Jan. 6th marks turnaround

PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove rebounded from a blowout loss to Farmington that dropped the Lady Tigers to 0-3 in the 4A-1 with a 50-33 win at Shiloh Christian on Jan. 6.

That win became a cornerstone in turning the Lady Tigers’ season around.

“We are 6-2 in the new year with two losses to Farmington,” said first-year Prairie Grove coach Scott Reed.

Reed attributes part of the improvement to increased offensive production throughout the lineup.

“More of them started to score. We had three girls in double digits against Shiloh Christian, Pea Ridge, Gravette and Huntsville,” Reed said. “Our team is transforming itself and it’s something our opponents are going to have to contend with.”

Prairie Grove survived a 3-point third quarter by outscoring Pea Ridge 20-7 in the fourth to nail down a second straight conference win in 4A-1 girls basketball action by beating Pea Ridge on the road, 59-43, on Jan. 10, 2023.

Pea Ridge outscored the Lady Tigers 12-3 in the third, narrowing Prairie Grove’s lead to 39-36. The Lady Tigers responded by knocking down 11-of-13 free throws in crunch time to put the game away.

Three girls, Lexi Henry (22), Camryn Cash (18) and Ella Faulk (12), accounted for 52 points between them. Each finished 5 for 6 at the charity stripe and together they produced all four of the Lady Tigers’ field goals in the fourth.

Henry and Cash each notched 3-pointers with Prairie Grove jumping ahead 16-11 in the first quarter. The Lady Tigers further asserted themselves offensively in the second, producing the first of two 20-point quarters in the contest.

Cash twice twirled the nets with 3-point shots in the second quarter with Henry and Faulk joining in the long-range shooting adventure. Five different Lady Tigers scored in the period and Prairie Grove emerged with a 36-25 halftime lead.

The lead virtually vanished with the Lady Tigers managing a solitary field goal in the third.

Meanwhile Pea Ridge caught fire with Jadyn Spivey hitting two threes and Leah Telegemeir cranking up another. The Lady Blackhawks’ 12 points was their second best quarter of the game and they closed to within three points, trailing 39-36 going into the fourth.

Telegemeir finished with 18 points and Spivey with 12 for Pea Ridge.

Staff photographs by Annette Beard Prairie Grove junior Camryn Cash (No. 1) takes the ball after a rebound Tuesday, Jan. 10, in Blackhawk Arena. The Lady Tigers defeated the Lady Blackhawks 59-43.