FARMINGTON — The Cardinals came out looking to shoot and the strategy paid dividends with Farmington claiming a 65-34 win over Gentry on Friday.
As the school celebrated Colors Day, the Farmington boys basketball team did their part by pasting plenty of rainbow arcs across the sky, in putting up jumpshots to shoot the Pioneers down.
“We handled the ball a little better and hurt them on the offensive glass, especially with Alex Dellett,” said Beau Thompson, Farmington coach.
After a field-goal by the Pioneers, Gentry called time-out, down 14-6, but Farmington scored nine unanswered points to close out the quarter. Jared Martin stole the ball at halfcourt and passed to Josh Muller for a lay-up, Dellet hit a free-throw line jumper, and Jonathan Curtis looked to Matt Brackett fora lay-up. With time winding down, Brackett dribbled up-court and found Martin open for a trifecta at the buzzer.
Farmington led 23-6 at the end of the first-period and never looked back.
“Pushing the tempo helps us,” Thompson said, noting Martin shot well in the firsthalf and got the Cardinals going.
Gentry went scoreless for 6:44 and by the time a 3-pointer went down midway through the second stanza, the Pioneers trailed, 29-9. Both teams emptied their bench in the fourth-quarter as Farmington went on to a 65-34 victory.
GIRLS Farmington 54 Gentry 38
Gentry was coming off a conference win against Gravette but on Colors Day at Farmington the Pioneers only saw red and lots of it.
The Farmington senior girls basketball team posted a 54-38 win over Gentry on Friday to sweep the regular season series, after winning at Gentry, 62-42, on Dec. 15. Gentry had no answer for Lexie Lewis, who led all scorers with 26 points, including 12 in the first frame.
“Lexie did a great job of holding the post, giving us a target to throw it to and really finished well,”said Brad Johnson, Farmington coach, adding Lewis’ scoring in the early going gave Farmington some separation from Gentry on the scoreboard.
Lewis began with a lay-up, then hit a baseline jumper. Gentry tied it at 4-all on buckets by Kaylin Cripps and Destiny Thomas.
Breanna Jones lined up in front of the in-bounder on the sideline, then cut away and caught the ball going to the hoop to score. Haley Maxwell’s dish was followed by Jones finding Tiffany Rhame open from 3-point land.
Jordan Olds hit a 3-pointer for Gentry but Lewis scored three more field-goals for Farmington in the final 3:36 of the quarter and led 17-9.
Farmington got a 3-pointer and pair of foul-shots by Jones. Lewis then flashed in the lane, stepping out to catch a feed from Payton Journagan and promptly snapped the short-range jumper. With inside five minutes to play the Lady Cardinals led 24-9 on the shot and held a 33-17 half-time advantage.
Gentry could not cut into the lead and the Lady Pioneers were down, 47-30, after three quarters. Jones picked up her dribble and was in trouble but Danielle Winkle cut down the lane to help and was rewarded with a basket. Shelby Hammond, likewise cut to the hoop and scored for Gentry on a busted play, to make it 49-36 with 3:52 to play.
But even as Farmington went to their bench, the Lady Pioneers could only manage two points the rest of the way and Farmington prevailed, 54-38.
Sports, Pages 9 on 01/25/2012