Mavericks post strong finish at AAU nationals
Posted on Wednesday, July 23, 2008
So close, yet five points away from staying alive.
The Arkansas Mavericks, a 13-andunder AAU girls'basketball team comprised of athletes from Northwest Arkansas, placed fifth in the Classic bracket of the AAU National Tournament held last week in Norman, Okla.
Behind the coaching of Jerry Larkin and P. D. Rakestraw, a pair of Siloam Springs residents, the Mavericks dropped a 60-56 decision to the Tennessee Extreme in an elimination game.
Jerry Larkin said the outcome of the game came down to the final 50 seconds.
"We had several chances to win the game, but just couldn't get the ball into play," Jerry Larkin said. "Our intentions were to get Jessica (Olson ) to the free throw line since she hadn't missed all night."
Olson converted 3-of-9 field goals, 1-of-1 three-pointers and 6-of-6 free throws for a team-high 15 points.
The fiery point guard tallied 10 of her 15 points in the second half to rally the Mavericks in a losing effort.
For the tournament, Olson, of Springdale, led the Mavericks in scoring with 129 points in 10 games.
Also against the Tennessee Extreme, Natalie VanWyhe finished with nine points, followed by Siloam Springs'standouts Lindsey Larkin and Emery Rakestraw with eight and seven points, respectively.
Lindsey Larkin turned in a solid overall tournament, finishing as the second-leading scorer on the Mavericks'team with 91 points.
The incoming freshman forward scored in double figures in three of the 10 games, including a tournament high of 17 points in the Mavericks'first loss - 76-72 - to the Tennessee Extreme. Rakestraw, also an incoming freshman guard, tallied 59 points for a 5. 9 points per game average. She had a tournament-high of 10 points in the Mavericks'59-53 win over the Ohio Angels. Also, Siloam Springs incoming freshman forward Makenzie Sharp capped off the scoring with four points, converting 1-of-4 field goals and 2-of-2 free throws.
Pool Play At the start of the tournament, which began with pool play last Friday, Jerry Larkin said his team faced a pretty tough bracket. The Mavericks finished 1-2 in pool play and were automatically placed in the Classic Bracket. After falling 67-46 to the Oklahoma Select, the Mavericks used a 13-point effort from Justyne Huber, of Prairie Grove, to defeat the Georgia Pistols, 44-36. The Pistols, however, wrapped up the tournament with the Classic Bracket championship. Olson followed Huber's performance with nine points, while Lindsey Larkin added eight and RaShelle Goldman, of Lincoln, chipped in six. Katie Huff, of Bentonville, scored four points, while VanWyhe and Sharp responded with two points each. Against Oklahoma Select, Lindsey Larkin paced the Mavericks with 14 points, while Rakestraw added nine. Sharp and Brooke Mabeus also contributed with five points each. With a 1-1 record in pool play, the Missouri Dream Team soared past the Mavericks, 48-27 to conclude pool play. Olson led the Mavericks with 12 points, while Lindsey Larkin added eight.
Classic Bracket VanWyhe and Olson combined for 29 points to lead the Mavericks past the Oklahoma Bobcats, 59-39.
VanWyhe converted 5-of-6 field goals, 1-of-3 treys and 2-of-4 free throws for a game-high 15 points. Olson responded with 14 points on 3-of-6 field goals, 1-of-2 treys and 5-of-6 free throws.
Huber followed with eight points, while Rakestraw and Huff pitched in seven each. Lindsey Larkin also had six points.
In the second game of the tournament, the Tennessee Extreme tallied 42 points in the second half to hold off the Mavericks, 76-72.
The Mavericks finished with four players in double figures, led by Lindsey Larkin with 17 points and Olson with 14. Huber chipped in 12 points, while Goldman had 11.
Sharp, who finished with 28 total points in 10 games, came within a free throw of scoring in double figures, hitting nine points inside.
The loss dropped the Mavericks into a must-win game, where they blistered the New Jersey Blast, 58-31.
Olson, once again, paved the way for the Mavericks, scoring a team-high 11 points. In that game, Olson converted three long-range baskets in five attempts.
VanWyhe and Goldman tallied 10 points each, followed by Huber with eight and Huff with seven. Rakestraw chipped in five points, Lindsey Larkin with three and Mabeus and Sharp with two each.
Following the victory, the Mavericks continued their quest toward the Classic Bracket championship.
In another must-win game, the Mavericks overcame a taller, more physical team in the Houston (Texas ) Angels, winning 59-45.
According to Jerry Larkin," Each one of their (Houston ) girls had to be at least 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds."
Olson and Lindsey Larkin combined for 31 of the 59 points to lead the Mavericks'scoring attack.
Olson tallied a team-high 16 points, converting 4-of-6 treys, while Lindsey Larkin made 6-of-9 field goals for 15 points.
Huber and Rakestraw also chipped in eight points apiece, followed by Goldman with five and Sharp with four. VanWyhe closed out the scoring with three points.
The winning streak continued as the Mavericks notched victories over the North Carolina Royals (50-44 ) and the Ohio Angels (59-53 ).
Against the Royals, Olson tallied 17 points and Huber finished with 12 to spark the Mavericks.
Rakestraw also contributed with eight points on a pair of three-point baskets.
Then, in the win over the Ohio Angels, Olson tallied 17 points and Rakestraw responded with 10.
Lindsey Larkin also followed with eight points, while Mabeus and VanWyhe tallied six points each.
"To finish among the Top 25 teams in the nation, especially with the pool we had and the competition we faced, I was pretty pleased with our effort," Jerry Larkin said.
This season, the Mavericks won the MAYB Summer Slam Tourney, Arkansas AAU Super Regional Championship, Arkansas BCI State Championship and the Clarksville Invitational Championship.
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