SILOAM SPRINGS -- After losing to Holland Hall on Dec. 28, by a score of 74-25, the Lady Pioneers of Gentry returned to play in the Siloam Springs Holiday Classic Thursday against Rogers but couldn't quite get it together during the non-conference tournament, falling 42-35.
The Lady Pioneers played a strong second quarter, with Haley Hays picking up nine of the team's 12 points. But the strong quarter was not enough to overcome a first quarter deficit of six points, leaving the Gentry girls down by five, 24-19, at the half.
Gentry cut that deficit to two buckets by the end of three. Hays put in two buckets and two free throws. Kya Dezurik sunk one from outside the three-point line and Hannah Boss put one in under the basket.
But Rogers held on to the ball in the fourth quarter and forced Gentry to foul for a chance to get the ball and even up the score. But the strategy didn't work for the Gentry girls, with Rogers hitting most of their free throws and the Lady Pioneers going cold under the basket. Gentry's final quarter seven points came on three-pointers by Makayla Case and DeZurik and a free throw by Boss before she fouled out. When the buzzer sounded, Gentry was down, 42-35.
Against Holland Hall on Dec. 28, Gentry was down 23-5 after the first quarter and 40-16 by the half. And things didn't get better. Holland Hall picked up another 34 points to Gentry's nine for the 74-25 loss in the opening tournament round.
In the Lady Pioneer's final game on Friday, they lost to Coweta, Okla., 70-44.
BOYS
The Gentry boys played in a tournament at Washburn, Mo., last week. They came from behind to beat Southwest, 65-54, but lost to Forsyth in the final quarter, 81-78.
Sports on 01/04/2017