GRAVETTE — Jacob Hall set his feet and focused on the rim as he stood alone on the right perimeter.
Hall, a 6-foot-2 senior, knocked down the 3-pointer and set off a 13-0 run that turned a Pea Ridge deficit into a lead it never relinquished. Hall finished the night with 27 points and Pea Ridge opened 4A-1 Conference play with a big 75-63 road win over Gravette on Tuesday.
“That was the No. 1 priority to come over here tonight and get a win,” Pea Ridge coach Charley Clark said. “We really had to get after it to get it done, and that will be good for us down the line.”
The Blackhawks (8-1, 1-0 4A-1) trailed 21-15 before Hall’s 3-pointer. Pea Ridge sophomore Zach Davis came off the bench and drained three 3-pointers in the second quarter to help fuel the turnaround.
“Zach has had a very successful summer and early fall,” Clarks said. “He shoots the ball welland gives us someone who can come in and make some shots.”
Gravette (3-5, 0-1) struggled from the floor for most of the night. The Lions were just 6 of 25 from behind the 3-point line and failed to find a rhythm offensively other than a short stretch in the second quarter when they built their lead.
Gravette junior Terence Pierce got his points, finishing with a game-high 36. But no other Lion finished in double figures.
Other than a short span in the second quarter when they built their lead, the Lions had trouble scoring.
“I’d say we didn’t shoot very well,” Gravette coach Dustin Peters said. “We didn’t take advantage of the things they were giving us.”
Pea Ridge, which has played a rugged nonconference schedule with just one loss, got big offensive contributions from several players, including Levi Pitts (11) and Nick DeLeon (10). Two other Blackhawks finished with nine points.
PEA RIDGE 75 GRAVETTE 63 Pea Ridge 15 23 15 22 - 75Gravette 13 17 14 19 - 63 PEA RIDGE (8-1, 1-0): Hall 27, Pitts 11, DeLeon 10, Rose 9, Davis 9, Tillman 7, Mangrum 2. GRAVETTE (3-5, 0-1): Pierce 36, Pollreis 9, Van Otterloo 6, Parker 6, Troutner 6. JUNIOR VARSITY: Pea Ridge 57, Gravette 44 GIRLS GRAVETTE 67 PEA RIDGE 34
The Lady Lions opened conference play with a bang as Samantha Pruitt scored a game-high 24 points for Gravette.
Gravette (4-4, 1-0) seized control of the game in the first quarter, opening a huge lead that swelled to 20 points at halftime.
Destiny Wishon added 18 for the Lady Lions.
Casi Caton led Pea Ridge (1-6, 0-1) with 10 points.
GRAVETTE 67 PEA RIDGE 34 Pea Ridge 11 10 7 6 - 34 Gravette 26 15 15 11 - 67 PEA RIDGE (1-6, 0-1): Caton 10, Cypert 7, Cochran 6, Tuszynski 5, Sanders 3, Schooley 3. GRAVETTE(4-4, 1-0): Pruitt 24, Wishon 18, Bayley 9, Davis 6, White 6, Dewitt 4.
Sports, Pages 9 on 12/19/2012