Short-handed Lady Lions persevere
FARMINGTON — The Gravette (3-4, 0-1) girls’ basketball team won Saturday in a big way, defeating Waldron, 53-32, to conclude their participation in the Tony Chachere’s Classic held at Farmington’s Cardinal Arena.
The game was decided early, with the Lady Lions jumping out to a 16-0 lead behind a ferocious full-court press. Freshman Cally Kildow had 5 points in the spurt, including a 3-pointer and a coast-to-coast layup. Junior Kyrstin Branscum added a 3-point play, scoring with an offensive rebound. Waldron’s first point came five minutes into the contest on a free throw, and Waldon didn’t score a single field goal until the final minute of the period. Gravette led 26-3 at the end of the first quarter.
The Lady Lions cooled off in the second and were outscored 8-5, but still led by a large margin of 31-11 at halftime. Kildow and Elizabeth Mckenzie hit 3-pointers in the third, keeping Gravette well out front. The score was 46-22 at the close of the period, allowing Gravette to cruise to a 53-32 win.
Kildow led the Lady Lions with 12 points. Rounding out the scoring were Bernice Garcia, 9; Tori Foster, 9; Mckenzie, 8; Branscum, 6; Jessica Bookout, 6; Hanna Graves, 2; and Stephanie Pinter, 1.
“We jumped on them ( Waldron) early,” said Gravette coach Will Pittman, ex-
pressing his approval of how the team responded with two starters missing.
One was taking an ACT. The other was attending funeral services for Gravette sophomore Lane Killion, 15, who died Dec. 6 following a battle with leukemia.
“There were a lot more hugs this week, the kids did a good job,” Pittman said. “They really banded together and supported each other.”
Pittman said the school has received an overwhelming amount of support from the community.
“Our community is tremendous,” he said.
Gravette 53, Waldron 32
A hockey statistic — “0 shots on goal” — loomed large in the first 3:17 of Friday’s 64-48 loss to Huntsville for the Gravette girls team.
Neither did the Lady Lions have any penalty shots as hockey refers to them.
Gravette coach Will Pittman called time-out to get some sort of offense orchestrated. When play resumed, freshman Cally Kildow drove the lane, firing up a running shot. Eighteen seconds later, she launched a 3-point attempt. Neither shot scored. But their offense was awake.
Kildow and Huntsville’s Holly Anderson traded baskets before Foster drained a 3-pointer, pulling Gravette within, 10-7. Gentry Gosvener’s trey for Huntsville gave the Lady Eagles a 13-7 lead going into the second quarter.
Kildow and Foster led Gravette with 16 and 14 points, respectively, but the Lady Lions couldn’t overcome the rugged start against Huntsville and lost, 64-48.