NORTHSIDE LADY BEARS SURVIVE GREENWOOD IN ‘PHYSICAL’ CONTEST

GREENWOOD — Northside girls coach Rickey Smith was happy and relieved at the same time following the Lady Bears’ game Thursday. The Lady Bears held off a late Greenwood rally to post a 67-57 win at H.B. Stewart Bulldog Arena in a game which was also a costly one. Late in the first half, Northside senior forward Aniya Webster went down with an injury to her right knee, and Smith said afterward he wasn’t sure as to the severity of the injury or how long Webster would be out of action. “It was a very physical ballgame,” Smith said. “Very, very physical, that’s all I can say. “We missed a lot of shots early and then we started hitting some shots in the third quarter and got a big lead and then kind of relaxed, and that’s what happens when you have a young ballclub. But it was a quality win, because there’s not going to be many teams that will come out of this arena with a win.” Down 6-3 early, Northside (2-0) scored the final nine points of the first quarter to take the lead for good. Up 16-11 in the second quarter, the Lady Bears went on a 12-4 run to go in front by double digits. Northside then led by as many as 19 points late in the third quarter, 49-30. But the Lady Bulldogs gradually crept back. They got within six, 56-50, when junior guard Kyiah Julian hit a 3-pointer with 2:14 remaining. Greenwood also got within six three more times, including 63-57 with 37 seconds to go. But each time Greenwood got that close, Northside responded by hitting its foul shots. Junior Sara Bershers hit six consecutive free throws inside the final two minutes, the last putting Northside up 62-55. Then senior Sydney Green drained five free throws inside the last minute of play, making four straight for the final 10-point margin after the Lady Bulldogs got within six for the final time. Bershers finished with 17 points, while Green and freshman Jersey Wolfenbarger each had 14 points. Wolfenbarger also hit two 3's. Julian led all scorers with 20 points and had three 3's, and Kinley Fisher added 14 points and two 3's for the Lady Bulldogs. This Tuesday, Northside travels to face Pine Bluff while Greenwood is at home against Idabel, Okla.

NORTHSIDE LADY BEARS SURVIVE GREENWOOD IN ‘PHYSICAL’ CONTEST

BUCK RINGGOLD

Times Record | 11/21/2017

PHOTO CREDIT: Brian Sanderford