DECATUR -- Peterson Gym in Decatur came alive Jan. 31 when junior Desi Meek hit a pair of free throws with less than five seconds left, giving the Decatur Lady Bulldogs a 68-66 win over the Eureka Springs Lady Highlanders.
The Lady Bulldogs kept pace with the Lady Highlanders throughout much of the first half. A pair of two-point shots toward the end of the half gave the Lady Highlanders a 34-30 advantage over the Lady Bulldogs.
Eureka Springs continued to hold the lead throughout the third quarter, extending it to eight going into the final eight minutes of the contest. The Lady Highlanders extended their lead to 12 halfway through the fourth quarter when a three-point shot by Abby Tilley sparked a rally that cut into the Eureka lead.
With two minutes left in the contest and still down by nine, a layup by Meek sparked a second Decatur run. A series of errors by the Lady Highlanders with less than a minute left sent Sammie Skaggs, Destiny Mejia and Meek to the free throw line. A foul sent Skaggs to the line with the Lady Bulldogs trailing by two. Skaggs sank the free throw, bringing Decatur to within one point with 25 seconds on the clock. A pair of free throws by Meek gave the Lady Bulldogs the lead by one.
With less than nine seconds showing on the clock, Skaggs hit an all-important free throw that put Decatur up by two. The Lady Highlanders were unable to move the ball down court, giving the Decatur Lady Bulldogs their sixth victory of the season.
Meek had 20 points for the Decatur Bulldogs. Grayson Ertel led Eureka Springs with 28 points.
Decatur (6-16) 11 19 11 27 -- 68
Eureka Springs (5-21) 11 23 15 17 -- 66
Decatur: Desi Meek 20, Sammie Skaggs 19, Abby Tilley 13 (2-3s), Paige Vann 8 (2-3s) Destiny Mejia 5, Jackie Herrera 3.
Eureka Springs: Grayson Ertel 28, Gracie Lester 17, Meagan Holloway 12, Katelyn Ross 8 (1-3), Miranda Grubb 1.
Three-point shots: Decatur 4, Eureka Springs 1.
Eureka Springs 58
Decatur 43
The Lady Bulldogs traveled to Eureka Springs Feb. 2 for the second of the two-game series with the Lady Highlanders.
Neither Eureka Springs nor Decatur was able to hit the basket for much of the first half, resulting in a 5-4 Lady Highlander advantage.
Eureka Springs took control of the remainder of the first half, outscoring Decatur 18-10, to take a 23-14 lead going into the break.
The Lady Bulldogs never had a chance to come back in the second half and the Lady Highlanders took the second game, 58-43.
Eureka Springs 5 18 21 14 -- 58
Decatur 4 10 12 17 -- 43
Eureka Springs: Holloway 23, Grayson Ertel 16 (1-3), Gracie Lester (1-3), Katelyn Ross 9 (3-3s).
Decatur: Sammie Skaggs 12, Paige Vann 12 (2-3s), Jackie Herrera 6, Abby Tilley 6 (1-3), Desi Meek 4, Destiny Mejia 3.
Three-point shots: Eureka Springs 5, Decatur 3.
Sports on 02/07/2018