Arkansas signee Jersey Wolfenbarger has one more on-court goal remaining, and she needs two more wins to reach it.
The 6-6 Wolfenbarger had a game-high 16 points and 12 rebounds Thursday as Northside (24-2) downed Springdale Har-Ber 62-50 in the Class 6A girls basketball state tournament.
That moved the Lady Bears (24-2) into a Saturday 10 a.m. semifinal matchup with North Little Rock (19-8) as Northside attempts to win its second state title in three seasons.
Ranked as the nation’s seventh-best player by ESPN and selected as one of five finalists for the Naismith national player of the year award, Wolfenbarger expects a tremendous challenge.
“It’s challenging, but it’s one and done, so whoever comes out with the most passion, the most hunger and the most drive to win is going to win,” Wolfenbarger said. “We can’t take plays off. We have to make sure we take advantage of every opportunity to score or the opportunity to get a stop. Basically I think it is going to come down to defense.”
North Little Rock eliminated Bentonville 47-34 on Thursday.
Bentonville, which was awarded a 2020 co-championship last season when the state final was canceled due to the covid-19 pandemic, played without the services of Baylor signee Maryam Dauda (6-4), who is out with a knee injury.
North Little Rock, who has lost its two previous games against Northside this season, has been without injured 6-3 junior center Amuari Williams for the last three weeks.
“North Little Rock, we butted heads with them last Friday night and we have played them in state tournaments numerous times,” Smith said. “We had a five-overtime game with North Little Rock two years ago.”
Northside played without its starting point guard, who was ill and at home, but got 15 points each from Oklahoma State signee Tracy Brashears and top reserve Cassidy Ward.
“We have had one game in two-and-a-half weeks and you could tell,” Northside coach Rickey Smith said. “Your point guard is not here, first game in the state tournament and they had already played. I can make a lot of excuses, but at the end of the day we stepped up when we needed to and kind of hit some shots.”
Wolfenbarger admitted to being nervous knowing it could have been her last high school game.
“I think everybody gets nervous before a game, even the greats like Kobe (Bryant),” Wolfenbarger said. “It doesn't take you out of your head space. You have to know it’s bigger than us and that kind of helps me calm down and start playing.”