Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Big second quarter key to Lions’ win over Mustangs
The Gravette Lions used a big second quarter to key the Lions to a 64-53 win over McDonald County on Dec. 18 at Gravette High School.
Gravette led 14-12 at the end of the first quarter but outscored the Mustangs 21-9 in the second quarter to take a 35-21 lead at intermission. The Lions stretched the margin to 51-35 entering the fourth quarter before McDonald County used an 1813 advantage to cut the final deficit to 11 points.
“The first half was sloppy on our part,” said coach Brandon Joines. “We did not come out ready to play and it showed right off. At halftime, my big challenge was we have to come out with force and be ready to play basketball. The thing we were missing in the first half was heart — and I can’t teach heart. The willpower to be better than your opponent at all times and the want to be better than your opponent — we did not have that in the first half. In the third quarter we started to get it, but every time we scored we gave up something on the other end. In the fourth quarter, I think we brought it. I thought we played outstanding in the fourth quarter. I thought Dalton McClain touching the floor for the first time in a varsity game was wonderful to see. Eli McClain going up and challenging on that dunk was heart. I think everybody wanted to prove something because of what we did to ourselves in the first half.”
Cross Dowd scored 17 points and Eli McClain had 10 to lead McDonald County. Cole Martin and Dalton McClain added six points each followed by Irael Marcos and Garrett Gricks with five each and Teddy Reedybacon four.
Gravette scoring was unavailable.
McDonald County claimed a 4734 win in the junior varsity game.
Destyn Dowd led the Mustangs with 18 points, followed by Dalton McClain and Isaac Behm with eight points each, Toby Moore five and Hunter Leach and Jaxson Harrell four each.