Finally, the Maumelle Lady Hornets got the pick-me-up they needed against Little Rock Fair last Thursday. After six consecutive losses dating back to December, the Lady Hornets cruised to a 60-22 triumph over Fair. Everybody played as Maumelle (5-11, 1-6 5A/6A-Central) led 59-16 going into the third quarter. “We needed that, and that is just what the doctor ordered,” Maumelle Coach William Rountree said. “We played a half-court matchup the first half and a 1-2-2 zone the second half, and everybody got to play. We needed to get into the winner’s circle and feel better about ourselves.” Senior Jayla King piled up 21 points to led the Lady Hornets. Sophomore LaShundra Watson was next with nine points while senior McKenzie Smith grabbed 10 rebounds. The performance against Fair carried over to Friday when the Lady Hornets hosted Pulaski Academy. They had a chance at the end to win but came up short, 56-51. King, who finished with 10 points, was fouled while attempting a 3-point basket when Maumelle trailed by one with 46 seconds left. She missed all three free shots. Smith paced the Lady Hornets with 11 points. “We played really well, and it was sad to lose,” Rountree said. “We competed and executed well and just came up short. I’m proud of the way we competed.” Maumelle finished the first round of the 5A/6A-Central conference Tuesday at Little Rock Parkview in a 64-33 loss. Friday begins the second round of conference play, and the Lady Hornets travel to Little Rock Christian. “The month of January is about over,” Rountree said. “It’s time for us to start thinking about the trip to Farmington (5A-West district tournament) next month.”