Bentonville Turns Up the Heat to Close Out Maumelle — Day 2 of the NWA Tour

Night two of Maumelle’s NWA Tour brought the Hornets to Bentonville, where the Tigers were waiting with a roster full of length, energy, and shooters who only needed a spark to get going. And once they found it, Maumelle spent the rest of the night fighting to keep pace.

First Half – A Better Start, A Messy Middle

Halftime Score: Bentonville 37–32

If Day 1 against Har-Ber exposed Maumelle’s need for more defensive energy, Day 2 proved they heard that loud and clear. The Hornets came out tougher, more connected, and willing to grind. The early defensive pressure and commitment to scoring in the paint kept them toe-to-toe with the Tigers.

The first quarter belonged almost entirely to inside play. Maumelle went a perfect 6-for-6 in the paint, while Bentonville mirrored that intensity, missing only once inside. But both teams wrestled with rhythm, turnovers, frantic lob attempts, and air-balled threes told the story of two squads trying to settle in.

Maumelle dipped into the JV rotation early, and once again Kam Pratt made immediate noise, knocking down a clean three in the second quarter. But the real engine in the first half was Caleb Horton, who played decisive, physical basketball, finishing with 9 points and 2 boards at the break.

For Bentonville, DeMarion “Mar” Lee attacked relentlessly. He owned the half with 15 points, 4 rebounds, a steal, and that signature control he maintains even in chaos.

Still, neither team looked fully in sync, the half felt like a mirror image in reverse, each taking turns looking sharp and then scrambling.

Second Half – Bentonville Finds Their Footing

If the first half was messy, the second half was explosive, especially for Bentonville.

Maumelle tied the game almost immediately at 37–37, but Bentonville’s Kyan Franklin changed everything. He buried back-to-back triples that instantly shifted momentum and opened up the Tigers’ offense. From there, Bentonville ran the third quarter with confidence, efficiency, and a better handle on tempo.

The third ended 61–51 Tigers, and Franklin opened the fourth with five straight points, stretching the lead to 15.

Maumelle continued to fight, Kennon Johnson hit a three off a baseline inbound from Kam Alexander, and Jayden McKenzie came off the bench making all the right reads, stacking up five assists (all in the second half) and stabilizing possessions when Maumelle desperately needed flow.

But the Tigers stayed one step ahead.Mar Lee closed with 25 points and 9 rebounds, just a monster all-around game that never let Maumelle breathe. Bentonville hit their stride in the second half and didn’t look back.

Caleb Horton had a standout night for the Hornets, 20 points and 4 rebounds, battling inside and finishing through pressure.

Final Leading Scorers

Bentonville: Mar Lee — 25 pts, 9 rebs, 4 asst, 2 stls

Maumelle: Caleb Horton — 20 pts, 4 rebs, 1 asst

Final Score: Bentonville 90–75 Maumelle The NWA Tour ends with lessons learned and bright spots uncovered, as Maumelle now looks to regroup and get back to work.

KFletch 🖤