Lady Lions nip Lady Bulldogs in opening round
GRAVETTE — After a long Christmas vacation, coaches, players, booster club members and parents gathered at the Lions’ Den in Gravette for the opening round of the first annual Gravette Christmas Basketball Tournament on Dec. 27. For Coach Will Pittman, his Lady Lion squad came out on top, advancing to the semifinal round on Dec. 28.
Eight teams competed for the Gravette Christmas Tournament title. In addition to the Lady Lions, girls teams from Siloam Springs, Bentonville, Harmony Grove-Benton, Dover, Life Way Christian, Elkins and Jay, Okla., participated in this three-day event.
In the first girls’ contest, played prior to the boys’ game on Dec. 27, the Lady Lions faced the Jay, Okla., Lady Bulldogs.
Jay received the opening tipoff and drove downcourt to set up the first play of the contest. Less than a minute into the first quarter, the Lady Bulldogs scored the first field goal of the night, setting the pace for the next 25 minutes. At the 4:40 mark, Gravette had yet to score, while
Jay continued to build on its lead by two additional field goals. A few seconds later, Lady Lion Alexa Parker hit a layup for Gravette’s
first points of the contest. As the first quarter came to a close, the Lady Bulldogs maintained a five-point lead, 10-5, over the Lady Lions.
That soon changed when Gravette, at the 4:26 mark, began a run that eventually tied the contest at 12 all. On Gravette’s next possession, the Lady Lions pulled ahead and by the end of the first half held a slim lead over Jay, 18-15, going into the break.
Gravette managed to hold on to its lead through the halfway mark of the third quarter. But a short run by Jay brought the team back into the contest and, with 90 seconds left in the quarter, tied the contest at 20. For the remainder of the quarter, the lead changed hands twice until Jay finally pulled ahead once again. The Lady Bulldogs held onto the ball until the buzzer sounded, ending the quarter.
The final quarter came right down to the wire, with both teams exchanging control of the contest. With only 15 seconds left in the contest, the Gravette Lady Lions pulled ahead on a field goal and free throw to take the firstround win, 44-41, and advance to the winners’ bracket on Dec. 28, taking on the Siloam Springs Lady Panthers.
Leading the scoring drive for the Gravette Lions was Brynn Romine with 20, followed by Alexa Parker with eight, Da Lacie Wishon with six, Brooke Handle with four, Kelsey Fletcher with three, Rachel Deihl and Reese Hamilton, each with two.
Day one girls’ results
Bentonville 56 - Life Way Christian 22.
Harmony Grove-Benton 59 - Dover 53.
Siloam Springs 37 - Elkins 31.
Gravette 44 - Jay, Okla. 41.