GRAVETTE --Three-point field goals were flying through the air at the Lions' Den in Gravette on Nov. 23 when the Lions overwhelmed the Life Way Christian Warriors with four straight in the first two minutes of the game. The end result was a 29-point victory for the Gravette Lions.
The three-point shot played a big role in the Tuesday night contest with seven threes in the first quarter, giving the Lions a commanding lead over the stunned Life Way Warriors. Besides the seven in the first quarter, the Lions put up two more in the second, three in the third and two in the final quarter for a total of 14 three-point field goals in the contest.
During the 1986-87 high school basketball season across the country, the new three-point field goal, which was in play in the National Basketball Association, was put into play after a five-year trial period. One year later, during the 1987-88 season, the National Federation of High School Athletics put the shot into the game's rulebook and the field goal became an integral part of the basketball contest.
The three-point shot spree began after the Lions took possession of the ball on the tipoff. An inside shot by Gravette missed and Sandeep Dhillon picked up the rebound and took it outside the three-point line and fired the first of seven three-pointers in the first quarter. Less than a minute later, Brody Hunt picked up the second three for the Lions for a 6-0 lead over the Warriors. This scenario was repeated on Gravette's next possession when Michael Duke connected for the third three in a row. One free throw later, the Lions held on to a 10-0 lead.
At the five-minute mark, Warrior Luke Melton was fouled by Gravette, sending him to the line for a pair of free throws. Melton missed the first but hit the second to put the Warriors on the scoreboard. By the end of the first quarter, the Lions took a commanding lead, 26-4, over Life Way.
The Lions continued to build on their lead in the second quarter while holding Life Way scoreless. With two minutes left in the half, the Lions held a 33 point lead when a Warriors' player was fouled. The first shot missed but the second connected, giving Life Way its first point of the second quarter. The first half ended with the Lions in firm control, 45-6, over the Warriors going into the break.
With the Gravette lead up to 50 points by the midway point of the third quarter, Jeff Melton, assistant basketball coach, filling in for Matt Busch, decided to let some of the players who normally get less playing time on the varsity team play the remainder of the contest. This gave Life Way the chance to play catch up. But it was too little and the Gravette Lions took the win, 67-38, over the Life Way Warriors.
Leading the scoring drive for the Lions was Sam Dewitt with 12, including three three-pointers; followed by Dakota Sizemore with 10, including two three-point field goals; Brody Hunt with eight, including two threes; Michael Duke with seven; and Gunner Woolard with five.
The Gravette Lions traveled to Oklahoma City to play in the Thunders Invitational basketball tournament on Nov. 24 against the Rogers Heritage War Eagles. The War Eagles took the contest, 78-57, over the Lions.
