GENTRY — When Gentry went cold from the floor, it heated up at the free-throw line.
The Pioneers made only two field goals in the final five minutes, but were able to knock down 11 of 12 free throws to seal a 59-46 win over Gravette on Friday night at Pioneer Gym.
"That's huge for us, sealing the game, icing the game," Gentry coach Sean Price said. "We spread the floor out, ran our offense and they had to come foul us. Earlier in the year, we were shooting bad from the free-throw line, but I think that won us the game tonight."
Gravette (13-13, 7-7 4A-1) closed the first quarter on an 8-0 run to take a three-point lead. It didn't last long, though, as Gentry (14-10, 7-7) answered with four quick points in the second on a pair of free throws by C.J. Taylor and a layup by Wyatt Clark.
The teams went back and forth before the Lions hit a nearly six-minute stretch without a field goal and the Pioneers built a 27-22 halftime lead.
Jackson Soule' made a 3-pointer early in the third quarter, then made a free throw a few minutes later to cut the lead to one, but the Lions then had another four-minute stretch without a field goal.
"Second and third quarter were different for us personnel-wise," Gravette coach Greg White said. "We missed layups, missed free throws and, on the road, you're not going to win too many (that way) in this league."
Gentry capitalized on the miscues and Ethan Hammond's layup just before the buzzer gave the Pioneers an eight-point lead that wouldn't dip below seven the rest of the way.
Clark scored a game-high 21 points, including 14 in the second half, for Gentry, while Cripps added 11. Soule' was the only player in double-figures for Gravette, finishing with 11.
"Wyatt is one of our seniors that we depend on," Price said. "I told him to let the game come to him and relax. He really did that tonight and without him, we wouldn't be the type of team we are."
Girls: Gravette 52, Gentry 48 (OT)
Haley Borgeteien-James' 32-point effort wasn't enough for Gentry to hold off Gravette.
The senior scored the final nine points of the third quarter to give the Lady Pioneers a 39-33 lead, but the Lady Lions battled back in the fourth. Gravette ended regulation on an 8-0 run and Borgeteien-James' three-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark.
After Borgeteien-James scored the first three points of the overtime period, the Lady Lions answered with seven straight.
Tori Foster had a team-high 17 points for Gravette, while Sydney Hicks scored 13.
Girls
Gravette 52, Gentry 48 (OT)
Gravette 12 12 9 12 7 — 52
Gentry 8 18 13 6 3 — 48
Gravette (13-12, 7-7): Foster 17, Hicks 13, A. Pinter 10, Branscum 7, Kardynalski 3, S. Pinter 2.
Gentry (16-8, 8-6): Borgeteien-James 32, Morris 6, Boss 4, Fuamatu 2, Ward 2, Hays 1, Little 1.
Boys
Gentry 59, Gravette 46
Gravette 15 7 10 14 — 46
Gentry 12 15 13 19 — 59
Gravette (13-13, 7-7): J. Soule' 11, Fox 8, Wishon 8, Childress 4, Crawford 3, Johnson 3, Pierce 3, Reynolds 3, Trembly 2, B. Soule' 1.
Gentry (14-10, 7-7): Clark 21, Cripps 11, Juillerat 9, Taylor 9, Hammond 5, Folker 4.