Christopher, who sliced through Northside defenders with left-handed layups and scoop shots to score 28 points.
Tracey Bershers led Northside with 24, which compensated for Wolfenbarger's limited minutes that produced 15 points. Haitiana Releford also was limited because of foul trouble for Northside.
"We did everything we could do," Cabot Coach Jay Cook said. "Came up a little short. They made a couple of plays. Let them get up on us a little bit. Kept chipping away at them."
Cook said Cabot, which is still battling for a No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the state tournament, is not discouraged.
"Obviously, you've got to be able to have a little better balance," he said. "Got to have somebody come up and score a few. Easier said than done. They're so big at every spot. Physical. They've won how many in a row for a reason."
Tuesday's victory made it 19 in a row for Northside, which hasn't lost since falling to Greenwood 71-60 on Dec. 14.
Not only has Northside not lost, but its closest conference game was an eight-point victory at North Little Rock on Jan. 24.
"They're a good ballclub," Smith said of Cabot (21-5, 9-4). "It's hard when you're expected to dominate every night, every night, every night. For us to get the challenge and the adversity, I'm pleased with it. ... If we hit our shots early, get all the loose balls, and we win by 20, we get on the bus and we don't feel challenged. Tonight, we got better."
BOYS
CABOT 55, FS NORTHSIDE 54, OT
Jacob Hudson hit a three-pointer from the top of the key with 2.3 seconds left in overtime to lift the Panthers (17-10, 7-6 6A-Central) to a victory over the Grizzlies at Panther Arena.
Northside had enough time to inbound the ball and attempt a half-court shot, which missed.
Hudson scored 15 of his game-high 17 points in the second half, including all six of Cabot's points in overtime.
Northside (18-9, 8-5) took a 54-52 lead when Jacob Joe (10 points) made the front end of a one-and-one with 12.3 seconds to play, but he missed the second shot.
Hudson rebounded and gave the ball to teammate Jackson Muse, who dribbled past midcourt while looking for a teammate in the corner.
"He wasn't open, so he fed me," Hudson said. "I said, 'Hey, I'm the captain of the team, I've got to take this one.' So I took it."
Hudson said it was a great feeling to celebrate with his teammates and classmates after the final home game of his career.
"It's good to go out with a great memory," he said.
Jaylin Williams led Northside with 16 points.
Sports on 02/26/2020