The Highlander basketball teams cruised to easy victories at home against Cotter Monday night as both teams locked down conference championships.
The girls had lost a heartbreaker at Yellville-Summit last week, a game in which they had the chance to win the conference. Days later, Coach Ryan Sanchez still had trouble talking about that game. The girls outscored Yellville-Summit 8-1 in the last quarter to tie the game, then scored the first seven points in overtime. They missed some free throws, however, and the Lady Panthers made a series of unlikely shots for a one-point win.
Back home on Monday, a “To-Do list” was posted on the girls’ locker room door with one item: Protect This House. The Lady Highlanders got out to a quick start, but they hit a scoring drought in the second quarter. They stayed aggressive on defense, but Cotter found some post scoring, and it looked like the visitors would take a halftime lead. With 45 seconds left, Grayson Ertel put back a rebound, and Olivia Cross swished a three to give Eureka Springs a 20-19 lead at the half.
Cotter scored seven quick points before Shelby Little found Megan Holloway for an easy basket. A three-point play by Ertel gave Eureka Springs the lead halfway through the third quarter, and then the wheels came off for Cotter. Elisabeth Lester had back-to-back steals that led to baskets. The Lady Highlanders began moving the ball more crisply, leading to easy shots inside.
On the other end of the court, Cotter turned the ball over without getting off a shot on five consecutive possessions. When they finally got close enough to shoot, Holloway swatted the shot and grabbed the loose ball. Lester’s layup gave Eureka Springs a 44-28 lead after three quarters. Cotter had no answer for Holloway at either end of the court, and the student section chanted “Number One!” while the clock ran down on a 55-32 victory.
Holloway finished with 22 points, and Olivia Cross had 12. Lester and Ertel each finished with eight.
The boys team led by just a point after the first quarter, but the defensive intensity picked up. At the other end, Garrett Cross and Carter Drennon dominated the offense, and the Highlanders went into the half with a 34-18 lead. In the third quarter, Cotter’s best three-point shooter got some good looks, although they still had no answer for Cross and Drennon inside.
Eureka cruised to a 21-point lead after three quarters, but Coach Brian Rambo used the ensuing time out to demand better defense against Cotter’s shooter. He didn’t get off another shot. Rambo cleared the bench with 3:30 left in the game, en route to a 61-37 win. Drennon finished with 18, and Cross had 12. Slade Clark shot well early, as Cotter tried to defend other threats. “If you focus on any one aspect of our team, we have other weapons,” Rambo said. The coach also praised the team’s defensive effort. “We can play with anyone,” he said.
At Yellville-Summit last week, the boys won by 56-37. “It wasn’t as easy as the score sounds,” Rambo said. “We went into the fourth quarter leading by 10, but we were on the road against a good team.” Rambo said his team remained poised down the stretch of that game, breaking the press and finding easy scores.
Monday’s games had originally been scheduled for Friday, but widespread illness at Cotter forced the postponement. The high school teams were scheduled for Senior Night at home against Haas Hall Academy Tuesday night, and the district tournament will begin next week.
As conference champs, both teams automatically will receive a bye into the Regional Tournament.