BENTONVILLE -- A missed free throw meant Avery Hughes had to wait a while before she joined some exclusive company, and she didn't even realize it at the time.
When the Bentonville High senior didn't sink her last free-throw try during a 50-44 victory over Fayetteville two weeks ago, it left her one point shy of 1,000 career points. Hughes wasted little time to become the fourth Lady Tiger to reach that mark three nights later against Rogers High as she quickly slipped inside and scored off a pass from Bella Irlenborn.
6A-WEST STATISTICAL LEADERS
FINAL
BOYS
TEAM OFFENSE G PTS AVG
Fayetteville 14 852 60.9
Springdale Har-Ber 14 825 58.9
Bentonville 14 741 52.9
Rogers High 14 733 52.4
Bentonville West 14 690 49.3
Springdale High 14 663 47.4
Van Buren 14 623 44.5
Rogers Heritage 14 605 43.2
TEAM DEFENSE G PTS AVG
Bentonville 14 625 44.6
Fayetteville 14 676 48.3
Springdale High 14 689 49.2
Rogers High 14 692 49.4
Rogers Heritage 14 725 51.8
Bentonville West 14 732 52.3
Van Buren 14 793 56.6
Springdale Har-Ber 14 800 57.1
INDIVIDUAL SCORERS
PLAYER, SCHOOL G PTS AVG
Jenkins, Springdale Har-Ber 14 258 18.4
Buchanon, Springdale Har-Ber 14 229 16.4
Mason Springdale High 14 206 14.7
Cooper, Fayetteville 14 201 14.4
T.Releford, Fayetteville 14 199 14.2
Da.Bailey, Bentonville West 14 195 13.9
Gilmore, Van Buren 14 183 13.1
Phillips, Van Buren 14 158 11.3
Clines, Rogers Heritage 14 158 11.3
Freeman, Bentonville 14 156 11.1
Deffebaugh, Bentonville 14 155 11.1
Di.Bailey, Bentonville West 14 154 11.0
Simmons, Bentonville 14 150 10.7
Paschall, Rogers High 14 147 10.5
Miller, Rogers High 14 143 10.2
Boyd, Springdale High 14 139 9.9
Shanks, Bentonville 14 139 9.9
Brothers, Van Buren 14 129 9.2
Bishop, Springdale Har-Ber 14 120 8.6
I.Releford, Fayetteville 14 119 8.5
Kimball, Rogers Heritage 14 115 8.2
Hobbs, Rogers High 14 106 7.6
Garrett, Fayetteville 14 100 7.1
Voigt, Rogers Heritage 14 92 6.6
Eckwood, Springdale High 14 90 6.4
Connor, Bentonville West 14 83 5.9
Rahme, Rogers High 14 81 5.8
Hardiman, Bentonville West 14 80 5.7
Hignite, Springdale High 14 77 5.5
Newton, Van Buren 14 70 5.0
GIRLS
TEAM OFFENSE G PTS AVG
Bentonville 14 877 62.6
Fayetteville 14 816 58.3
Rogers High 14 701 50.1
Van Buren 14 683 48.8
Springdale High 14 637 45.5
Springdale Har-Ber 14 561 40.1
Bentonville West 14 551 39.4
Rogers Heritage 14 547 39.1
TEAM DEFENSE G PTS AVG
Bentonville 14 526 37.6
Fayetteville 14 542 38.7
Van Buren 14 635 45.4
Rogers High 14 657 46.9
Bentonville West 14 715 51.1
Springdale High 14 721 51.5
Springdale Har-Ber 14 747 53.4
Rogers Heritage 14 830 59.3
INDIVIDUAL SCORERS
PLAYER, SCHOOL G PTS AVG
M. Davis, Springdale High 14 301 21.5
Koons, Springdale Har-Ber 14 233 16.6
Goforth, Fayetteville 14 221 15.8
Hughes, Bentonville 14 191 13.6
Dauda, Bentonville 14 170 12.1
Kash, Bentonville West 14 170 12.1
Beck, Fayetteville 14 162 11.6
Storey, Rogers High 14 157 11.2
Miller, Van Buren 14 152 10.9
Kannady, Van Buren 14 121 8.6
Evans, Van Buren 14 120 8.6
McConnell, Rogers High 14 120 8.6
Ryan, Van Buren 14 119 8.5
Wilson, Bentonville West 14 115 8.2
Smith, Bentonville 14 110 7.9
Bridges, Fayetteville 14 93 6.6
Starks, Springdale Har-Ber 14 93 6.6
Sanders, Bentonville 14 93 6.6
Treadwell, Rogers High 14 87 6.2
Figenskau, Rogers High 14 87 6.2
Mahone, Bentonville West 14 86 6.1
Gause, Springdale High 14 83 5.9
Greebe, Van Buren 14 81 5.8
Releford, Fayetteville 14 81 5.8
Irlenborn, Bentonville 14 81 5.8
Dickerson, Rogers Heritage 14 79 5.6
Lynge, Rogers Heritage 14 76 5.4
Cates, Rogers High 7 38 5.4
Knight, Rogers Heritage 14 75 5.4
Wood, Bentonville West 14 74 5.3
Minchew, Springdale High 14 71 5.1
Nelson, Springdale Har-Ber 14 71 5.1
Hayes, Bentonville 14 71 5.1
STATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS
BOYS
CLASS 6A
At Bentonville West
Today’s Games
Game 2 Springdale Har-Ber vs. Cabot, 2:30 p.m.
Game 4 North Little Rock vs. Springdale High, 5:30 p.m.
Game 6 FS Northside vs. Bentonville West, 8:30 p.m.
CLASS 5A
At Lake Hamilton
Tuesday’s games
Game 1 Marion vs. Benton, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3 Lake Hamilton vs. Jonesboro 5:30 p.m.
Game 5 LR Hall vs. Alma, 8:30 p.m.
Today’s games
Game 7 Russellville vs. Maumelle 2:30 p.m.
Game 2 Greenbrier vs. LR Parkview, 5:30 p.m.
Game 4 Pine Bluff vs. Vilonia, 8:30 p.m.
CLASS 4A
At Magnolia
Today’s games
Game 2 Dardanelle vs. Camden Fairview, 2:30 p.m.
Game 4 LR McClellan vs. Ozark, 5:30 p.m.
Game 6 Star City vs. Jonesboro Westside, 8:30 p.m.
CLASS 3A
At Osceola
Tuesday’s games
Game 1 Drew Central vs. Rivercrest, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3 Harding Academy vs. McGehee, 5:30 p.m.
Game 5 Baptist Prep vs. Elkins, 8:30 p.m.
Today’s games
Game 7 Valley Springs vs. Fountain Lake, 2:30 p.m.
Game 2 Waldron vs. Booneville, 5:30 p.m.
Game 4 Mayflower vs. Charleston, 8:30 p.m.
CLASS 2A
At Carlisle
Tuesday’s games
Game 1 Eureka Springs vs. Marked Tree, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3 Clarendon vs. Flippin, 5:30 p.m.
Game 5 Junction City vs. Quitman, 8:30 p.m.
CLASS 1A
At Izard County
Tuesday’s games
Game 1 Izard County vs. Jasper, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3 County Line vs. Western Grove, 5:30 p.m.
Game 5 Nevada vs. Timbo, 8:30 p.m.
Today’s games
Game 7 Mount Vernon-Enola vs. Kirby, 2:30 p.m.
Game 2 Dermott vs. Bradford, 5:30 p.m.
Game 4 Concord vs. Bradley, 8:30 p.m.
GIRLS
CLASS 6A
At Bentonville West
Today’s games
Game 2 Van Buren vs. Bryant, 1 p.m.
Game 4 North Little Rock vs. Bentonville West, 4 p.m.
Game 6 LR Central vs. Springdale, 7 p.m.
CLASS 5A
At Lake Hamilton
Tuesday’s games
Game 1 Nettleton vs. Hot Springs, 1 p.m.
Game 3 Lake Hamilton vs. Paragould, 4 p.m.
Game 5 Jacksonville vs. Russellville, 7 p.m.
CLASS 4A
At Magnolia
Today’s games
Game 2 Farmington vs. Nashville, 1 p.m.
Game 4 Brookland vs. Clarksville, 4 p.m.
Game 6 De Queen vs. Highland, 7 p.m.
CLASS 3A
At Osceola
Tuesday’s games
Game 1 Fouke vs. Tuckerman, 1 p.m.
Game 3 Hoxie vs. Helena-West Helena, 4 p.m.
Game 5 CAC vs. Lincoln, 7 p.m.
Today’s games
Game 7 Mountain View vs. Two Rivers, 1p.m.
Game 2 Valley Springs vs. Atkins, 4 p.m.
Game 4 Lamar vs. Charleston, 7 p.m.
CLASS 2A
At Carlisle
Tuesday’s games
Game 1 Danville vs. Marmaduke, 1 p.m.
Game 3 Melbourne vs. Hector, 4 p.m.
Game 5 Junction City vs. England, 7 p.m.
Today’s games
Game 7 Quitman vs. Cossatot River, 1 p.m.
Game 2 Bigelow vs. Murfreesboro, 4 p.m.
Game 4 Spring Hill vs. Poyen, 7 p.m.
CLASS 1A
At Izard County High School
Tuesday’s games
Game 1 Norfork vs. St. Paul, 1 p.m.
Game 3 Alpena vs. Maynard, 4 p.m.
Game 5 Kirby vs. Concord, 7 p.m.
Today’s games
Game 7 Wonderview vs. Caddo Hills, 1 p.m.
Game 2 Blevins vs. Rural Special, 4 p.m.
Game 4 Mount Vernon-Enola vs. Emerson, 7 p.m.
"I didn't know I was that close to breaking the 1,000-point mark," Hughes said. "But every step of the way, I'm loving it. (Bentonville assistant) Coach (Ray) Mayer told me about it a couple of days later. I wished I could have gotten that one point that night, but it all happens for a reason."
Hughes, the second of three Bentonville players who were moved up to the high school ranks as a freshman since the larger Northwest Arkansas schools were allowed to do it, will definitely leave her mark at Bentonville. She set three Lady Tiger single-game records last season when she hit 20 of 22 free throws and scored 34 points in a game against Greenwood.
Hughes scored 11 points in her last home game and moved into third place in Bentonville's career scoring list as the Lady Tigers (24-3) claimed the 6A-West Conference's top seed for the state tournament. When Bentonville heads into postseason play later this week, Hughes has 1,035 points and needs just five more to pass Martha Hancock -- who played for the Lady Tigers from 1995-97 -- for the No. 2 spot.
"When you think of that name or think of that player, there's not a game that I can't think of that she wasn't ready to go," Bentonville coach Tom Halbmaier said. "She had that ability to go ahead and play for four quarters and compete against whoever it might be.
"She's fearless. She's not afraid to go up against the best players. I think, early on, she tried so hard to prove herself. Now she comes in and has that sense of confidence. She has that ability to know if she doesn't start out well; she has the ability to finish well."
Halbmaier said it's hard at times to get on to Hughes -- who excels in the classroom as well as she does on the floor -- when she does something wrong because she already knows it and will try to correct the matter herself. She has such a presence on the floor and a relationship with her teammates that Halbmaier said he and his coaching staff will allow her to talk to other players during practice and go over certain situations before they step in and discuss the matter.
It's the kind of presence that Hughes admits she wished she knew about when she joined the Lady Tigers as a freshman.
"If I had the mindset that I have right now," Hughes said. "Just knowing that it's all going to work out if you work harder and keep going. But I don't want to change anything because of the opportunities that I've had here. I've had the best team and the best coaches. I know I've said it a million times, but I love everything about this school.
"I'm so thankful for this experience because it's shaped me into the player and the person I am today. Just the relationships I have built over time and getting the extra year here, it's really helped me. I'm thankful for all the time here. I was talking the with coaches the other day, and they said it's been a while, but I have loved every minute of it."
Sports on 02/27/2019