Warren’s Late Push Comes Up One Point Short in 45–44 Thriller Against Mills

WARREN, Ark. – The Warren Lady Jacks played with poise, toughness, and a late-game spark that had the home crowd on its feet Monday night. Despite a 45–44 loss to the Little Rock Mills Lady Comets, the performance reinforced just how competitive and composed this Warren team has become under head coach Mary Beth Grant.

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The Lady Jacks, now 3–1, erased a late deficit, forced a crucial turnover, and had the final possession — a sequence that showed their resilience and ability to execute under pressure. The final shot simply didn’t materialize before the horn.

Balanced, Confident Basketball From the Opening Tip

Warren opened the night by setting a strong tone. Bayleigh Miller’s early jumper put the Lady Jacks on the board before Mills responded with an 8–0 stretch. But Warren calmly settled in, getting steady production from Livi McKinney and Alyssa Calbert, and closed the quarter with authority as Breize Fellows drove in the go-ahead basket for a 10–9 lead.

The second quarter featured more back-and-forth exchanges. Fellows knocked down a three to swing momentum back to Warren at 13–12, and Miller later buried a clean catch-and-shoot triple that put the Lady Jacks up 16–15. The teams traded small runs for much of the half, with neither side creating separation.

It was a rhythm that carried into the third and fourth quarters — two teams matching each other possession by possession, never allowing the other to fully take control.

Miller’s Scoring and McKinney’s Presence Lead Warren

Miller turned in another standout performance, scoring 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting, including 2-of-4 from three. Her confidence carried Warren through key stretches, and her late-game shot-making nearly flipped the outcome.

McKinney anchored Warren in the paint, recording an impressive 10 points and 15 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass. Fellows added 7 points, and Calbert delivered one of her most well-rounded games with 4 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals.

As a group, the Lady Jacks outrebounded Mills 33–26, generated 11 steals, and held the Lady Comets to 16-of-49 shooting from the field. The defensive commitment and work on the glass were two of the clearest positives of the night.

A Near Comeback That Showed Warren’s Growth

Trailing 45–37 inside the final minutes, Warren mounted one of its sharpest stretches of the young season. Fellows scored at the rim, McKinney knocked down key free throws, and then Miller stepped into a huge three from the right wing to make it 45–44 with the gym roaring.

Moments later, the Lady Jacks forced Mills into a turnover — the exact scenario a coach hopes for in a tight game: ball in hand, clock winding down, a chance to win it.

Mills defended the final possession tightly, and Warren wasn’t able to free up an open look before time expired. But the execution leading to that moment — the poise, the defense, the confidence — all underscored the Lady Jacks’ upward trajectory.