Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Siloam Springs ousts Gravette
SILOAM SPRINGS 53, GRAVETTE 43
GRAVETTE — Coming off an impressive win against Bentonville in the semifinals Wednesday, Siloam Springs’ girls couldn’t afford a letdown Thursday.
The Lady Panthers came out strong in the third quarter for the third consecutive night to build a double-digit lead and held off a strong Gravette charge for a 53-43 victory in the championship game of the Gravette Christmas Tournament.
“The girls just play hard,” Siloam Springs Coach Beau Tillery said.
“We knew coming into this one, specifically after a big win [ Wednesday] — a [ Bentonville] team that beat them by 30 last year — it would be an easy spot to have a letdown game. Gravette is as physical as it gets. I mean they just play so dang tough. We knew it would be a tough one, but we scrapped and got it done.”
Siloam Springs trailed 2116 in the first half and finished on a 9-1 run to take a 25-22 lead at halftime.
Brooke Smith made a three- pointer to open the third quarter and Brooke Ross followed with a three-pointer. After two free throws from Smith, Mimo Jacklik nailed a three-pointer from the corner as Siloam Springs went up 36-24.
The strong start to the third was on the heels of a 16-2 third quarter against Dover on Tuesday and an 11- 4 surge against Bentonville on Wednesday.
The Lady Panthers led 41-31 going into the fourth.
Gravette Coach Will Pittman pointed to the start of third quarter as the difference in the game.
“Siloam Springs hit three or four big shots, big threes, and they kind of just got us in a whole we couldn’t completely get out of,” Pittman said.
Gravette pulled within five twice in the fourth quarter on baskets by Brook Handle and Dalacie Wishon, but the Lady Lions (85) couldn’t get easy closer.
Ross scored on a putback to get the lead back to 4538, and Jacklik hit two free throws for a 47-38 lead with 2: 57 left. Wishon cut the lead to 47-40 with a bucket, but Smith answered inside for Siloam Springs and Jacklik followed with a driving basket late to get the lead back to double digits.
Alex Parker led Gravette with 12 points, while Wishon had 10 and Brynn Romine nine.
Jacklik led Siloam Springs with 15 points, while Emily Keehn had 13, Ross 12 and Smith nine.
BOYS TULSA HOLLAND HALL 51, SILOAM SPRINGS 40
The Dutch outscored Siloam Springs 11-4 in the third quarter to turn a 20-20 game at halftime into a 31-24 lead.
Holland Hall (8-0) extended its lead to double digits in the fourth quarter to win its second tournament championship this month. The Dutch also won the Jerry Oquin Invitational in Inola, Okla., earlier this month.
Levi Fox led Siloam Springs (8-6) with 15 points, while Nate Hawbaker had 10 and Dalton Newman nine.
Carter Benton led Holland Hall with 13 points, including three 3-pointers in the second half. Jadan Cool had 12, while Jalen Thompson had 11 and Nate Mullendore 10.