Lions lose another one to Blackhawks in third overtime

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS After a fast break from midcourt, Kelton Trembly (Gravette 12) goes high for a dunk during the second half of the Pea Ridge-Gravette senior boys' basketball contest at Blackhawk Gym in Pea Ridge Jan. 19.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS After a fast break from midcourt, Kelton Trembly (Gravette 12) goes high for a dunk during the second half of the Pea Ridge-Gravette senior boys' basketball contest at Blackhawk Gym in Pea Ridge Jan. 19.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

PEA RIDGE -- For the second time this season, the Gravette Lions-Pea Ridge Blackhawks conference contest was decided in multiple overtimes on Jan. 19 when the Lions traveled to Pea Ridge.

Both teams met Jan. 6 at the competition gym in Gravette for what would be a long night of basketball. The sometimes fierce contest went into four overtimes. With less than a minute to play and Gravette down by three, a Blackhawk player shoved a Lions player to the ground, resulting in a technical foul that would give Gravette a chance to tie yet again. But the free throw attempts failed and, when time ran out, the Blackhawks took the victory, 74-71.

The Jan. 19 game proved to be just as intense as the Jan. 6 contest when the Gravette Lions came to avenge that loss.

Gravette scored first two minutes into the game on a two-pointer. One minute later a three-point shot by Pea Ridge gave the Blackhawks the lead for the first time. Both teams stayed close throughout the first half, trading the lead several times until the last 30 seconds when Gravette extended the point spread by five as time ran out in the first half.

The Lions continued to hold that five-point lead throughout much of the second half. With only a minute left in the game, the Blackhawks started a run, cutting the Lions lead to two. With 17 seconds on the game clock, Pea Ridge called a timeout to reconfigure its game plan. They inbound the ball near center court and immediately fired off a shot, hitting its mark before time elapsed from the clock. Gravette's defense held fast and the game went into its first overtime tied at 47 each.

It took three overtime quarters to decide the outcome of the contest. Ultimately, the Pea Ridge Blackhawks prevailed, taking the win 59-57 over the Gravette Lions.

Four Gravette Lions players were in double figures for this contest. Dayten Wishon, who had 41 points in the earlier contest, had 20 points this time. Following Wishon were Kelton Trembly with 15, Bailey Soule' with 11 and Chris Childress with 10.

The Pea Ridge Blackhawks had three players in double figures, Hayden Holtgrewe with 18, Mikey Mahoney with 16 and Kobe Rose with 10.

With the win, the Gravette Lions were 14-5-1 overall and 8-4 in 4A Region 1 Conference going into the final three weeks of the regular season.

Sports on 01/24/2018