REBOUNDING IMPROVES FOR FAYETTEVILLE

Rebounding was an important factor on Tuesday when Fayetteville defeated Rogers 69-53. That's good news for Fayetteville because the Lady Bulldogs no longer have the luxury of a 6-foot-1 athlete patrolling the middle. Jasmine Franklin is now a freshman starter at Missouri State, where she's averaging 9.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Rebounding has become more of a team effort this season for Fayetteville (9-2, 2-0), which lists 10 guards and four forwards on its roster. "We've lost a couple of games because of rebounding, and we've been really stressing the issue," Fayetteville coach Vic Rimmer said. "Everybody needs to block out and use good technique because we don't have Jasmine down there to clean that up. We rebounded well and got on the offensive glass against Rogers." Hatianna Releford, a 5-foot-9 freshman, is more of a wing player who has taken over the center position. Others are expected to help inside, including Sasha Goforth, a 6-foot-1 guard who led Fayetteville with 24 points in the victory over Rogers. "Sasha doesn't doesn't mind getting in there and grinding it out," Rimmer said. Fayetteville will host Van Buren tonight before traveling to Bentonville on Tuesday for a big game between conference leaders in the 6A-West. Rebounding will again be a factor against Bentonville, which is led by Maryam Dauda, a 6-4 sophomore who scored 17 points in a 61-35 victory over Van Buren on Tuesday.

REBOUNDING IMPROVES FOR FAYETTEVILLE

Photo Credit: Andy Shupe

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