Girls beat Gravette

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

— The Gentry girls didn’t need their rhythm to record a 61-43 win against rival Gravette on Jan. 19.

The Lady Lions hung around most of the game, using a zone defense to throw off Gentry. The Lady Pioneers (14-3, 4-1 4A-1 Conference) capitalized on turnovers, though, to pull away for the win.

A second-quarter run gave Gentry a double-digit lead at halftime, but the Lady Lions cut the lead to seven early in the third period and six early in the fourth quarter before turnovers sunk their comeback chances.

Gravette’s Morgan Bayley hit a 3-pointer as part of a 9-3 run to cut the lead to 38-31, but Gravette didn’t score again until the final minute of the third quarter.

The Lady Lions (7-10, 2-4) had five turnovers before Taylor Detring’s late 3-pointer, but Gentry’s Kelsea Whitten answered with a 3-pointer for another 11-point lead. Whitten finished with a gamehigh 14 points.

Gravette’s Shyanne Nichols hit consecutive 3-pointers early in the fourth, and Samantha Vanotterloo’s single free throw cut the lead to 47-41, but Gentry finished the game on a 14-2 burst, including a bucket off a turnover.

“We let them get away from us on missed layups and turnovers,” Gravette coach Duane Thomas said. “They’re pretty good, and they took advantage of it.”

Gravette committed six straight turnovers in the second quarter to fuel a 11-3 Gentry run. Gentry’s Terra Jones started the run with a three-point play and added a layup off a turnover. After a layup from Courtney Millsap, Jones finished the run with a pair of free throws for a 33-20 lead.

“Those (turnovers) were big,” Gentry coach Tim Rippy said. “They limited our transition tonight and because of that, offensive rhythm just wasn’t there.” Gravette 58, Gentry 36

BOYS - The Lions won a heated rivalry game for their first conference win.

Gravette senior Cody Montee and sophomore Jeremy McGarrah each had 14 points. McGarrah scored six quick points inside to start the second quarter to open a 20-13 lead for Gravette (4-13, 1-5).

He added eight points in the third, including a layup to beat the buzzer for a 40-29 led.

Montee scored five of his points on technical-foul free throws as the Pioneers (9-8, 0-5) were called for four technicals and one flagrant foul.

Austin Millsap led Gentry with eight points.

4A-1 Conference Girls GENTRY 61, GRAVETTE 43 Gravette 15 7 12 9 - 43 Gentry 20 13 12 16 - 61 Gravette (7-10, 2-4): Alsup 13, Nichols 10, Himsl 6, Bayley 6, Vanotterloo 5, Detring 3.

Gentry (14-3, 4-1): Whitten 14, Millsap 13, Jones 13, Jech 6, Cripps 5, Boyd 4, Green 4, Wilkins 2.

Boys GRAVETTE 58, GENTRY 36 Gravette 12 15 13 18 - 58 Gentry 11 9 9 7 - 36 Gravette (4-13, 1-5): Montee 14, McGarrah 14, Hendren 11, Daniels 6, Alexander 5, O’Brien 3, Bilderback 3, Davis 2.

Gentry (9-8, 0-5):Millsap 8, Wiand 7, Scherer 7, Morris 5, Bryant 5, Dalla Rosa 3, Sarratt 1.

Sports, Pages 7 on 01/27/2010