Game Report: Acorn vs Kirby (10/21)

Preview   It's basketball season! The state of Arkansas had an exciting first week of the season and Acorn vs Kirby was one of those early matchups.   Last season, the Kirby Lady Trojans made it to postseason play after compiling a 15-14 overall record. They were 11-1 in 1A-7 play, proving to be one of the toughest teams in the 1A classification.   Acorn also made it into the playoffs last season. The Lady Tigers were hard to stop when they had things rolling, posting a 31-8 overall record and going 10-0 in conference play. With the roster they have returning, I would not be shocked if Acorn made a deep run in the 2A playoffs.   Game Recap   Acorn started the game off on a hot streak, and never let up. Their pristine ball movement was the key to finding the best shots, and the Tigers were hitting seemingly all of their open looks. They were also the better team on the boards, giving themselves second-chance shot opportunities. The first period ended with Acorn well in the lead, up 21-3.   Kirby finally started to get going offensively in the second quarter, primarily from Madilyn Reid, who provided a little bit of a spark. However, it was still not enough, as the Tigers scored 20 points in the quarter, heading into halftime with a 41-14 lead.   Acorn's offense continued to click in the second half, particularly in the third quarter. They were hitting all of their shots, moving the ball, and pushing the pace in transition. The Tigers were also capitalizing on Kirby turnovers. The score was still in favor of the hometown Tigers heading into the fourth quarter, and Kirby never got close to a comeback.   Acorn sent the Trojans home with a 69-28 loss.   Acorn Lady Tigers    The play from the Acorn Lady Tigers was well-rounded, but [player_tooltip player_id='1093351' first='Josey' last='Dollar'] might have shown out the most, which is to be expected from this 2A star.   Dollar finished the evening with a team-high 13 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and a ridiculous 7 steals. Offensively, Dollar would not be denied when attacking the basket, as most of her scoring came from in the paint. Despite her hard-nosed offensive mindset this game, she made sure to get her teammates involved in the game, getting the ball ahead in transition and making the extra pass in the half court.   Acorn's defense was incredible against the Trojans, and it was all headlined by Dollar. She played with active hands and was aggressively guarding her assignment. The guard was also not afraid to crash the glass, particularly on the offensive end, where she snagged 4 boards.   [player_tooltip player_id='1093351' first='Josey' last='Dollar'] starred in this game. She may not have been an unstoppable scorer (like she usually is), but she did everything and more to help her team win big.     [player_tooltip player_id='1244349' first='Kaitlynn' last='Ledbetter'] proved just how important she is to this Acorn team as one of its senior leaders. Her play on both ends of the floor will be the key to their success later in the season.   Ledbetter put up 11 points, 2 boards, 3 assists, and 5 steals in the massive win over Kirby. On the defensive side of the ball, Ledbetter was hustling hard. She was staying in front of her assignment all night long, and she was getting on the floor, diving after loose balls, and helping start the fastbreak with her ability to cause turnovers.   On offense, Ledbetter was scoring in transition, hitting her open looks, and cutting to the basket. She was also making slick passes, proving she can play that point guard position well.   [player_tooltip player_id='1244349' first='Kaitlynn' last='Ledbetter'] will have a great season with the Lady Tigers, you can count on that.     [player_tooltip player_id='1173076' first='Bella' last='Lozier'] may find her way further up the 2028 ranking after the next ranking update, especially after her performance against Kirby.   Lozier logged 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal. Compared to some of her teammates, her stat line was not as impressive, but the way she played on offense was impressive.   Lozier was smooth. Her handles were clearly better than anyone else's on the floor, and she could twist up the defense in just a couple of moves. She could attack the basket, but she looked very comfortable along the perimeter, particularly from 3-point range. She knocked down a look in the corner, and her shooting form was flexible and pure.   [player_tooltip player_id='1173076' first='Bella' last='Lozier'] will definitely have games this season where she takes over, so everyone should be tuning in to Acorn basketball.     This Ledbetter sister also had an impactful game, showing just how well-rounded Acorn's guard rotation is.   Ledbetter scored 10 points and had 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal in the win. The sophomore was at her best in transition, especially with the ball in her hands. She did not get many opportunities to show off her craftiness, but she had one move on the fastbreak where she hit the defense with a nasty euro and then finished with a smooth reverse layup.   I would imagine that Addi Ledbetter will have plenty of games this season where she will be able to display her smooth abilities.     [player_tooltip player_id='1251549' first='Tori' last='Squires'] was the only Tiger starter to not score double-digit points, but she did not need to, because she was doing everything else on the floor.   Squires put up 8 points, 1 rebound, 8 assists, and 6 steals in the contest, once again showing just how strong of a guard group Acorn has.   Clearly, Squires was wheeling and dealing. She was connecting on full court passes early in the game, and she was probably responsible for the majority of Acorn's transition points. Her vision was incredible, but when she had the chance to score, she would put her head down and get into the paint. Squires was often rewarded with free throws, where she went 4/4.   On defense, Squires was one of several Acorn players who would not let up along the perimeter. She was forcing turnovers left and right, inflicting pain on opposing guards.   [player_tooltip player_id='1251549' first='Tori' last='Squires'] is another player who can help the Tiger team win in the postseason, and it is because of performances like this one.    Kimberly Kline-   Kimberly Kline is a 5'8" junior forward who came off the bench for the Tigers, and she provided an instant spark. Her first statistic she logged was a steal, and then she finished the night with 8 points and 3 rebounds. She has soft hands, proving that she can catch hard passes and easily finish at the rim.   Kirby Lady Trojans    The high scorer for Kirby was Madilyn Reid, who provided a little bit of a spark for her team in that second quarter, proving that the Trojans were not quitting on that game.   When Reid had opportunities to fire away from outside, she did not hesitate. She finished the game with 10 points and 1 steal. She knocked down a mid-range jumper off the catch to start her scoring barrage, then she gained some confidence from beyond the arc, knocking down 2 triples.   Though Madilyn Reid's scoring was not enough to get Kirby back into the game, it proved that the Trojans had a player to rely on to make perimeter shots, even when the rest of the team is cold.     Bentleigh Clark will probably not be coming off the bench for much longer. The freshman was Kirby 6th-player in this game, and she certainly provided a spark off the bench, on both ends of the floor.   Clark had 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block against Acorn. Most of her scoring came from inside, as she ran the floor well in transition and found ways to get open without the ball in her hands.   Defensively, Clark was not giving up on plays. Even if her assignment found a way past her, Clark would chase them down for the block. She was also intercepting passes, triggering fastbreak opportunities for the Trojans.   Bentleigh Clark already looks like she will have an impactful season for Kirby, and I would think she ends up having a promising career.

Preview