Lions' coach player earn NWA Media honors

Peters leads Lions to first state tourney since 2005

— Dustin Peters knew there were better days ahead for Gravette’s boys basketball program.

He didn’t know those days would get here so quickly.

The Lions exceeded their coach’s expectations by rolling to a 22-10 record and the school’s first state tournament berth since 2005. The result was Peters being named the All-NWA Media Small Schools boys Coach of the Year.

“It was a fun ride,” Peters said. “This was a great group of kids that bought into the team concept and really played well together and were a very, very unselfish bunch.”

Gravette played its best basketball when it counted at the end of the season. The Lions posted a 3-0 mark and knocked off regular-season championShiloh Christian to claim the 4A-1 District Tournament title on their home court.

Gravette edged Dardanelle in the first round of the 4A North Regional Tournament in a thrilling overtime classic which punched the Lions’ ticket to the state tournament. Gravette fell to Berryville the next night but capped a solid regional tournament run with a win over Waldron.

In the first round of the state tournament Gravette fell to Pine Bluff Dollarway in a close contest.

“I thought we were a year away but our seniors,even though we didn’t have many of them, the leadership that they gave was instrumental in us getting there,” Peters said. “And them not caring about them not being ‘the guy’ for the team was very good.”

The Lions have already set their sights on next season and taking their program to the next level. Peters has put together an aggressive non-conference schedule that will include Siloam Springs and Bentonville. It’s a slate that has rising junior Terence Pierce excited.

“We’re playing a tougher schedule next year,” Pierce said. “We’ve got some more non-conference games that are going to be tough. We’re goingto have to work more as a team, which we did a good job of this year. But we’re going to be short on post players so we’re really going to have to play good defense.”

Peters acknowledged the Lions won’t be able to rest on their accomplishments of this past season.

“There are a lot higher expectations for next year,” Peters said. “We’ve got some shoes to fill and post positions to fill and I don’t know who’s going to do that, but the bar’s definitely been raised and that’s good to have high expectations.”

The Lions took strides this season toward being an elite program. They are now focusing on taking the next step.

Sports, Pages 10 on 03/21/2012