GRAVETTE -- Fans on both sides of the bleachers were treated to a rough and tumble basketball contest when the Pea Ridge Blackhawks came to Gravette to take on the Lions in a Saturday evening game. It took four overtimes and a combined 145 points to determine the winner of this matchup.
The first three minutes of the opening quarter were mostly a defensive battle with neither team able to score. But that changed halfway through the quarter when Pea Ridge's Kobe Rose hit a three-pointer, putting the Blackhawks on the board. Not to be outdone, the Lions answered with a three-pointer of their own by Dayten Wishon, tying the game at three each. The Blackhawks took control of the remainder of the first quarter, outscoring the Lions, 10-5, going into the start of the second.
During the break between quarters, Gravette boys' coach Matt Busch readjusted his game plan, catching Pea Ridge off guard. This allowed the Lions to outscore the Blackhawks, 17-10, and take a two-point lead, 22-20, into the halftime break.
It was all Lions in the third quarter, holding the Blackhawks to only three points while building their lead to 36-23 going into the final eight minutes of the contest.
Pea Ridge turned the tide on Gravette in the fourth, holding the Lions to only five points while playing catchup. With less than five seconds to play, the Blackhawks inbounded the ball and immediately put up a two-pointer that hit its mark, sending the game into overtime at 41-41.
Gravette took the advantage in the first overtime, building and holding a five-point lead for most of the four-minute quarter. But Pea Ridge managed a three-pointer with less than 30 seconds left. Gravette took the ball and ran the clock down to 10 seconds before putting up a shot, but missed the bucket with the Blackhawks picking up the rebound. Pea Ridge needed a shot but, with less than 1.5 seconds on the clock, Pea Ridge coach Trent Loyd called a timeout to rethink his plan. The Blackhawks were finally able to inbound the ball and put up a two-pointer that connected, sending the game into a second overtime.
The Blackhawks took the lead in the second overtime, but the Lions were able to tie it at 61 all, sending the contest into yet another overtime. As with the second overtime, Pea Ridge took control of the contest, leading by four points. But yet again, the Lions staged a comeback and, with less than five seconds, tied the game at 65 all going into a fourth overtime.
This time Gravette was able to take the opening tipoff and take it downcourt for two points. But Pea Ridge came back and built a four-point lead with less than 30 seconds remaining. Just before the Blackhawks inbounded the ball, Hayden Holtgrewe from Pea Ridge pushed a Gravette player to the court. After a minute debate, the officials finally called a technical on Holtgrewe, giving Gravette a chance at a four-point play and another tie. Wishon was on the free-throw line for two shots. Unfortunately for Lions' fans, he missed both. The Lions tried to make the best by putting up a quick shot with 15 seconds left but were unable to connect after rebounding the ball three times. The Pea Ridge Blackhawks took the conference win over the Gravette Lions, 74-71.
Dayten Wishon played one of his best games thus far with 41 points, 18 in the four overtimes alone. Kelton Trembly was the only other Lion player in double figures with 13. Others contributing to the Gravette scoring effort were Bryden Trembly with eight, followed by Chris Childress with five, and Colby McCarthy and Bailey Soule, each with two.
Leading the scoring drive for Pea Ridge was Mikey Mahoney with 22, followed by Hayden Holtgrewe with 18, Nick Coble with 17, and Kobe Rose with 15. Carson Rose added two points to the Blackhawk win.
Sports on 01/10/2018