MWC Lady Cat Invitational Game 3: Conway vs Lake Hamilton Recap

Preview   Both the Conway Lady Wampus Cats and the Lake Hamilton Lady Wolves opened their 2024/25 seasons at the Mulhearn Wilson Constructors Lady Cat Invitational tonight.   6A Central Conway High School is coming off a successful 2023/24 campaign where they went 26-8 overall and 11-1 in conference play. They finished as the top team in their conference and MaxPreps considered them as the #5 team in Arkansas. Coming into this season, the expectations are even higher, as the Lady Cats' core scoring group returns for one more season, as they have 3 Division I commits and 5 players who are set to be highly ranked in their classes.   5A South Lake Hamilton High School is also coming off a successful 2023/24 season where they went 21-8 overall and 12-1 in conference play. Their regular season success carried over into the postseason, where they made it to the 5A semifinals before losing to the eventual 5A champs, Greenwood. The Lady Wolves also enter the season with multiple players on college radars, and with additional high expectations.   Game Recap   Both of these teams match up well on paper, but as soon as the ball was tipped, Conway jumped out to a massive lead. Defense was the Wampus Cats' calling card throughout the first half, running a devastating fullcourt press that caused Lake Hamilton's offensive rhythm to come to a halt. I would point out specific Conway players who were behind this defensive attack, but every single player had active hands. In fact, just about every Lady Wampus Cat who played recorded a steal, a pass deflection, or did something to cause a turnover. After the first quarter, Conway led 16-6, and in the second quarter, their play on both sides of the ball somehow improved, despite their already-impressive performance. They were running out in transition, nailing the 3-ball, and continuing to stop Lake Hamilton from having any success moving the ball. To Lake Hamilton's credit, they did rebound well as a team and kept fighting all game long, but they had no answer for their 6A opponent, with the final score being 63-21 in Conway's favor.   Key Performances from Conway Players   As I mentioned earlier, every player for Conway was active and aggressive on defense, forcing turnovers left and right. Their fastbreak offense was a factor in the win, but their halfcourt offense seemed to be even better, and it was led by one of the three UCA commits on their roster.    [player_tooltip player_id='465503' first='Alexis' last='Cox'] was not available this game for the Wampus Cats, but that was no problem, as [player_tooltip player_id='465513' first='Emerie' last='Bohanon'] immediately became the go-to player.   Bohanon was electric from inside and out. Throughout the evening, she showcased her deep-ball accuracy, nailing three triples at around a 50% or better clip. Her form looked effortless, and she was draining shots that were open, and heavily contested. Bohanon also showed her ability to take a couple of dribbles inside the arch and knock down some pull-up mid-range shots. She showed a lot of confidence from outside, but her confidence was even more evident when she drove in the lane.   Bohanon had a number of opportunities to drive the lane on her way to the basket, and she displayed her athleticism every time she barreled her way to the rim. Bohanon was able to finish through contact, and her attacking mindset never wavered during the game. She created some of her own offense on the fastbreak, as she was able to bat passes away and record easy transition points.   [player_tooltip player_id='465513' first='Emerie' last='Bohanon'] is one of the three UCA commits on this Conway roster, and it is not hard to see why she had so many other college offers. If Bohanon keeps playing this way, she will mess around and find herself as the top 2025 player in the state.     [player_tooltip player_id='465492' first='Samyah' last='Jordan'] was playing some lockdown defense against the Lady Wolves, and she was the captain of that disruptive Conway press.   Most of Jordan's points came off of her own steals. In the first quarter alone, Jordan stole the ball three times. She eventually finished the first half with five steals, with most of them being turned into easy transition layups. Jordan made sure to give some of the Lady Wolves nightmares, as she was a monster with her on-ball defense. If she was not stealing the ball herself, she was forcing Lake Hamilton to make bad passes, leading to more turnovers.   Jordan's halfcourt offense was somewhat limited, as Bohanon shouldered most of the offensive load. Jordan did have a few opportunities to drive to the basket, where she was able to finish over tight defense. She even used her elite ball-handling ability to create separation on the way to the basket, including using a nice euro-step.   It is tough to say that one Conway player had a better defensive performance over the others, but [player_tooltip player_id='465492' first='Samyah' last='Jordan'] was tonight's defensive MVP, and expect more performances of that caliber throughout the season.     Conway used a three-guard starting lineup tonight versus Lake Hamilton, with Jordan and Bohanon being the main offensive focal points. However, sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1090347' first='Traniyah' last='Weston'] was able to make a big impact on both sides of the ball in her first start of the season.   Weston had the freedom to roam around the court without the ball, and was a third scoring option for the Lady Wampus Cats. She had good looks for floaters in the lane and was able to find success cutting and driving to the basket. She also drew contact and was perfect from the free throw line. Weston was even more impressive on defense.   Like several other Lady Wampus Cats, Weston recorded multiple steals and deflections, helping shut down the Lake Hamilton offense. Weston, Jordan, and Bohanon were all able to hold the Lady Wolf guards in check and force numerous turnovers throughout the game.   [player_tooltip player_id='1090347' first='Traniyah' last='Weston'] did not play like a sophomore. She was mature, did not try to do too much on offense, and displayed a lot of leadership on defense. Four of the Wampus Cats' best players are seniors, along with five other players who are guards. If I am Conway's Coach Hutchcraft, I am confident that [player_tooltip player_id='1090347' first='Traniyah' last='Weston'] becomes my star guard of the future, and I am excited to watch her stellar career unfold.     Like Bohanon and [player_tooltip player_id='465503' first='Alexis' last='Cox'], [player_tooltip player_id='1056381' first='Alivia' last='Cox'] is committed to play basketball at the University of Central Arkansas. Cox was able to show off her two-way abilities, and she made a massive contribution to Conway's success versus Lake Hamilton.   Cox is not the go-to option on offense for Conway, but when she had the ball, she made sure something good occurred. Cox drew first blood in the game as she scored two free throws to put up Conway's first points of the season. Aside from that, she moved well without the basketball and was always in a good position to receive a pass. She did score some points in the paint, but some of her offense resulted from her play on defense.   Cox had multiple steals in the first half, either from breaking up a pass or picking up a deflection. She also played some lockdown on-ball defense the entire night. She had the major responsibility of guarding two of the top forwards in the 5A classification: [player_tooltip player_id='876657' first='Disyah' last='Christon'] and [player_tooltip player_id='876655' first='Saniyah' last='Cook'], playing well against both of them. In addition to her defensive play, Cox rebounded the ball well on both ends.   [player_tooltip player_id='1056381' first='Alivia' last='Cox'] did everything her team needed her to do to win the game. Every team needs someone who can hold the team together, and the Lady Wampus Cats have that in Cox.    Those four players were the offensive and defensive catalysts for Conway, but they had solid performances from some other players.   #32 <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2024/09/conway-lady-cats-season-preview-team-1/">[player_tooltip player_id='1090383' first='Kylie' last='Johnson']</a> 5'8" G/F Freshman- Johnson started this game playing as more of a post player, but throughout the night, she was able to show off her skills as a guard. She pushed the ball well in transition, and when she had the lane, she could drive in and finish well in the paint. She also hustles hard, plays aggressive defense, and converts opportunities at the free throw line with a solid form. Expect Johnson to make a major impact this season.   #40 <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/libby-counts/">[player_tooltip player_id='579754' first='Libby' last='Counts']</a> 6'1" F/C Sophomore- I talked about [player_tooltip player_id='579754' first='Libby' last='Counts'] in my first PGH article, and I mentioned how she will be transitioning from playing at 3A-6 Maumelle Charter to Conway, which plays in the toughest classification in the state. She did not find the bottom of the net against Lake Hamilton, but she fought for rebounds on both sides of the ball, and she worked hard to gain position in the post. She offers Conway a different offensive look when she is on the floor, and if she can get opportunities to work on the block, she should find a lot of success on an already great Lady Wampus Cat squad.   #13 Mi'Raiyh Wilson 5'10" G/F Sophomore- Wilson was one of the many Lady Wampus Cats who was very effective on the defensive end. Wilson played suffocating defense and forced several turnovers. She also employed her length to keep Lake Hamilton's two star forwards in check. Wilson may not have the largest role on this Conway team, but she adds to the tremendous amount of defensive depth that this team has.   #5 Nicole Rodriguez 5'7" G Senior- Nicole Rodriguez came in to relieve Conway's starting guards, but she was able to provide an offensive spark in the second half. Rodriguez is a solid ball-handler who was able to finish at the rim and show off the confidence in her pull-up mid-range jumper. She finished with six points (all in the fourth quarter), and played outstanding defense whenever she was on the floor.   Key Performances from Lake Hamilton Players   Lake Hamilton struggled to find any rhythm on offense. The Lady Wampus Cats' fullcourt press and constant double-teaming forced numerous turnovers throughout the game, but some Lady Wolves were still able to log impactful minutes for their team.    [player_tooltip player_id='876657' first='Disyah' last='Christon'] is one of the top forwards in the 2026 class, and she was clearly Lake Hamilton's number one option in this game.   Christon struggled to find consistency when she would post up her defender on the baseline, as she was being doubled every single play. When she did have a chance to breathe, Christon could take her defender off the dribble, draw contact, and head to the free throw line, where she went 3/4 on the evening. Christon was also able to knock down some mid-range jumpers, showing off her ability to hit shots off the dribble. When she was doubled, Christon made good passes to try to elicit help from her teammates.   Throughout the night, Christon played solid defense, especially when playing on the help-side. She did a nice job collapsing on her assignment and forcing them into tough shots. Christon also rebounded the ball well, giving her chances to push the ball in transition.   [player_tooltip player_id='876657' first='Disyah' last='Christon'] was still able to make an impact on the game despite the game's result. She will have plenty of games this season where she plays the way she did as a sophomore last year with the Lady Wolves, so keep an eye on her.     Like Christon, [player_tooltip player_id='876655' first='Saniyah' last='Cook'] had a relatively quiet outing. However, during the second half of this game, Cook started making positive plays, attempting to light a fire under her team.   Cook made her largest impact on the glass, as she grabbed multiple offensive rebounds, giving her team second-chance opportunities. She also knocked down some short jumpers and showed off her handles when driving to the basket.   On defense, Cook played solid off-ball defense, especially in the post. She was matched up against Counts throughout the night and she was able to intercept passes into the post, triggering the fastbreak.   [player_tooltip player_id='876655' first='Saniyah' last='Cook'] is a solid all-around player who will have plenty of opportunities to dominate the game this season.    #23 <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/hayley-ferguson/">[player_tooltip player_id='882196' first='Hayley' last='Ferguson']</a> 5'7" CG Junior- [player_tooltip player_id='882196' first='Hayley' last='Ferguson'] is Lake Hamilton's top playmaker and #1 ball-handler. She had a difficult night against the destructive fullcourt press brought on by Conway's guards, but Ferguson still made some positive plays. She showed that she can easily find ways to get open from three, mostly from moving without the ball. Ferguson had a nice form last season as a sophomore, but her form looks more fluid this season, and she showed lots of confidence from outside. She also played some solid fastbreak defense, cutting off lanes to the basket and slowing Conway down in transition.   #22 Sara Kate Landrum F Sophomore- Landrum was quiet during the first half, but she woke up in the second, and made some great defensive plays. Landrum recorded three blocks within about two or three minutes in the fourth quarter, and rotated well on defense. She also pulled down two offense rebounds.   In Review   Despite the final score of this game, I was impressed by both sides. Conway showed everyone that they will be a force to reckoned with in the 6A classification, and they are primed for another dominant season. Lake Hamilton showed that they are still a talented team despite losing talent in the offseason, and the rest of the 5A South should not take them for granted. Both teams have great talent and we should not take our eyes off of either squad during the season.   I watched the fourth game of the MWC Lady Cat Invitational as well, which was between Springdale Har-Ber and Vilonia. It is late now, but I will plan on posting that article just in time for your morning coffee.

Preview