FAYETTEVILLE TURNS BACK SPRINGDALE

Fayetteville 52, Springdale 44 The fourth meeting this season between Fayetteville and Springdale was close until Collin Cooper got involved. Cooper, a 6-2 junior guard, scored 11 points in the third quarter and finished with a game-high 19 points as Fayetteville turned back Springdale 52-44 on Thursday during the Class 7A boys state tournament at North Little Rock High School Arena. Springdale (17-12) tied the game at 24-24 early in the third quarter on a three-pointer by sophomore guard Trentez Scales, but Fayetteville (19-8) responded by scoring the next 10 points. The run started when Cooper hit back-to-back three-pointers. Springdale was never any closer than five points the rest of the way. "I've always been told that I have enough space between defenders and if their hands are down to always shoot," Cooper said. "His hands were down and I had enough space. At that point, I knew I was on." In addition to his two three-pointers, Cooper hit all three of his free throws and a two-pointer. By the end of the quarter, Fayetteville was holding a 39-29 advantage. "Coop got a couple of threes and it gave us a lot of confidence," Fayetteville Coach Kyle Adams said. "He's our guy. ... He can step up and make threes and he can put it on the floor and get a couple of shots inside too. And he's a good free-throw shooter. We expect that from him and it's unusual not for us to get that from him." The teams were tied at 12-12 after one quarter and Fayetteville managed to take a 21-20 lead at the half. It was fourth game between the two teams this season. Springdale had won the two previous meetings, including a 70-66 victory on Feb. 20. "This was a big one for us in a lot of respects," Adams said. "They are a bad matchup for us. We've struggled with the speed of their guards and with Carl [Fitch] inside." Adams said putting senior Quinn Schach to guard Fitch made a difference. Scales hit four three-pointers and wound up as Springdale's leading scorer with 16 points. Senior Jon Conley and Ron Johnson each added eight points for Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE TURNS BACK SPRINGDALE

Photo Credit: Mitchell PE Masilun

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