By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
The Searcy Lady Lions are off to a good start in their 6A-East Conference schedule with a 50-46 road victory over West Memphis and a close, 50-46 loss at Mountain Home on Tuesday night.
The Lady Lions (8-7, 1-1), who reached last year’s state final, were one of the few teams in Arkansas who went through with their Tuesday game after winter weather hit the entire state Sunday night.
The already lengthy trip to Mountain Home was made even longer with a departure time from the high school at 11:45 a.m.
“I think Mountain Home is a tough place to play,” Searcy coach Michelle Birdsong said. “That was probably the best performance from any Searcy team I’ve taken up there. I thought our defense did a good job of keeping them from scoring outside. They had a few, but not as many as they normally do.”
Senior Elliot Scarborough led the Lady Lions with 20 points and four rebounds and classmate Chelsea Butler added eight points and six rebounds. Freshman Brittnee Broadway had five points and four rebounds.
“We did a good job of handling their pressure,” Birdsong said. “For us to be out with a snow day, the kids played well.”
Birdsong said there are several factors that make Mountain Home a difficult place to play.
“Their crowd is loud, but I don’t know if it’s more to do with having to ride on a bus all day to get there,” Birdsong said.
“You get there, and it’s cold in their gym. They also tend to be a little more aggressive than they would in other places, where they wouldn’t be able to get away with quite as much in my opinion.
“So, it’s a combination of a lot of different things.”
Broadway and Butler led the way in the Lady Lions’ victory over West Memphis Jan. 7. Both had 15 points, while Lindsey Hanshew added 10.
Searcy outscored West Memphis 17-5 in the first quarter and never trailed.
“I thought we came in and played well in the first quarter,” Birdsong said. “That was the difference in the game. We go up by 12, we play the rest of the game even, and we end up winning by 12. Getting off to a good start was a big help for us.”
Junior post Kierra Blanks has been Searcy’s defensive catalyst early in 6A-East play.
“She’s a 5-7 post player, and she’s had to guard girls who are 6-1 and 6-2,” Birdsong said. “She does a tremendous job not allowing their post players to get inside even though she’s outsized. Her effort sparks our defense.”
The road trips to West Memphis and Mountain Home, plus Jonesboro later this season, are the longest for Searcy and the teams also among the toughest to play.
For Birdsong, a big victory and close loss to a team expected to be a serious 6A-East contender is a relief.
“We’re getting off to a good start,” Birdsong said. “To get over there to West Memphis and win, and to get in there and play within four points of Mountain Home, who I think is going to be one of the better teams in conference, we’ve started off well.
“I know we have a loss, but I’m proud of our start.”
