Ninth-grade teams successful at Santa Slam
The Siloam Springs ninthgrade boys won their first two games of the Santa Slam Classic on Thursday and Friday in Pea Ridge.
The Panthers (4-3) defeated Providence Academy 40-39 in their first game on Thursday night.
The Panthers led 13-8 after the first quarter and 23-17 at halftime.
Providence cut the lead to 32-28 going into the fourth quarter, where Siloam Springs held on for the one-point win.
Dalton Newman hit two free throws with seven seconds left to give Siloam Springs the 40-39 lead and led Siloam Springs with 21 points. Nathan Vachon had eight points, while Levi Fox four, Malachi Watkins three and Gabe Cruz and Jaxon Spence each with two.
The Panthers took on host Pea Ridge on Friday and defeated the Blackhawks 42-34.
The Panthers led 10-2 after the first quarter, but Pea Ridge outscored Siloam Springs 12-6 in the second to pull within 16-14.
The Blackhawks cut the lead to 27-24 entering the fourth quarter, but Siloam Springs outscored Pea Ridge 15-10 in the fourth for the eight-point win.
Newman scored 20 points to lead Siloam Springs, while Vachon had 10, Connor Clayton seven, Fox three and Watkins two.
The tournament wrapped up on Saturday. Results were not available at presstime.
The Panthers return to action on Thursday at Bentonville.
Girls
The Siloam Springs ninthgrade girls won their first two games of the Santa Slam Classic on Thursday and Friday.
On Thursday, the Lady Panthers (7-1) defeated Providence Academy 44-11.
The game was tied 7-7 after the first quarter and Siloam Springs outscored Providence 15-0 in the second quarter to pull ahead 22-7.
The Lady Panthers took a 33-9 lead after the third quarter.
Brooke Ross led the Lady Panthers with 17 points, while Mimo Jacklik had 11, Rachel Rine five, Brooke Smith four, Sophie Stephenson three and Faith Ellis and Anna Wleklinski with two each.
The Lady Panthers defeated host Pea Ridge 26-19 on Friday.
Pea Ridge led 8-4 after the first quarter, but the Lady Panthers rallied to take a 13-11 lead at halftime. Siloam Springs pulled ahead 19-14 going into the fourth quarter.
Smith and Ross each led Siloam Springs with six points, while Ellis and Stephenson each had five and
Jacklik four.
The tournament wrapped up on Saturday. Results were not available at presstime.
The Lady Panthers are scheduled to return to action on Monday against Greenwood at the Panther Activity Center. It’s a three-game junior high girls night with the seventh-graders playing at 4:30 p.m., followed by the eighth-grade teams and ninth-grade teams.