Conway’s girls basketball team welcomed the returned of an injured player Tuesday night while the boys watched the debut of a much-anticipated newcomer at Buzz Bolding Arena.
Junior Enjonae Chambers, the leading scorer on last year’s Lady Cats, played her first game after surgery and scored 26 points and had four steals in leading the Conway girls to a 90-64 victory over Cabot, the defending girls 7A state champion.
After the score was tied at 41 at the half, the Lady Cats outscored the Lady Panthers, 49-23 in the second half.
“Enjonae Chambers came back for her first game tonight coming off of shoulder surgery and showed what difference she makes for our team,” said Conway coach Ashley Nance. “Each individual who came out on the floor gave 110 percent and did their job, as a coach that is all you can ask for.”
Meanwhile, freshman guard Adrien Moore, one of the top-rated players his age at his position in the country, scored 22 points in leading the Wampus Cats to a 64-44 romp over the Panthers in their season opener
For the Lady Cats, Jordan Danberry added 19 points and 10 assists. Kianna Speight had 19 points and Allie Pack added 10. Claire Hobbs had 10 points and six assists.
“I was very pleased with the way our team came out to play tonight,” Nance said. “We knew tonight was going to be a tough game hosting the defending 7A State Champs and the program that they have at Cabot.”
The Wampus Cats broke their game open early with a 13-0 run in the first quarter.
Moore also had three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Guard Tim Boyd added 16 points and three steals for Conway. Dominic Taylor added nine points and three assists. Justin Leon and Sean Criswell had six rebounds each. Trent Walder had three assists and three steals.
After trailing by 15 points in the second half at Ruston, La., on Tuesday, the University of Central Arkansas Sugar Bears rallied to take a two-point lead in the last two minutes, but a late turnover and a pair of Louisiana Tech sealed a 65-63 victory by the Lady Techsters.
Leading by one with two seconds left, Tech’s Brittany Lewis went high over Courtney Duever to intercept an inbounds pass, made one of two free throws, then Tech watched a heave from half court by Micah Rice sail to the right of the rim.
“We did fight when we got down,” said UCA coach Sandra Rushing. “It’s easy to fight when you’re down because there’s no pressure. I’m frustrated with this basketball game. We’re not listening, we’re not executing, and we’re not doing the things I’m asking them to do. But that will change.”
Senior forward Megan Herbert recorded her 69th career double-double and led all players with 24 points and 13 rebounds – including 15 points and eight rebounds in the second half. Herbert now has 1,163 rebounds for her career, passing Checola Seals for fourth in UCA history.
At Grove Gymnasium, Hendrix College senior guard Jaren Riley scored a career-high 33 points, and made seven 3-pointers, one off the school record, to lead the Warriors (1-2) to a 70-60 victory over the University of the Ozarks.
Junior forward Colton Primm complemented Riley’s performance with 16 points and 15 rebounds.
Along with his 33 points, Riley dished out five assists and grabbed four rebounds. Sophomore forward Luke Vance came off the bench for 12 points and six rebounds. Freshman guard Jordan Taulton dished out five assists and senior center Dayton Sheridan had four points, five boards and two blocks.
Hendrix will compete in the Rhodes College Thanksgiving Classic in Memphis, Tenn., beginning with Rust on Saturday.
In the first game of a doubleheader on Cliff Garrison Court, Ozarks defeated the Hendrix women, 80-61.
With the loss, the Warriors fell to 0-3, while the Lady Eagles improved to 1-2.
Junior center Jamie Tate paced the Warriors with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Freshman guard Caitlin Kriesel-Bigler scored 14 points, hitting four 3-pointers, and dished out four assists. Hubbard registered a season-best 13 points and freshman Katy Gallien had five points, six rebounds and four assists. Junior Katie Coughran added six points and six rebounds.
Hendrix will compete in the Fred Raizk Memorial Tournament in Wilmington, Ohio against Saint Vincent on Saturday.
Conway White defeated Mount St. Mary, 35-26, in ninth-grade girls basketball Monday.
The Lady Kittens are 6-0 overall and 1-0 in conference.
(Sports information departments at Hendrix and the University of Central Arkansas contributed to this report)