MALIK MONK SHOWCASE
FAYETTEVILLE 73, LITTLE ROCK CHRISTIAN 67
BENTONVILLE -- Fayetteville junior Sasha Goforth knocked down a big three-pointer with 3 minutes, 45 seconds left to give the Lady Bulldogs a 61-60 lead, and she scored 12 of her game-high 29 points in the fourth quarter as her team held off Little Rock Christian 73-67 on Friday in the Malik Monk Showcase at Tiger Arena.
"Goforth and (Coriah) Beck were tremendous the whole game," Fayetteville Coach Vic Rimmer said. "When we had to have buckets, they got it done."
Little Rock Christian (9-1) gave Fayetteville all it wanted and then some, taking as much as a nine-point lead at 50-41 in the third quarter.
"We lost the game up on the scoreboard, but this is a win for our program," Lady Warriors Coach Ronald Rogers said. "We've been pushed every game, but we've played some great teams, and this is really good for our program, our kids, and this will get us ready for our conference."
After Goforth and sophomore Claudia Bridges went back-to-back from deep, Fayetteville (5-0) never trailed again. The Lady Bulldogs were able to close it out at the free-throw line as Beck hit a pair of clutch free throws to complete her 24-point outing.
Little Rock Christian, which owns impressive victories this season against both Conway and North Little Rock, seized the early momentum behind sophomore Wynter Rogers, the coach's daughter, and Amber Brown. Rogers finished with a team-high 20 points, and Brown had 19 despite foul trouble most of the second half.
Rogers gave the Lady Warriors a 40-36 halftime lead when she drained a three-pointer with Goforth's hand in her face at the end of the first half.
Brown's three-pointer with 4:39 left in the third quarter gave Little Rock Christian a 50-41 lead, but Fayetteville went on a 7-1 run and pulled within 52-51 at the end of the quarter on Bridge's deep three-pointer. Bridges finished with 11 points including 3 three-pointers.
The Lady Warriors went up 58-54 on a shot inside by Rogers, but Fayetteville went on a 10-2 run to earn a tough victory.
"That group right there is as good as any team in the state of Arkansas," Rimmer said of Little Rock Christian. "We were very fortunate to win the game."
Sports on 12/15/2018