Game Report: LR Central vs Bryant (1/14)

Preview   Central High School out of Little Rock played their first conference road game of the season at Bryant High School. The Central Lady Tigers were coming into this game 12-4 on the year, with a win in their lone 6A central conference matchup. The Bryant Lady Hornets, on the other hand, entered last night's matchup 9-9, and their first conference game was canceled due to the heavy snowfall throughout the state.   The Lady Tigers came into the game as the heavy favorites, as the Lady Hornets were still dealing with multiple injuries. Despite that, Central did not break away early as expected.   Recap   Bryant started the game on a 5-0 run, singlehandedly by junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1060899' first='Brooklyn' last='Kuchinski']. Central was playing with a 2-3 zone, and she was able to sneak to the backside of the zone and get open looks. After several Tiger turnovers, Central head coach Marlon Williams called a much-needed timeout to get his group to settle down. The timeout clearly worked wonders, as the Tigers went on a run of their own, scoring 7 straight. During that run, Central started to heat up from outside, with [player_tooltip player_id='465505' first='Ky' last='Wilson'] and Taylor Day-Davis knocking down multiple triples. They would take control by the end of the period, leading 14-7.   In the second quarter, Little Rock Central still had control, as they continued to make multiple outside shots. The Hornets, at the same time, could not hold on to the basketball, giving up several fastbreak opportunities for the Tigers. Central went into the half with a 17-point lead, but that lead would be threatened not long after.   Whatever Bryant coach Eric Teague said to his squad in the locker room at the half seemed to work. The Hornets ramped up their full-court pressure, forcing turnovers and giving them extra scoring opportunities. Bryant would claw back from that 17-point deficit, ending the quarter only down 31-39. However, that potential comeback would soon be forgotten as Central went back to their old ways, scoring 21 points in the final period, with a continued barrage of 3-point shots.   Bryant's fourth quarter looked a lot like Central's third. They both scored just 8 points in the period and could not find any good looks on offense. Eventually, the Tigers pulled away with the 60-39 victory in enemy territory.   Key Performances from Central Players    [player_tooltip player_id='465505' first='Ky' last='Wilson'] was last night's leading scorer, finishing the evening with 22 points. Her outside shooting was the headline, but her defense should be talked about more.   Outside of the 22 points, Wilson finished with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. She seemed to be everywhere on the defensive end. She flashed to the ball, deflecting multiple passes out of bounds, and picking off a few. If the opposition found what appeared to be a good look inside, the senior was right there to send that shot into next week.   Wilson's defense was great, but we cannot skip talking about her scoring. 15 of Wilson's 22 points came from the 3-point line. She went 5/8 from outside, nailing 2 in the first half, and the rest in the second, burying the Hornets.   [player_tooltip player_id='465505' first='Ky' last='Wilson'] showed that when she has too good of a look from beyond the arch, she will make you pay. She now has 7 made triples over the past 2 games, and against Cabot this Friday, I would not be surprised if she repeats her previous efforts.     Taylor Day-Davis decided to join in on the fun in that first quarter, heating up from outside as well. Between her and Wilson, there was no way Bryant was going to be able to stop them.   The senior finished her night with another double-double. She posted 18 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Like Wilson, Day-Davis finished the night with more than 1 triple, knocking down her first 3 triples in the opening half, and her final three in the fourth quarter. She went 4/7 from outside on the night.   Day-Davis showed off some solid shot-creation ability on her first 3-pointer, as she hit the defense with a filthy step-back.   Her other scoring came from inside and from the free throw line. Day-Davis pulled down 3 offensive rebounds, and she was fouled as soon as she went back up. At the line, the senior cashed in on the free shots.   Taylor Day-Davis is an animal on the interior, but she showed everyone that she can heat up from outside. With the perimeter shot becoming a consistent part of her offense, the rest of the 6A central should be shaking in their boots.     [player_tooltip player_id='467464' first='Chloey-Rei' last='Brown'] had one of her best all-around games as a member of the Tigers last night. She was in control throughout the night, making solid plays for others, all while wreaking havoc and devastation on the opposition.   Brown scored 9 points to go along with 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals. She looked like a true floor general against the Hornet defense. She handled the ball through traffic, showing off some nice moves several times, then throwing a quick pass to an open teammate after drawing the double. Her passing was accurate, but she was the main reason why Bryant had that fourth quarter collapse.   Brown was sneaky on defense. When the Hornets would throw a pass, they did so with a false sense of security. It looked like they had an open teammate, but all of a sudden, Brown would appear out of nowhere and intercept the pass. She would then take it the other way, and if the opportunity presented itself, she would look to score. She finished through some difficult defensive pressure, drawing contact in the process.   [player_tooltip player_id='467464' first='Chloey-Rei' last='Brown'] had her best game that I have seen this year. I would expect her to have more games like this throughout her senior season.    <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/elyse-williams/">[player_tooltip player_id='884753' first='E'lyse' last='Williams']</a>- [player_tooltip player_id='884753' first='E'lyse' last='Williams'] played well throughout the night. She did not make a large impact as far as scoring goes, but she made plays in other areas of the game. The junior guard finished with 4 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. 2 of those rebounds were on the offensive end, and she even drew a foul as she was attempting a halfcourt shot. Williams was also instrumental in breaking past Bryant's full-court press, showing why it is important to have more than one ball-handler on the court at all times.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/ameriya-gaston/">[player_tooltip player_id='465535' first='Ameriya' last='Gaston']</a>- Central's starting center did not have her best offensive outing, but her defense was outstanding. She quietly made a massive impact on this game, recording 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Bryant was not able to consistently get open paint looks, thanks to Gaston's post presence. And though she did not score, she still crashed the offensive glass, grabbing 2 boards.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/gabrielle-sanders/">[player_tooltip player_id='1060883' first='Gabrielle' last='Sanders']</a>- Sanders has not made a huge impact scoring-wise for the Tigers this season, but her effort was impressive against the Hornets. She finished with 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist. Not the most glamorous stat line, but both of her rebounds were on the offensive end. Her assist came off one of those boards, and her teammate, Day-Davis, cashed in on a triple.   Key Performances from Bryant Players    [player_tooltip player_id='1090371' first='Jaisha' last='Williams'] is one of the best bigs in the 6A classification, and even as just a freshman, she showed that she was the best Hornet on the floor.   Williams recorded 18 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 3 blocks in the loss. The Hornets could not get anything going on offense for much of the game, and Williams was their lone playmaker often times.   For much of the season, the primary way Williams scores is from second-chance opportunities. She still did that, pulling down 5 offensive rebounds, but she had to rely more on her shot-creation to score. Williams was moved to the perimeter to receive a pass and drive directly inside. She was able to finish through the defense multiple times while also looking unpluckable with her handles.   On the defensive end, Williams cemented herself as a solid post defender, especially in the second half. During three consecutive possessions, Williams recorded a block, a steal, and then another block.   It is hard to believe that [player_tooltip player_id='1090371' first='Jaisha' last='Williams'] is just a freshman, and even with all of Bryant's injuries, she might just be the best player on the floor for them.    <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/keila-dailey/">[player_tooltip player_id='1090888' first='Keila' last='Dailey']</a>- [player_tooltip player_id='1090888' first='Keila' last='Dailey'] is another freshman who starts for the Hornets. She is one of the conference's best 3-point shooters, but she did not hit one last night. Despite that, she still managed to make a positive impact, emerging as Bryant's most effective playmaker. She had 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals. The freshman might have played the entire game against Central, and her offensive impact was appreciated by her teammates, while her defensive pressure was felt by the Tigers.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/brooklyn-kuchinski/">[player_tooltip player_id='1060899' first='Brooklyn' last='Kuchinski']</a>- The junior guard scored the first 5 points of the game for Bryant, showing off her ability to move without the basketball. She nailed a triple in the second half to bring her scoring total to 8, while also recording 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. She is a talented passer, even throwing a pass between the legs of one of the Tiger defenders.   [player_tooltip player_id='1183259' first='Kierstan' last='Dailey']- Dailey is another freshman who got the start last night and she also had a solid impact against a much older Central team. She ended the evening with 2 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. Dailey has come on for the Hornets as of late, and even when she could not hit a shot from outside, she made sure to make an impact in other areas. Though she is a guard, Dailey rebounded well against taller players, and she made solid outlet passes. Her defense was also stellar, and Bryant will need similar all-around performances from her this season.   Review   When you have two players that combine for more points than the other team, it is clear that the offense was clicking. [player_tooltip player_id='465505' first='Ky' last='Wilson'] and Taylor Day-Davis combined for 40 points, and Bryant only scored 39.   Little Rock Central improves to 13-4 overall, and 2-0 in conference play, while Bryant dips below .500 and loses their first conference test. The Tigers will be back on the road on Friday against the Cabot Lady Panthers. The Hornets will also be on the road, playing in their first official road conference game against Little Rock Southwest.

Preview