By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
Cabot’s 7A/6A East Conference matchup with North Little Rock was close the whole way, but the Lady Panthers couldn’t stop Kyra Collier in the second half, and as a result, the Lady Charging Wildcats escaped Panther Arena with a 48-46 win Monday.
Collier, who scored 17 of her team-high 19 points in the second half, single-handedly kept NLR (15-6, 6-2) in the game when it looked as if Cabot (11-11, 2-6) may pull away as the third quarter came to a close.
Cabot gained its largest lead with 1:07 remaining in the third quarter on an Alyssa Hamilton putback after a Danielle McWilliams miss that put the host team up 35-27. Collier, however, scored the last seven points of the quarter to cut the Lady Panthers’ lead to 35-34 at the start of the fourth.
Collier drained a long jumper on the first possession of the fourth quarter to give NLR its first lead since the first half, and got a steal and Euro-step bucket at the offensive end shortly after to put the Lady Charging Wildcats on top 38-35.
The Lady Panthers battled back and re-took the lead on a baseline three by McWilliams that put the host team ahead 42-40 with 3:40 to play, but Collier answered with yet another basket at the other end to tie the game at 42 apiece. At that point, Collier scored 15-straight points for the Lady Wildcats.
“She really played well,” said NLR girls’ coach Daryl Fimple of Collier. “I told them at the half to just kind of cut it loose and see what happens. Sometimes, if you’re going to be a good team, you’re going to have to find ways to win one, and that’s kind of what we ended up doing.”
North Little Rock took the lead for good with 1:50 to play on a pair of free throws by Malica Monk that put the Lady Wildcats ahead 44-42. Monk scored again 45 seconds later on a steal and transition layup at the offensive end that gave NLR a four-point lead, leading 46-42.
Rachel Allgood was fouled on the ensuing possession, and she sank two free throws to cut the deficit to two with 56.6 seconds left. The Lady Panthers had three chances to tie the score in the game’s waning seconds, but failed to score on each occasion.
The most promising chance was on a Cabot steal and dish to Anna Sullivan up court. Sullivan, who led the Lady Panthers with 19 points, appeared to be on her way to a relatively easy lay in, but Monk came out of nowhere to block the shot and NLR gained possession. Sullivan was held scoreless in the fourth quarter.
“That was one of the most phenomenal things I’ve ever seen,” Fimple said of the block. “She’s one of those kids that does something amazing every game. Every game you’ll watch her do something and you’ll just say, ‘wow’. God has really blessed her with a lot of ability, that’s for sure.”
Collier scored the final points for NLR on a pair of free throws with 8.3 seconds left, and Hamilton set the final score on a putback with 1.2 ticks remaining.
North Little Rock led 14-12 at the end of the first quarter and the score was tied at 21-21 at halftime.
Cabot outrebounded NLR 26-24, and had the better shooting percentage. The Lady Panthers made 20 of 45 shots from the floor for 44 percent, bettering the Lady Wildcats’ 18 of 50 showing from the floor for 36 percent.
However, NLR was 3 for 11 from three-point range, and Cabot was 1 for 6. The Lady Wildcats also made more free throws, going 9 for 16 from the line. Cabot made 5 of 8 from the stripe.
Sullivan finished a rebound shy of a double-double, as she added nine rebounds to her 19 points. Hamilton added 10 points for the Lady Panthers. McWilliams scored nine.
