GENTRY — Matt Juillerat, Gentry senior, had a big game Monday night when the Pioneers hosted the Pea Ridge Blackhawks for the opening of conference play. Juillerat put in 20 points for the Pioneers and boosted them to a 58-48 victory.
The Pioneers, now 6-2, 1-0, grabbed the lead early, outscoring the Blackhawks, 14-16, in the opening quarter. But, by the half, the Blackhawks had turned the tables and held a one-point advantage, 31-30. The Blackhawks played another strong quarter after the half and had the lead, but the Pioneers caught up and managed to tie things up at 44 before going into the final quarter of play. The Pioneers came out in the fourth fighting for the win and held the Blackhawks to a pair of two-pointers while picking up another 14 points of their own. Ethan Hammond hit two three-pointers from the outside and another inside the line to help seal the 10-point victory for the Pioneers.
Juillerat hit five three-pointers and a deuce in the first half. Wyatt Clark scored eight in the second half.
Juillerat led the Pioneers in shooting with 20. Hammond and Clark both added 11. C.J. Taylor had eight, and Cole Cripps seven.
“We came out shooting the ball well and that gave us some energy on defense,” said Sean Price, Gentry’s head basketball coach. “We talked before the game about guys stepping up and playing bigger roles and we had that tonight. We got down five or six late in the third quarter and our kids could have given in. They overcame the situation and fought back to win,” Price said.
GIRLS
Gentry 52, Pea Ridge 36
Haley Borgetein-James, a senior, led the Lady Pioneers to a 52-36 win in the opening conference game against the visiting Lady Blackhawks from Pea Ridge on Monday. Borgeteien-James had 21 points in the game, and nine of those were at the free-throw line. Mallory Morris added 12.
The two teams had nine apiece at the end of the first quarter of play, but the Gentry girls took a big lead in the second quarter and finished the half up 12 points, 29-17. Borgeteien-James scored nine of her points in the quarter. The Lady Pioneers scored another 12 in the third and 11 in the fourth. Again, nine of those fourth-quarter points were at the free-throw line (three by Morris and six by Borgeteien-James).
The win puts the Gentry girls at 8-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play.