Lions split pair with Blackhawks

Photo by Randy Moll Gravette senior Otto Troutner shoots for two over Pea Ridge junior Tristan Trundle during play on Thursday at Gravette High School.
Photo by Randy Moll Gravette senior Otto Troutner shoots for two over Pea Ridge junior Tristan Trundle during play on Thursday at Gravette High School.

GRAVETTE -- Pea Ridge just made third place in the 4A-1 Conference boys basketball standings a little tighter and a lot more interesting Thursday night.

The Blackhawks used their early 3-point shooting to set the tone and moved into a tie with Gravette with a 67-54 victory on the Lions' home court in a game previously scheduled for Tuesday but postponed by wintry weather.

Both teams now have 7-4 marks in league play with just three regular-season games remaining before the district tournament takes place in Farmington. Head-to-head match ups can't break the tie if they remain even because Gravette (15-7) claimed a 66-53 decision on Pea Ridge's home court in December, meaning conference points will have to be used.

Seven of the Blackhawks' 11 field goals in the first half came from beyond the arc, including five of them when they went more than 8 minutes without hitting a shot inside the 3-point line. Zach Davis broke an 11-11 tie on a 3-pointer with 1 minute, 18 seconds remaining in the first quarter, and Pea Ridge (12-11) never relinquished it again.

Gravette made a pair of serious pushes to get back into the contest, but Pea Ridge responded both times. The first came when the Blackhawks ended the third quarter with nine unanswered points after five straight points by Zach Carlton pulled the Lions within 39-35 midway in the third quarter.

Terence Pierce and Otto Troutner gave Gravette one last threat with a 12-4 run to start the fourth quarter and made it a 52-47 game with 4:20 remaining. Pea Ridge then put the game out of reach with seven straight points, including five from the free-throw line, and its lead never dropped below nine points again.

Blake Sheppard finished with 19 points to lead four Blackhawks in double figures, while Davis and Wyatt Holtgrewe added 11 apiece and Logan Rose chipped in 10. Pierce led Gravette with 21 points, while Troutner finished with 19.

GIRLS

Gravette 74

Pea Ridge 55

Sam Pruitt scored 23 of her game-high 34 points in the first half, and Gravette's girls never trailed in their win over Pea Ridge.

Kylee Davis added 17 for the Lady Lions (5-15, 3-8), with 11 of those coming in the second half. Mikheala Cochran finished with 32 points for Pea Ridge (7-16, 3-8), while Savannah Cypert had 14.

How they scored

BOYS

Pea Ridge 67

Gravette 54

Pea Ridge 14 17 17 19 -- 67 Gravette 13 13 9 19 -- 54

Pea Ridge (12-11, 7-4): Sheppard 19, Holtgrewe 11, Davis 11, Rose 10, Hardy 9, Kelso 4, Kalberloh 3. Gravette (15-7 ,7-4): Pierce 21, Troutner 19, Carlton 5, Bray 4, Fox 3, Van Otterloo 2.

GIRLS

Gravette 74

Pea Ridge 55

Pea Ridge 7 17 17 14 -- 55 Gravette 18 21 19 16 -- 74 Pea Ridge (7-16, 3-8): Cochran 32, Cypert 14, Sanders 5, Church 2, Cotton 2. Gravette (5-15, 3-8): Pruitt 34, Davis 17, Hubbard 9, Hicks 8, Foster 2, Duke 2, Chalk 2.

Sports on 02/12/2014