By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
A big third quarter helped lift the Sylvan Hills girls to a 53-42 win at Maumelle on Tuesday.
The Lady Bears (3-2) didn’t play up to their capabilities in the first half, according to their head coach, and as a result, they trailed by three points at halftime. The Lady Bears came out in the second half and played with more urgency, and also did a much better job on the boards.
“I was so mad, I almost felt like I couldn’t make it to the locker room quick enough,” said Sylvan Hills coach Shelley Davis of the first half. “I didn’t even recognize the team out there. We just totally were out of control, playing hot potato, and I can’t stand that kind of basketball.
“The third quarter, we kind of settled back down and got into some things. But Maumelle did a great job, because they were totally disrupting anything we were trying to do.”
Maumelle (4-4), who didn’t win a game a season ago, led 24-21 at the break. But Sylvan Hills outscored the Lady Hornets 22-4 in the third quarter to take a 43-28 lead at the start of the fourth quarter.
The Lady Bears took the lead within the first 30 seconds of the second half. Jayla Bell scored on the first possession of the half and Raigen Thomas got a steal and layup on the ensuing possession, which gave the Lady Bears a 25-24 lead and forced a Maumelle timeout with 7:33 left in the quarter.
The timeout didn’t slow the Lady Bears’ momentum. They made their first four shots of the third quarter, and took their first double-digit lead at 36-26 with 3:49 left in the period. That margin was set on two free throws by Diamond Flanders.
Sylvan Hills’ lead grew to 15 by quarter’s end, with the last points of the period coming on a 3-pointer from the corner by Da’bria Thompson with 40 seconds left.
Both teams made eight field goals apiece in the first half, but Maumelle made five threes to Sylvan Hills’ one. Maumelle also outrebounded the Lady Bears 23-21 in the first half.
In the second half, Sylvan Hills outrebounded the Lady Hornets 25-16, and in the third quarter alone, the Lady Bears made nine field goals, including a 3-pointer, while Maumelle was held to just one field goal in that period.
In addition, the Lady Bears only committed two turnovers in the third quarter, while Maumelle had six.
“That helped, too,” Davis said of the third-quarter turnovers, or lack thereof. “They did turn it around in the third quarter.”
The fourth quarter was more balanced, scoring-wise. Both teams made five field goals in the period. Sylvan Hills maintained their 15-point lead late at 53-38. Maumelle added the final four points to set the final score.
Sylvan Hills went 22-68 from the floor Tuesday for 32 percent. Maumelle went 14-57 from the floor for 25 percent. Both teams made seven free throws in the game, but from 3-point range, the Lady Bears went 2 for 7, while the Lady Hornets went 7 for 31.
Four Lady Bears scored in double figures Tuesday and three finished with a double-double. Thompson had 13 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. Thomas had 11 points, 10 rebounds and four steals. Bell had 10 points and 12 rebounds. Flanders had 11 points, seven rebounds and five steals.
Kamri Summons led Maumelle with 12 points and five steals. Kayla Woods-Gray was one of four Lady Hornets with at least eight points, but the 5-foot-6 senior guard had a game-high 14 rebounds.
