Tall task awaiting Episcopal – Arkansas Online

What Episcopal Collegiate girls Coach Micah Marsh sees in the team his Lady Wildcats will be facing today is something that may be surprising to others on the outside looking in.

His analysis about this year’s version of the Helena-West Helena Lady Cougars isn’t complicated, either. It’s rather succinct and to the point.

“They look like a team that’s lost just one game this year,” he said with a laugh. “The only game they lost was to Paragould, which is a Class 5A team. They’re good this year, there’s no way around it.”

There’s no way around what lies ahead over the next three weeks for Episcopal Collegiate (17-3, 7-1 3A-6), which will travel to face Helena-West Helena (19-1, 9-0) at 6 p.m. on the Phillips Community College campus. A victory for the Lady Wildcats would pull them into a tie with the Lady Cougars in the win column and give them an abundance of confidence as they head into the final stretch of the regular season.

And confidence can be a big boost for a young team like Episcopal Collegiate, which has won back-to-back games since dropping a 48-34 decision to Harding Academy two weeks ago.

The Lady Wildcats start three freshmen — Laney Marsh, Cydney Sanders and Elois Moore — but they’ve all been integral to the team’s success. All three have scored in double figures in multiple games and given Marsh additional options to complement what senior leaders Riley Brady and Ashauni Corley routinely give them.

“We’ve got a good mix with the young girls and the older girls,” he said. “As a coach, you know it’s gonna take time for some of the young ones to grow up, and the older ones to help them grow up, and then for everyone to get clicking. But to be honest, they’re playing really good.

“[Harding Academy] did beat us, and they deserved it. They played well, played harder than us and made shots when we didn’t. That comes with it, too, but I like where our team is right now.”

Actually, that loss at Harding Academy on Jan. 13 was the only setback Episcopal Collegiate has had over its past 12 games. It was also its lone hiccup in league play, but it did put them in position to try to play catch up to a team that’s one-upped just about everyone it’s faced.

Helena-West Helena has won 16 consecutive games since losing to Paragould 58-26 on Dec. 1. The Lady Cougars, like the Lady Wildcats, are young, and led by freshman guard Jordyn Gamble and sophomore guard Jakyra Jackson. The Lady Cougars’ average margin of victory during their current win streak is 30.4 points, and its 53-41 victory over Harding Academy on Tuesday was significant because it completed a season sweep.

“Helena is definitely good,” Marsh said. “They’ve got a good inside presence, got some good guards that can create and make things happen. They’re very active defensively, athletic and long. There’s not much about them that wouldn’t worry you as a coach.

“They’re showing everyone what they can do.”

Episcopal Collegiate would love nothing more than to put another feather in its cap by beating Helena-West Helenda, ranked No. 5 in Class 3A. It’d also potentially set up a winner-take-all matchup in the regular-season finale on Feb. 10. Three days prior to that, the Lady Wildcats have a rematch with Harding Academy.

“We’ve got a couple more weeks,” Marsh said. “We’ve got some things that, of course, we’d always like to be better at. But we play hard, and we seem to be putting some pieces together. We know it’ll be a tough game [today], but hopefully, we’ll have everything good and tight by tournament time.”

JONESBORO BOYS

Good one on deck

There’s no telling what the outcome will be when No. 4 Jonesboro enters Boone-Fitzpatrick Fieldhouse today to play top-ranked Little Rock Central, but Golden Hurricane Coach Wes Swift has a pretty good idea of what to expect when the ball is tipped off.

“One heck of a game,” he said. “It’ll be good one.”

The teams have split the past two meetings, with each winning on its own floor, but there’s a bit more riding on this current matchup, which is the first of at least two encounters this year. Jonesboro (19-3, 4-1) is in its first year in the 6A-Central Conference and trails Central (20-3, 5-0) by a game. The two won’t play again until Feb. 23 — the final game for either before state tournament play starts — and there will probably be plenty at stake in that one. Until then, both will look to gain the upper hand in Round 1.

The key for both, particularly Jonesboro, may be its ability to get in the lane and get to the foul line. The Golden Hurricane shot 20 free throws in their 62-45 win at Conway on Tuesday, and nearly all of them were a result of getting the ball inside in interior. That kind of action, according to Swift, can only benefit his team regardless of who they’re playing.

“That was something we haven’t done well,” Swift said, referring to shooting free throws. “We’re only shooting 13 free throws a game this year. Since that North Little Rock debacle [a 53-43 loss on Jan. 13], we’re moving the ball to get into the paint, and then play after we get those touches.

“When that happens, you get fouls called. If you never attack the paint, you aren’t going to get any fouls called. So we’re doing a better job of that.”

NASHVILLE GIRLS

Protecting their throne

The defending Class 4A state champions have played the part thus far.

Nashville (17-3), ranked No. 1 in its class, have won 12 consecutive games, with all but one of those coming by less than 23 points. The Scrapperettes’ only losses were to No. 1 North Little Rock (68-51), No. 2 Conway (78-67) and No. 3 Greenwood (80-61), and they’ve beaten five Class 5A teams, including No. 5 Little Rock Parkview (73-50).

“The girls are working hard, and we’re just moving right along,” Nashville Coach Paul Dean said. “These kids have worked really hard, and their attitudes have been fantastic. They stay energized, they stay positive, but the thing is, they always look for that room for improvement.”

The Scrapperettes’ improvement has been especially hard on Class 4A programs.

The only team in its classification that’s come close to testing Nashville was Morrilton (20-3), which is ranked No. 3 in Class 4A. The Scrapperettes made enough plays late to hold on for a 59-56 win during the Sheridan Invitational on Dec. 30. They’ve also won all seven of their 4A-7 Conference games by at least 47 points, not to mention an 85-38 victory Tuesday over a Magnolia team that had won six games in a row and eight of nine beforehand.

SUPER SIX

Cat fight

On a day where there’s plenty of notable games around the state, there are several girls’ encounters that stand out, with the biggest taking place at Charging Wildcat Arena.

No. 1 North Little Rock (19-3, 4-1) welcomes in No. 4 Cabot (18-2, 4-1) in a battle of teams locked in a three-way tie for first in the 6A-Central Conference with No. 2 Conway (18-5, 4-1). The winner is assured of at least remaining tied for the top spot, depending on what happens during the Lady Wampus Cats’ intriguing test with Bryant (13-6, 2-3).

The Lady Charging Wildcats have won seven of the last head-to-head matchups with the Lady Panthers, including a 68-37 win during last season’s Class 6A state tournament.

TIP-INS

Heber Springs girls Coach Spencer Gay was recognized for picking up his 100th career victory after his Lady Panthers knocked off Joe T. Robinson 70-31 on Tuesday. Gay coached on staffs at Saratoga, Star City and Springdale Har-Ber and served as the head coach at Stuttgart and Bauxite before taking over at Heber Springs. … Harrison boys Coach Greg Stahler will be gunning for victory No. 606 tonight when Harrison travels to Siloam Springs. Stahler has spent 33 years as a high school head coach, with 21 coming with the Goblins. … Ozark Catholic’s makeup games against County Line will take place Saturday at West Fork High School. The girls will play at 5:30 p.m., followed by the boys.

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