By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Sylvan Hills boys’ and girls’ basketball teams got wins in their respective tournaments on Thursday. The Lady Bears hammered their hosts 55-26 in the Joe T. Robinson Classic, while the boys skirted past their hosts 63-59 in the Lake Hamilton Invitational.
In the girls’ game in Little Rock, the Lady Bears were hot from outside in the first half. The first quarter saw a good mix of inside-out game by Sylvan Hills. Laine Ballard and Andrea Dolphin each hit 3-pointers while Alana Canady and Diamond Flanders scored inside. Sylvan Hills took an 18-12 lead into the second quarter, and that’s when it took over the game.
Ballard drained three more 3-pointers to spark a run by the Lady Bears. Sylvan Hills outscored Robinson 20-5 in the second period, and took a 38-17 lead into intermission.
Dolphin added another 3-pointer early in the third quarter before the pace slowed. Still, the Lady Bears outscored the Lady Senators 14-5, giving them a 52-22 lead and invoking the mercy rule in the fourth quarter.
Former North Pulaski point guard Aaliyah Bynum scored Sylvan Hills’ only basket in the fourth quarter.
Ballard led all scorers with 15 points, including four 3-pointers. Dolphin added 11 and Canady 10 for the Lady Bears.
The boys’ game was close throughout. Sylvan Hills built its biggest lead of 10 points late in the second quarter, but a series of turnovers just before halftime allowed Lake Hamilton to cut that margin to five by halftime.
“We didn’t finish the half well and that was disappointing and pretty frustrating,” said Bear coach Kevin Davis. “We didn’t play real well in the third quarter either, but we were able to get our heads back and finish it off.”
Jacobe Davis led the Bears with 19 points while Alex Curry scored 11.
The Bears were called for 28 fouls to just 14 on the host etams.
Sylvan Hills will face Class 1A powerhouse Kirby today at Lake Hamilton. Kirby is 9-1 so far this season.
