Siloam Springs stays patient to beat Gravette

BOYS

SILOAM SPRINGS 35, GRAVETTE 27

GRAVETTE — Siloam Springs adjusted to a slower pace of basketball Tuesday to snap its three-game losing streak.

The Panthers stayed patient with Gravette’s ball control offense and pulled away in the second half for a 35-27 victory inside the Lions’ new arena.

The Panthers also were without head coach Tim Stewart and his son, junior point guard Josh Stewart, due to covid-19 protocols.

“The kids came together,” said assistant coach Chris Cameron. “We challenged them. We told them before the game it was going to be different roles, different minutes. Coach (Bill) Covington and I were in different roles.

We’re going to have to do it together. It was a good community effort.”

Gravette ( 7- 3) had its seven-game winning streak snapped.

The Lions also were missing a pair of starters in guards Grady Hunt and Cordell Donnell because of covid-protocols.

“We’re down a couple of guys,” Gravette coach Matt Busch said. “We’re down two starters and one of our bench guys due to covid. We’re trying to shorten the game a little bit to avoid foul trouble and all that. We were on a seven-game winning streak and had been playing a little slower. It’s been good for us to play at that pace.”

Gravette ran multiple minutes off the clock in each quarter by simply holding the basketball near midcourt, and it paid off as Siloam Springs (4-5) only held a 12-9 halftime lead.

Cameron said the Lions’ offensive attack — holding the ball, backside lobs over the 3-2 zone — was similar to what Farmington did to the Panthers several weeks ago in a 20-point Cardinals victory. This time though the Panthers played it better, he said.

“We told them it’s what we saw against Farmington,” Cameron said. “It didn’t work out the way we wanted it to down there, but we had a different resolve. We had different guys step up. It was that kind of game and it was a good plan. That’s what we needed to see.”

The Lions came out roaring in the second half as Michael Duke cranked a pair of 3- pointers and Tristan Batie had a steal and score as Gravette took a 17-14 lead.

But Siloam Springs went on a 7-0 run to get the lead back at the end of the third quarter.

Carter Winesburg hit a pair of free throws to give Siloam Springs the lead for good at 20-19.

Landon Ward connected on a deep 3-pointer and followed by a driving basket as Siloam Springs led 25-19 at the end of the third quarter.

Jackson Ford scored inside to open the fourth, and Ford converted a three-point play with 4:50 left as the Panthers went up 30-21.

Neither team scored for several minutes until the final minute. Siloam Springs converted on 5-of-8 free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

Ward and Dalton Newman each scored nine points to lead Siloam Springs, while Ford had seven. Duke led Gravette with 11 points, while Batie had 10.

Siloam Springs hosts Bentonville West today, while Gravette doesn’t play again until Jan. 5 against Pea Ridge in a 4A-1 Conference game.